Admire Daytona grabs Kentucky ticket with tight UAE Derby win
Japan's recent dominance in the UAE Derby continued as Admire Daytona scraped home from Heart Of Honor in a thrilling photo-finish, earning himself a berth in the Kentucky Derby.
The son of triple Grade 1 winner Drefong made all of the running but was pushed to the limit in the closing stages and only just held on by a short-head.
The victory marked Japan's third consecutive win in the race following the strikes of Crown Pride, Derma Sotogake and the exceptional Forever Young last year.
Admire Daytona was sent to the front by Christophe Lemaire from the gates but was pursued by Rafid, with Galactic Star a close third. There was a break to the remainder of the field.
Both Heart Of Honor and Don In The Mood made up that group and the pair improved into the home turn as Admire Daytona came under pressure.
The trio were locked in battle in the final furlong, with Don In The Mood on the outside the first to weaken under last year's winning rider Ryusei Sakai.
For a brief moment it looked as if his countryman Admire Daytona would have to yield too as the blinkered Heart Of Honor produced a right-handed rally in the final strides.
However, the Japanese colt responded willingly to Lemaire's urgings to score, prompting joyous celebrations for the Japanese contingent and agony for the British runner.
Heart Of Honor's trainer Jamie Osborne won the race in 2014 with Toast Of New York, who was denied in his own photo-finish to the Breeders' Cup Classic that November.
This time his daughter Saffie Osborne, who in February became the first woman to win a race at Meydan, was in the saddle.
Lemaire said: 'Honestly, I thought I'd won but it was very tight so you never get too happy, too early. The Japanese horses come here with quite a bit of experience at home. For us, they arrive near their best this early in the season - not too much racing but also with plenty of experience. I think they like the Meydan dirt track too. For sure he can go to Kentucky, but it is such a difficult race to win. It is one of the most iconic races in the world and we have to go if we can.'
Trainer Yukihiro Kato confirmed that Admire Daytona would go to the Kentucky Derby, with last year's UAE Derby winner Forever Young finishing third at Churchill Downs.
Heart Of Honor has been out in the UAE all season, winning twice and taking second in both the UAE 2000 Guineas and the Al Bastakiya.
Saffie has ridden at the Dubai World Cup meeting twice before but this was her biggest opportunity yet. In February 2024 she became the first female jockey to ride a winner at Meydan.
Trainer Jamie Osborne reflected on the narrow defeat with a bittersweet mix of pride and pain:
'Heart Of Honor has delivered the performance of his life — an absolute career-best — and as a trainer, that's what you strive for, what you live for.
'You have to be proud when a horse gives you everything, and he did just that tonight. But to come so agonisingly close, only to miss out by the slimmest of margins... that's a tough one to swallow. It hurts, no doubt about it. Still, he proved today he belongs on the big stage, and we'll be back.'
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