Luxor Café – Kentucky Derby Context

A smashing winner of the Fukuryu in late March, Luxor Café won the Japan Road invitation for the 2025 Kentucky Derby (G1). Japanese invader and U.A.E. Derby (G2) winner Forever Young finished two noses back in third in last year’s Kentucky Derby, and Japan Road qualifier T O Password finished fifth. Luxor Café lacks the reputation of Forever Young, but he appears more formidable than T O Password. The bay colt will bring a four-race win streak to Churchill Downs, twice defeating U.A.E. Derby winner and Kentucky Derby-bound Admire Daytona in Japan, and he displayed a dynamic turn of foot sweeping to lead from the off the pace in his final prep race. 

RELATED: Kentucky Derby News and Notes

OWNER: Luxor Café will be the first Kentucky Derby starter for Koichi Nishikawa.

TRAINER: A top trainer in Japan, Noriyuki Hori will make his first Kentucky Derby appearance.

JOCKEY: Known as the “Magic Man” for his riding exploits, Joao Moreira has been a successful rider in Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, and his native Brazil. The 41-year-old picked up the mount on Luxor Café in the Fukuryu, guiding the bay colt to his most authoritative performance to date, and Moreira will make his first Kentucky Derby start.

BREEDER: Luxor Café was bred in the Kentucky by the Coolmore-affiliated partnership of Orpendale/Chelson/Wynatt and Westerberg Ireland. Orpendale bred Castle Gandolfo, who finished 12th in the 2002 Kentucky Derby.

SIRE: The first Triple Crown winner in 37 years, American Pharoah swept the 2015 series and was named Horse of the Year after romping in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1). A champion first and second-crop sire, American Pharoah’s offspring have yet to make an impact in the Triple Crown, but the popular stallion will try to change the narrative in the 2025 Kentucky Derby with Luxor Café and Publisher. 

DAM: Luxor Café is the fourth stakes winner out of the classy Mary’s Follies, a daughter of More Than Ready who counted the 2009 Mrs. Revere (G2) at Churchill Downs among her graded turf wins. Luxor Café’s siblings include half-sister Regal Glory, a champion turf female, and full-brother Café Pharoah. In 2020, Café Pharoah, who had the same owner and trainer as Luxor Café, topped the Japan Road to Kentucky Derby but didn’t ship for the pandemic-delayed race, and he was named champion dirt horse in Japan in 2022. More Than Ready finished fourth in the 2000 Kentucky Derby and developed into a Grade 1-winning sprinter. Luxor Café’s two-turn prowess and strong female bloodlines bode well for the 1 1/4-mile Kentucky Derby distance.

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