Admire Daytona kicked off a banner night for Japan with a sharp victory in the G2 UAE Derby, securing a spot in the Kentucky Derby starting gate in the process

The Drefong colt, expertly handled by Christophe Lemaire, narrowly held off Heart of Honor, who came close to making history under Saffie Osborne

Admire Daytona dug in gamely to the wire to secure the biggest victory of his career / DRC

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – By a Special Correspondent – Japan once again left its mark on the G2 UAE Derby(1900m, dirt), as Admire Daytona dug in resolutely to fend off a late charge from British invader Heart of Honor in a thrilling photo finish, securing a third consecutive victory in the Kentucky Derby prep for the Land of the Rising Sun.

A son of three-time Grade I winner Drefong, Admire Daytona was sent straight to the front by Christophe Lemaire and never relinquished command. Though clearly running on fumes late, the chestnut colt showed tremendous heart to hold off his surging rival in the final strides.

The victory adds to a golden streak for Japan in the UAE Derby, following past wins with Crown Pride, Derma Sotogake, and the sensational Forever Young, who ran a gallant third in last year’s Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs.

Breaking alertly, Admire Daytona was immediately joined by Rafid, with Galactic Star settling into third. The trio opened up daylight on the rest of the field, while from a stalking second flight, both Heart of Honor and Don In The Mood began to close ground entering the final turn.

The stretch run unfolded as a captivating three-horse duel, with Don In The Mood—ridden by last year’s winning jockey Ryusei Sakai—the first to yield. That set the stage for a head-to-head clash between Admire Daytona and Heart of Honor, the latter equipped with blinkers and partnered by Saffie Osborne, daughter of Jamie Osborne, who won this very race in 2014 with Toast of New York.

For a moment, it appeared the British raider might prevail, but Admire Daytona summoned one last surge under a perfectly judged ride from Lemaire, setting off jubilant celebrations in the Japanese camp.

“Honestly, I thought we had it, but it was so close you can never celebrate too early,” said Lemaire. “Japanese horses come into these races well-prepared and with a lot of experience. I also think they really like this dirt track at Meydan. The Kentucky Derby? Absolutely. It’s a tough race, but one of the most iconic in the world. If you get the chance, you have to go.”

Trainer Yukihiro Kato confirmed that the Drefong colt will indeed point to Churchill Downs, where Forever Youngnearly made history just a year ago.