Danon The Kid

Danon The Kid
Danon The Kid in 2021
SireJust A Way
GrandsireHeart's Cry
DamEpic Love
DamsireDansili
SexColt
Foaled29 January 2018[1]
CountryJapan
ColourBay
BreederNorthern Farm
OwnerDanox Co Ltd
TrainerTakayuki Yasuda
Record18: 3-2-5
Earnings460,866,300 JPY[2]
Japan : 336,615,000 JPY
HK : 8,305,000 HKD[3][4]
Major wins
Tokyo Sports Hai Nisai Stakes (2020)
Hopeful Stakes (2020)
Awards
JRA Award for Best Two-Year-Old Colt (2020)
Last updated on November 19, 2023

Danon The Kid (Japanese: ダノンザキッド foaled 29 January 2018) is a Japanese Thoroughbred racehorse. He was one of the best two-year-olds in Japan in 2020 when he won all three of his races including the Tokyo Sports Hai Nisai Stakes and the Hopeful Stakes. In 2021 he finished third in the Mile Championship.

Background

Danon The Kid is a bay colt bred in Japan by Northern Farm. As a yearling in 2017 he was consigned to the Select Sale and was bought for ¥108,000,000 by Danox Co Ltd.[5] The colt was sent into training with Takayuki Yasuda.

He was from the third crop of foals sired by Just A Way, who won the Tenno Sho, Dubai Duty Free Stakes and Yasuda Kinen and was rated the best racehorse in the world in 2014. His other progeny have included the Fillies' Revue winner Epos and Velox who was placed in all three legs of the Japanese Triple Crown.[6]

Danon The Kid's dam Epic Love was an Irish-bred mare who showed high-class form in France, winning the Prix Vanteaux and finishing second in the Prix Saint-Alary.[7] Her granddam Alcando was a very successful racemare who won the Firth of Clyde Stakes in Scotland, the Prix de Psyche in France and the Beverly Hills Handicap in California.[8] Alacndo was descended from the Irish broodmare Charwoman (foaled in 1933), making her a distant relative of May Hill.[9]

Racing career

2020: two-year-old season

Danon The Kid made his racecourse debut at Hanshin Racecourse on 28 June when he was ridden by Yuichi Kitamura in a race for newcomers over 1800 metres on good ground. Starting the 3.7/1 second favourite in a fourteen-runner field he raced in third place before taking the lead in the straight and drawing away to win by three lengths from Wonderful Town. After the summer break the colt returned to the track for the Grade 3 Tokyo Sports Hai Nisai Stakes over 1800 metres at Tokyo Racecourse on 23 November and started the 0.7/1 favourite against nine opponents. Ridden by Yuga Kawada he was restrained in third place before making rapid progress to take the lead 300 metres from the finish and won by one and a quarter lengths from Titleholder with Jun Blue Sky in third.[10]

For his third and final run of the year Danon The Kid was stepped up in class and distance to contest the Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes over 2000 metres at Nakayama Racecourse on 26 December. Ridden by Kawada he went off the 1.1/1 favourite in a fifteen-runner field which also included the undefeated colts Land of Liberty, Orthoclase and Yoho Lake. He raced just behind the leaders as Land of Liberty set the pace from Titleholder, Orthoclase and Vanishing Point before the complexion of the race changed abruptly on the final turn as Land of Liberty veered to the left and was pulled up by his jockey. Danon The Kid took the lead on the outside in the straight and rallied after being headed by Orthoclase to regain the advantage in the last 100 metres and win by one and a quarter lengths. Kawada said after the race "The stable staff did a great job in tuning up the colt and he ran much better than he did in his previous start but still, he couldn't find a good rhythm and was not steady in the last two corners today. There is still a lot of room for improvement and we intend to work hard so he can kick off a good three-year-old campaign."[11]

In January 2021 Danon The Kid was voted Best Two-Year-Old Colt at the JRA Awards for 2020, taking 262 of the 283 votes.[12] In the official Japanese rankings Danon The Kid was rated the best two-year-old colt of 2020, one pound ahead of Grenadier Guards.[13]

2021: three-year-old season

On 7 March Danon The Kid began his second campaign in the Grade 2 Yayoi Sho over 2000 metres at Nakayama and started the 0.3/1 favourite against nine opponents. Ridden by Kawada he settled in fourth place before making progress in the straight but was never able to reach the leaders and sustained his first defeat as he finished third behind Titleholder and Schnell Meister. Yasuda later commented "He didn't quite get into the flow of things, and the pace was slow".[14] Despite his defeat the colt started favourite for the Grade 1 Satsuki Sho over the same course and distance on 18 April. He raced just behind the leaders for most of the way but after being switched to the outside in the straight he tired badly and came home fifteenth of the sixteen runners behind Efforia.[15]

Danon The Kid was off the track for more than six months before returning in the Grade 2 Fuji Stakes over 1600 metres at Tokyo on 23 October and finishing fourth behind the filly Songline. Four weeks later the colt was moved back into Grade 1 company for the all-aged Mile Championship over 1600 metres at Tokyo. Starting a 15.1/1 outsider he raced in eighth place before coming on strongly in the straight to take third place behind Gran Alegria and Schnell Meister, beaten by just over a length by the winner.

2022: four-year-old season

Danon The Kid started the year with the race at the Nakayama Kinen. He was the favourite for the race but he started the race aggressively and moved to the front too early before gassed out and finished in seventh place.[16][17] His jockey, Yuga Kawada suggested that his defeat may came due to his bad compatibility with Nakayama Racecourse in general as he finished in 15th back in the Satsuki Sho the previous year.[16] The next race he joined would be the Yasuda Kinen in Tokyo.[18] When the race began, Danon The Kid started well and even took a lead at one point. As the race progress, he slowed down at 100 metres mark and got passed by others near the end. He finished in sixth place at the end.[19] Despite the finish, Kawada noted that their race was better this time.[20]

He raced in the summer by joining the Sekiya Kinen on August. He started well in the mid pack and unleashed the fastest final spurt but due to the slow pace of the race in general, it favoured the front-runner horses which placed first and second at the end. Danon The Kid placed in third at the line, 0.1 seconds behind the winner, Win Carnelian.[21][22] He started the autumn leg with the Mainichi Okan. This time, he would be paired with another jockey which was Keita Tosaki as Kawada pick Lei Papale this time around.[23] The horse was rushed during the start and damaged the gate, prompted him to restart from the outside. This changed did not affected him as he made a good start and ran in fourth place. He briefly took the lead in the straight, but was eventually overtaken by the winner, Salios and Justin Cafe, ended up in third behind them.[24] Due to the botched start, Danon The Kid was suspended from racing between October 10 until October 30 and will be re-evaluated at the training ground.[25]

On November 22, he ran in the Mile Championship under Yuichi Kitamura. In the race, he was on par with the leading pack lined up in the middle of the straight. Just before the finishing line, he broke through a narrow gap and ran well, finishing second behind Serifos who capitalized the outside track for his final sprint.[26] He closed the season with a run in the Hong Kong Cup at the end of the season. Sticking with Kitamura, he saved his energy and took a narrow path in the straight to move forward from the pack. At the final straight, he sprinted but unable to catch Romantic Warrior and finished in second place.[27][28]

2023: five-year-old season

As the previous season, he chose Nakayama Kinen as his season opener. This race was a poor appearance for him as he slipped in the gate during the start and ended up in 11th place. This incident suspended him for the second time in his career from February 27 until March 28.[29] After the suspension ended, he joined the Osaka Hai. This race, Kazuo Yokoyama took over the reigns from Kitamura.[30] On the race day, Danon The Kid made headway to fourth early from the no.13 stall, gradually closed in on the leaders to enter the lane in second but failed to catch the eventual winner and weakened in the final strides to be outrun by the favorite for third place.[31]

Danon The Kid embarked for the Hong Kong trip for the second time in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup in late April.[32] This time, he finished in fifth place, losing to Romantic Warrior once again.[33] He then back with Kitamura for the next race which would be the Takarazuka Kinen. In this race, he ran well mainly between the fourth and fifth position for the majority part but he gradually fell behind as the race went on and ended up at 13th-place.[34] In the autumn, he tried the Mile Championship for the second time.[35] This time, Kitamura handled him mostly at the back pack majorly on the eleventh position initially. Then, he capitalized an opening on the last 200 metres to the end in which Danon The Kid sprinted forward to place fifth at the line.[36]

He closed the season with the Hong Kong Mile race. Danon The Kid was struggled with the ground here and ended up in 12th-place. Kitamura noted about the ground and he cannot secure a cover for his pacing on the race.[37] On December 22, it was announced that Danon The Kid would retire from racing and assigned to be a stud at the Big Red Farm in Niikappu, Hokkaido.[38]

Racing form

Danon The Kid won three races and placed in another eight out of 18 starts. This data is available in JBIS, netkeiba and HKJC.[10][39][40][41][42]

Date Track Race Grade Distance
(Condition) 		Entry HN Odds
(Favored) 		Finish Time Margins Jockey Winner
(Runner-up)
2020 – two-year-old season
Jun 28 Hanshin 2yo Newcomer 1,800 m (Good) 14 12 4.7 (2) 1st 1:48.3 –0.5 Yuichi Kitamura (Wonderful Town)
Nov 23 Tokyo Tokyo Sports Hai Nisai Stakes 3 1,800 m (Firm) 10 3 1.7 (1) 1st 1:47.5 –0.2 Yuga Kawada (Titleholder)
Dec 26 Nakayama Hopeful Stakes 1 2,000 m (Firm) 15 10 2.1 (1) 1st 2:02.8 –0.2 Yuga Kawada (Orthoclase)
2021 – three-year-old season
Mar 7 Nakayama Yayoi Sho 2 2,000 m (Firm) 10 2 1.3 (1) 3rd 2:02.3 0.3 Yuga Kawada Titleholder
Apr 18 Nakayama Satsuki Sho 1 2,000 m (Good) 16 8 3.3 (1) 15th 2:03.1 2.5 Yuga Kawada Efforia
Oct 23 Tokyo Fuji Stakes 2 1,600 m (Firm) 17 16 4.2 (2) 4th 1:33.7 0.5 Yuga Kawada Songline
Nov 21 Hanshin Mile Championship 1 1,600 m (Firm) 16 13 16.1 (5) 3rd 1:32.8 0.2 Yuga Kawada Gran Alegria
2022 – four-year-old season
Feb 27 Nakayama Nakayama Kinen 2 1,800 m (Firm) 16 15 2.6 (1) 7th 1:47.8 1.4 Yuga Kawada Panthalassa
Jun 5 Tokyo Yasuda Kinen 1 1,600 m (Firm) 18 4 10.9 (7) 6th 1:32.5 0.2 Yuga Kawada Songline
Aug 14 Niigata Sekiya Kinen 3 1,600 m (Good) 14 8 3.8 (2) 3rd 1:33.4 0.1 Yuga Kawada Win Carnelian
Oct 9 Tokyo Mainichi Okan 2 1,800 m (Firm) 10 4 6.7 (4) 3rd 1:44.3 0.2 Keita Tosaki Salios
Nov 20 Hanshin Mile Championship 1 1,600 m (Firm) 17 3 26.0 (8) 2nd 1:32.7 0.2 Yuichi Kitamura Serifos
Dec 11 Sha Tin Hong Kong Cup 1 2,000 m (Good) 12 6 17.9 (6) 2nd 2:00.4 0.7 Yuichi Kitamura Romantic Warrior
2023 – five-year-old season
Feb 26 Nakayama Nakayama Kinen 2 1,800 m (Firm) 14 1 4.4 (2) 11th 1:48.2 1.1 Yuichi Kitamura Hishi Iguazu
Apr 2 Hanshin Osaka Hai 1 2,000 m (Firm) 16 13 32.8 (10) 3rd 1:57.4 0.0 Kazuo Yokoyama Jack d'Or
Apr 30 Sha Tin Queen Elizabeth II Cup 1 2,000 m (Good) 7 3 9.6 (5) 5th 2:02.7 0.8 Vincent C Y Ho Romantic Warrior
Jun 25 Hanshin Takarazuka Kinen 1 2,200 m (Firm) 17 3 35.1 (8) 13th 2:12.6 1.4 Yuichi Kitamura Equinox
Nov 19 Kyoto Mile Championship 1 1,600 m (Firm) 16 6 24.9 (6) 5th 1:32.8 0.3 Yuichi Kitamura Namur
Dec 10 Sha Tin Hong Kong Mile 1 1,600 m (Firm) 14 3 26.4 (7) 12th 1:35.5 1.4 Yuichi Kitamura Golden Sixty

Legend:
  Turf

Pedigree

Pedigree of Danon The Kid (JPN), bay colt, 2018[1]
Sire
Just A Way (JPN)
2009 		Heart's Cry (JPN)
12001 		Sunday Silence (USA) Halo
Wishing Well
Irish Dance Tony Bin (IRE)
Buper Dance (USA)
Sibyl (JPN)
1999 		Wild Again (USA) Icecapade
Bushel-N-Peck
Charon (USA) Mo Exception
Double Wiggle
Dam
Epic Love (IRE)
2008 		Dansili (GB)
1996 		Danehill (USA) Danzig
Razyana
Hasili (IRE) Kahyasi
Kerali (GB)
Leopard Hunt (USA)
2001 		Diesis (GB) Sharpen Up
Doubly Sure
Alcando (IRE) Alzao (USA)
Kaniz (GB) (Family: 15-a)[9]

References

  1. ^ a b "Danon The Kid pedigree". Equineline.
  2. ^ "競走馬情報 - ダノンザキッド". 日本中央競馬会. Retrieved 2023-06-25.
  3. ^ "2022 香港国際競走要綱（簡易版）". Retrieved 2022-12-11.
  4. ^ "2023年春 香港国際競走の登録要綱（詳細版）". Retrieved 2023-05-11.
  5. ^ "Sales Results – Select Sale: Yearlings: Lot 323". JBIS.
  6. ^ "Stallion reports - Just A Way". JBIS.
  7. ^ "Epic Love Race Record & Form". Racing Post.
  8. ^ "Alcando - Horse Profile - results". Equibase.
  9. ^ a b "Venus - Family 15-a". Thoroughbred Bloodlines.
  10. ^ a b "Race Records:Lifetime Starts Danon the Kid". JBIS.
  11. ^ Takada, Junichi (26 December 2020). "Danon the Kid Scores Convincing Win in Hopeful Stakes". The Japan Racing Association (JRA). Retrieved 2020-12-26.
  12. ^ "Winners of the 2020 JRA Awards announced". Horse Racing in Japan. 7 January 2021.
  13. ^ "JPN Thoroughbred Rankings". Horse Racing in Japan. 26 January 2020.
  14. ^ "Satsuki Sho Comments from runners' connections". Horse Racing in Japan. 16 April 2021.
  15. ^ "Unbeaten Efforia Claims Satsuki Sho Title". Horse Racing in Japan. 18 April 2021.
  16. ^ a b ""【中山記念】ダノンザキッドは中山嫌い？7着 "" [[Nakayama Kinen] Does Danon the Kid dislike Nakayama? 7th place]. Sanspo ZBAT! Horse Racing (in Japanese). 23 February 2022. Retrieved 5 February 2026.
  17. ^ "Nakayama Kinen (G2) Full Result | R11". netkeiba. NET DREAMERS, Co., Ltd. 27 February 2022. Retrieved 5 February 2026.
  18. ^ "【注目馬動向】ダノンザキッドは安田記念に直行" [[Horse Trends to Watch] Danon the Kid Heads Direct to Yasuda Kinen]. スポーツ報知 (in Japanese). The Hochi Newspaper. 14 April 2022. Retrieved 5 February 2026.
  19. ^ "Songline Secures First Grade One Victory in Yasuda Kinen - News - Horse Racing in Japan". japanracing.jp. Japan Association for International Racing and Stud Book (JAIRS). 5 June 2022. Retrieved 5 February 2026.
  20. ^ "【安田記念】ダノンザキッド見せ場たっぷりの６着 川田「前回よりはるかに競馬ができたと思います」" [[Yasuda Kinen] Danon the Kid puts on a great show and finishes in 6th place. Kawada says, "I think I raced much better than last time."]. 東スポ競馬 (in Japanese). Tokyo Sports. 5 June 2022. Retrieved 5 February 2026.
  21. ^ "【関屋記念】ダノンザキッド完全復活ならず メンバー最速の上がりで追い上げるも３着まで" [[Sekiya Memorial] Danon the Kid fails to make a full comeback, finishing third despite making the fastest final charge among the field]. サンスポZBAT! (in Japanese). Sankei Digital Inc. 15 August 2022. Retrieved 5 February 2026.
  22. ^ "Sekiya Kinen (G3) Full Result | R11". netkeiba. NET DREAMERS, Co., Ltd. 14 August 2022. Retrieved 5 February 2026.
  23. ^ "Mainichi Okan (G2) Field | R11". netkeiba. 9 October 2022. Retrieved 5 February 2026.
  24. ^ "【毎日王冠】ダノンザキッドはスタート寸前飛び出し外枠発走のなか３着 戸崎「最後までしっかりと走ってくれました」" [[Mainichi Okan] Danon the Kid took off just before the start and finished third despite starting from the outside. Tosaki: "He ran well until the end."]. サンスポZBAT! (in Japanese). Sankei Digital Inc. 9 October 2022. Retrieved 5 February 2026.
  25. ^ "【毎日王冠】ゲート破壊のダノンザキッド 10日から30日まで出走停止、その後に発走調教再審査 ― スポニチ競馬Web" [[Mainichi Okan] Danon the Kid, who broke the gate, will be suspended from the 10th to the 30th, and his training will be reviewed after the start of the race.]. スポニチ競馬Web (in Japanese). Sports Nippon Newspaper. 9 October 2022. Retrieved 5 February 2026.
  26. ^ "【マイルＣＳ】ダノンザキッド ８番人気も底力で２着 復帰後初Ｇ１の北村友「感謝」 | 競馬ニュース" [[Mile Championship] Danon the Kid, the eighth favorite, showed his strength and came in second, expressing his gratitude to Tomo Kitamura for his first G1 race since his return.]. netkeiba (in Japanese). NET DREAMERS, Co., Ltd. 21 November 2022. Retrieved 5 February 2026.
  27. ^ "【香港カップ】ダノンザキッドが〝完全復活〟間近の日本馬最先着 北村友「よく頑張ってくれた」" [[Hong Kong Cup] Danon the Kid is the first Japanese horse to finish on the verge of a "full recovery." Yuichi Kitamura praises him for "doing a great job."]. 東スポ競馬 (in Japanese). Tokyo Sports. 11 December 2022. Retrieved 5 February 2026.
  28. ^ Cunningham, Graham (11 December 2022). "Warrior enters world's elite with stunning LONGINES Hong Kong Cup success". racingnews.hkjc.com. The Hong Kong Jockey Club. Retrieved 5 February 2026.
  29. ^ "ダノンザキッドが枠内駐立不良で1カ月の出走停止 ドバイターフ出走できず | 競馬ニュース" [Danon the Kid suspended for one month for poor gate standing, unable to compete in Dubai Turf]. netkeiba (in Japanese). NET DREAMERS, Co., Ltd. 26 February 2023. Retrieved 5 February 2026.
  30. ^ "Osaka Hai (G1) - Comments from runners' connections". japanracing.jp. Japan Association for International Racing and Stud Book (JAIRS). 31 March 2023. Retrieved 5 February 2026.
  31. ^ "Jack d'Or Claims Wire-to-Wire Victory in 2023 Osaka Hai". japanracing.jp. Japan Association for International Racing and Stud Book (JAIRS). 2 April 2023. Retrieved 5 February 2026.
  32. ^ "Danon the Kid settling well ahead of QE II Cup". netkeiba. NET DREAMERS, Co., Ltd. 20 April 2023. Retrieved 5 February 2026.
  33. ^ "Dominant victory for Romantic Warrior in G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup in Sha Tin". netkeiba. NET DREAMERS, Co., Ltd. 30 April 2023. Retrieved 5 February 2026.
  34. ^ "Equinox Extends His G1 Winning Streak to Four in the All-Star Takarazuka Kinen". japanracing.jp. Japan Association for International Racing and Stud Book (JAIRS). 25 June 2023. Retrieved 5 February 2026.
  35. ^ "G1 Mile Championship Preview". netkeiba. NET DREAMERS, Co., Ltd. 15 November 2023. Retrieved 5 February 2026.
  36. ^ "Namur Captures First G1 against Male Foes in Mile Championship". japanracing.jp. Japan Association for International Racing and Stud Book (JAIRS). 19 November 2023. Retrieved 5 February 2026.
  37. ^ "Golden Sixty remains the King of Hong Kong in the G1 Hong Kong Mile". netkeiba. NET DREAMERS, Co., Ltd. 11 December 2023. Retrieved 5 February 2026.
  38. ^ "Danon the Kid, 2020 G1 Hopeful Stakes winner has retired for stud duty". netkeiba. NET DREAMERS, Co., Ltd. 26 December 2023. Retrieved 5 February 2026.
  39. ^ "Danon the Kid Race Record and Form | Horse Profile". netkeiba. NET DREAMERS, Co., Ltd. Retrieved 5 February 2026.
  40. ^ "The Longines Hong Kong Cup Results - Race 8". racing.hkjc.com. The Hong Kong Jockey Club. 11 December 2022. Retrieved 5 February 2026.
  41. ^ "The FWD QEII Cup Results - Race 8". racing.hkjc.com. The Hong Kong Jockey Club. 30 April 2023. Retrieved 5 February 2026.
  42. ^ "The Longines Hong Kong Mile Results - Race 7". racing.hkjc.com. The Hong Kong Jockey Club. 10 December 2023. Retrieved 5 February 2026.
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