Danon Decile - Japan’s Juddmonte Hope, and a Global Star in the Making
- Archie Brookes
- Aug 18
- 5 min read
Updated: Aug 21
Juddmonte International Stakes (G1), 2063m, 3yo+ - York, Wednesday 20 August 2025
A Global Star Eyes History at York
The Juddmonte International Stakes at York has long been a battleground for greatness. In recent years, it has been claimed by the likes of Frankel, Roaring Lion, Baaeed, and last year’s record-breaking City of Troy. It takes a serious racehorse to win this race - and on Wednesday, Danon Decile will try to do what no Japanese-trained runner has done before: win it.
This isn’t just another overseas raider. Danon Decile arrives in the UK as Japan’s Derby winner, a Group 1 victor in Dubai, and one of the highest-rated turf horses in the world. In the eyes of many, he’s the strongest Japanese contender ever to tackle the Juddmonte International.
The Knavesmire awaits.
Pedigree, Price Tag, and Early Promise
Danon Decile is bred for the big stage. Foaled in 2021, he’s a son of Epiphaneia, a Japan Cup-winning stallion known for siring elite stamina horses, out of the American mare Top Decile, a daughter of Congrats who finished second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.
Bred by the famed Shadai Farm, he was one of the headline acts at the 2022 Select Sale, fetching a staggering ¥148 million (around $1 million USD). That kind of investment only raises expectations. And Danon Decile has lived up to every yen.
The Rise of a Champion
Danon Decile’s career didn’t begin with fireworks. He debuted in late 2023, needing two starts to break his maiden, and was a longshot in his first graded try - the G3 Kyoto Nisai Stakes, where he ran a respectable fourth.
But 2024 changed everything.
He began his three-year-old season by taking the G3 Keisei Hai over 2000 meters in January, showing early tactical speed and finishing power. That performance marked him as one to watch.
Then came the setback. In April, at the gates of the Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas), Danon Decile was scratched due to a last-minute lameness in his right foreleg. It cost him a shot at Japan’s first Classic - but preserved him for the one that mattered most.
The Derby Breakthrough
In May, Danon Decile lined up for the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) as a 46-1 outsider. Written off by most, he defied the odds with the performance of his life.
Breaking sharply under veteran jockey Norihiro Yokoyama, he settled just behind the early leader before darting through an inside gap and kicking clear in the stretch. He won by two commanding lengths - sealing his place in history and giving his young trainer Shogo Yasuda his first G1 title.
Yasuda, son of legendary trainer Takayuki Yasuda, had only been training since 2018. The Derby win was more than just a personal milestone - it was a signal that a new force in Japanese racing had arrived.
Danon Decile ruled as Japan’s top 3-year-old, and he did it with a racing style that mixed aggression with control.
Fall Setbacks and a Gutsy Finale
After a summer break, Danon Decile targeted the Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger) over 3000 meters. He went off as the heavy favorite but faded to finish sixth - the marathon trip likely beyond his optimum.
Still, he bounced back in the Arima Kinen in December, one of Japan’s biggest races. Facing seasoned older horses over 2500 meters, Danon Decile boldly led the field into the straight and held on gamely to finish third. It was a brave run - showing that he had toughness to match his talent.
International Star: The Dubai Sheema Classic
In 2025, Danon Decile began the year with a dominant win in the G2 American Jockey Club Cup. That set the stage for his biggest test yet - an international tilt at the Dubai Sheema Classic in March.
Despite being “relatively unconsidered” in the betting, Danon Decile was sublime. He stalked the pace, surged past Calandagan and Rebel’s Romance, and won by 1¼ lengths with authority. The pace wasn’t fast - but Danon’s ability to sustain pressure and accelerate in the straight made all the difference.
It was his first Group 1 win outside Japan, and arguably, his most impressive. Calandagan has since franked the form by winning the G1 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot. That Dubai win confirmed Danon Decile as a genuine world-class operator.
Danon Decile storms past Rebel's Romance in the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic
Tactics, Temperament, and Versatility
Danon Decile is built like a stayer but runs like a miler. He’s a front-runner with stamina and a cruising speed that puts others under pressure.
His preferred style is pressing the pace or leading outright, which has proven effective in Japan - notably in the Derby and Arima Kinen. He can also quicken off a steady gallop, as he showed in Dubai.
On paper, dropping back to 1¼ miles (2000m) for the Juddmonte might look like a test. But his camp is confident the trip suits him perfectly, especially on a firm surface like York’s. He’s training at Newmarket, and all reports suggest he’s handling the long layoff and travel well.
Keita Tosaki, his regular rider, knows him inside out and will be having a rare ride in Britain - his first since 2017.
The Opposition: Europe’s Best Await
Danon Decile will face a loaded field at York. The 2025 Juddmonte International has drawn a mix of established Group 1 stars and rising forces:
Ombudsman (GB) - The likely favourite. He exploded late to win the Prince of Wales’s Stakes and was just edged by Delacroix in the Eclipse. Dangerous if there’s an honest pace.
Delacroix (IRE) - Aidan O’Brien’s Eclipse winner. Flopped in the Derby but rebounded with grit.
See The Fire (GB) - Loves York, but has come up short in Group 1s. Solid each-way chance.
Daryz (FR) - Unbeaten French colt, supplemented for this. Unproven but unexposed. The wildcard.
Birr Castle (FR) - The pacemaker. Entered to ensure a true tempo for Ombudsman but could inadvertently help Danon Decile, too.
No easy race - but few horses enter with the same level of international proof as Danon Decile.
Why It Matters: Japan’s Juddmonte Dream
Japanese horses have come close at York before. Zenno Rob Roy nearly won the race in 2005. Cheval Grand and Durezza tried, but faded. This time, the vibes are different.
Danon Decile is younger, sharper, and more accomplished. He’s a Derby winner in peak form with global seasoning and versatile tactics. His Dubai form stacks up. His Derby win still sparkles. He’s trained to the minute. And most importantly - he wants to run.
This isn’t just a bold travel experiment, it's is a targeted strike at one of Britain’s greatest prizes.
The Verdict
If Danon Decile wins the Juddmonte, he’ll become the first Japanese-trained winner of the race - and one of the few to win Grade/Group 1 races in both hemispheres in a single season.
He’s carrying the hopes of a nation, and the momentum of a growing Japanese dominance in global turf racing. With tactical speed, a proven finishing kick, and the heart of a champion, Danon Decile might just be the horse to make history at York.
The world is watching. And Danon Decile is ready.
Enjoyed this piece?
If this spotlight helped, please consider giving it a share and follow me on X
for more Japanese racing coverage, sectionals, and betting angles. You can also check archiebrookesracing.net for the latest spotlights and race-day notes. Thank you for reading.
Comments