Kitasan Black claimed the last leg of the Japanese Triple Crown the Kikuka Sho to register his first G1 title and his third graded victory at Kyoto on Sunday.

Not making his debut until January of this year, the Black Tide colt scored three consecutive wins including his first graded win in the G2 Spring Stakes.

He was third in the Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas), the first leg of the Triple Crown, and was 14th in the second leg, the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) before he regained his form to claim the G2 St. Lite Kinen before coming into this race.

This win gave trainer Hisashi Shimizu his first JRA-G1 title since opening his stable in 2009 and jockey Hiroshi Kitamura’s his first classic and third JRA-G1 victory following his Tenno Sho (Autumn) win with Spielberg in 2014.

“I am overwhelmed with joy beyond words. There were concerns over his aptitude for long distances (pedigree-wise) but I wanted to prove that this was wrong, as his form and movements showed that he is suited to long distances,” commented Hisashi Shimizu.

Kitasan Black’s sire Black Tide is a year-older full brother to champion stallion Deep Impact.

Kisatan Black’s owner is a well-known veteran enka (Japanese blues) singer Saburo Kitajima.

He expressed his joy by singing one of his most popular songs “Matsurida (It’s Festival Time)” on the podium.

Kitasan Black broke smoothly and hugged the rails in fifth behind frontrunners Spirits Minoru and Lia Fail before Kitamura skillfully steered the bay colt through the narrow space on the final turn.

The Black Tide bay, responding willingly to the jockey’s urging, unleashed a powerful late charge that marked the fastest last three furlongs and managed to fend off the fierce charge by Real Steel before the wire.

“There were horses chasing us on the outside after we took command so I just hoped that he will hold on until the wire,” said Kitamura.

Second pick Real Steel, traveling wide in mid-division, edged forward through the backstretch and surged out at the top of the homestretch.

The Deep Impact colt exerted an impressive kick in the last furlong and nailed Lia Fail in the last strides but was a neck short in second.

Race favorite Lia Fail pressed the pace and just when he had nailed the front at the 200m he was overtaken by Kitasan Black, then by Real Steel before the wire for a half length third.