Third favorite Jeweler claimed the first leg of Japan’s 3YO Fillies’ Triple Crown with a thrilling performance to win in the G1 Oka Sho at Hanshin on Sunday.

Jeweler won the classic Oka Sho (1000 Guineas) over 1600m in a photo finish over her arch rivals Sinhalite.

At their previous clash Jeweler, a Victoire Pisa filly, was second to Sinhalite in the G3 Tulip Sho (1600m) after a second against male rivals in the G3 Shinzan Kinen (1600m) in January.

Winning trainer Kenichi Fujioka captured his first G1 victory only two weeks ago with Big Arthur in the Takamatsunomiya Kinen while jockey Mirco Demuro registered his 16th career G1 win in Japan.

Jeweler is also the first G1 winner among the first crop sired by Victoire Pisa, who was ridden by Mirco Demuro when he won the 2011 Dubai World Cup.

Fujioka was confident that her powerful turn of foot would carry her to contention although she was further back than expected.

“Her conformation tells us that she should suit longer distances so I have high hopes for her to do well in the remaining two legs of the Fillies’ Triple Crown,” he said.

Jeweler settled near the rear and circled wide around the field coming into the stretch, getting the better of her rivals in the last 100m.

It was fast run race with Jeweler’s time just 0.1 second short of the race record.

The Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks – 2400m) and the Shuka Sho (2000m) make up the remaining legs the fillies’ version of the Triple Crown.

The Triple Crown has been claimed by four fillies including Apapane who set the race record of 1:33.3 in her victory in 2010, and Gentildonna, who completed the sweep in 2012 and went on to capture the Japan Cup in 2012 and 2013 and Jaan’s Horse of the Year title in 2012 and 2014.