Colts by champion sire Deep Impact filled the first three placings with the winner Dee Majesty setting a new course record in the G1 Satsuki Sho at Nakayama on Sunday.

Dee Majesty, the eighth pick in betting, broke the previous 2000m record by 0.1 second, recording a blistering 1:57.9.

The Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas is the first leg of Japan’s three-year-old Triple Crown and gave Dee Majesty his first G1 title and second graded race victory.

Debuting last September, Dee Majesty broke his maiden in his third career start but was forced to withdraw from the following G2 Hopeful Stakes in December due to a minor leg problem.

He came back to kick off his three-year-old season with a win in the Kyodo News Service Hai.

This win marked trainer Yoshitaka Ninomiya’s sixth JRA G1 victory and his first classic title.

Jockey Masayoshi Ebina claimed his 25th JRA G1 victory and his second Satsuki Sho title, his first title being in 2014 with Isla Bonita.

Breaking slowly from stall 18, Dee Majesty settled toward the rear as the frontrunner Respect Earth set a fast pace.

As the horses spread wide through the last two corners Ebina guided Dee Majesty to the outer route and he responded willingly, flying past the front runners including favorite Satono Diamond for a comfortable 1.25 lengths victory.

“We were slow out of the gate so I made up my mind to race him toward the rear as there were strong horses in the

Front,” Ebina said.

“Everything went as planned. He was responding really well and I knew that he’ll be able to take over the field at the

top of the slope.”

Third choice Makahiki traveled wide behind Dee Majesty and ran the fastest last three furlongs to finish second, 1.25 lengths ahead of Satono Diamond, trained by Yasutoshi Ikee.

Second pick Leontes pressed the pace and took command at the top of the stretch but was overtaken in the last 100m to finish fourth but was then demoted to fifth for interfering with Air Spinel.