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Energico Dominates in Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger)

Race favorite Energico claimed the last leg of this year’s Triple Crown, the Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger), for his first G1 and second graded victory. The Duramente colt won his only start in October as a two-year-old and marked another win in his three-year-old debut, the Saintpaulia Sho (1 Win Class, 1,800m) in February, then extended his winning streak to three in the Aoba Sho (G2, 2,400m) in April. Although withdrawn from the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) due to a poor health condition, he commenced his autumn campaign with a runner-up effort in the Niigata Kinen (G3, 2,000m) against older foes in late August and demonstrated both his stamina and speed to stand atop his fellow three-year-olds with this win. Trainer Mizuki Takayanagi registered his third JRA-G1 win after the 2022 Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) with Stars on Earth, and jockey Christophe Lemaire scored his 56th G1 victory only a week after the Shuka Sho with Embroidery. Lemaire became the first jockey to win the Kikuka Sho three consecutive years and tied with Yutaka Take for most wins (five) in the last leg of the Triple Crown—previously having won in 2016 (Satono Diamond), 2018 (Fierement), 2023 (Durezza) and 2024 (Urban Chic).

Energico was unhurried out of the gate and rated well off the pace further back than mid-division early and more near the rear and two wide traveling in front of the stands the first time around. Shifting out for a clear path going uphill towards the third corner and making use of the downhill towards the last turn to quickly make ground, four-time Kikuka Sho winner Christophe Lemaire moved the Duramente colt up to fifth position entering the final straight and didn’t waste time to pin the leader before the furlong pole then easily drew away uncontested to win comfortably by two lengths.

“It’s hard to believe that I won three in a row in this race! It’s a long-distance G1 and very difficult to win at G1 level, but I’ve been fortunate to have been given rides on such great horses with stamina every year. Energico also has lots of stamina, and although he is not so sharp out of the gate, we had plenty of time to keep patient and make our way to a good spot. I took the opportunity to grab a good route on the outside and the colt responded well with a lasting finishing speed. Winning at Kyoto is special because I reside at Kyoto and winning two weeks in a row feels so great!” commented jockey Christophe Lemaire.

Eri King was positioned near the rear early while keeping a close eye on the race favorite. Making a similar move approaching the last corner while stalking the eventual winner, the Kizuna colt was a little slow to pick up speed entering the stretch but turned in a terrific turn of foot especially in the last 100 meters to outrun all but the winner for second place.

Excite Bio broke sharply and was forwardly positioned outside a rival and close behind pacesetter G T Adamant in second or third. After given a breather passing the grand stand first time around, settling a few lengths further behind the pace, the Rey de Oro colt reemerged to the front approaching the final bend and took command entering the homestretch and, while caught by the winner and challenged by other rivals from behind, held on gamely, only beaten for second place by Eri King with 50 meters to go and prevailing the rest of the challenge by a nose.

Other Horses:
4th: (12) Goltzschtal—sat wide around 9th, stretched well inside Eri King, nose short of the money in 4th
5th: (18) Red Bande—raced around 7th, briefly rallied for lead, weakened in last 100m
6th: (6) Mirage Knight—trailed in rear, showed 2nd fastest late kick but too late
7th: (1) Coachella Valley—unhurried around 15th, circled wide launched belated charge
8th: (5) Giovanni—rated on rails around 9th, showed response until 100m out
9th: (8) Rex Novus—chased leaders in 3rd, ran out of steam last 100m
10th: (13) Arrondi—settled around 11th, showed brief effort at 200m out
11th: (2) Amakihi—hugged rails around 11th, entered lane in last, passed tired rivals
12th: (3) Right Track—took economic trip around 6th, failed to respond at stretch
13th: (11) My Universe—ran on rails around 11th, advanced to 3rd in backstretch, came up empty at stretch
14th: (7) Shohei—sat in 4th, closed in on leaders before 3rd corner, ran gamely up to 200m pole
15th: (17) Layered Red—raced around 11th, gradually dropped position
16th: (4) Yamanin Bouclier—tracked leader in 2nd, used up with 1,200m to go
17th: (16) Ra Shalom—traveled around 6th early, dropped back after 3rd corner
18th: (10) G T Adamant—set pace faded after final corner

THE 86TH KIKUKA SHO (JAPANESE ST. LEGER, G1)
3-year-olds, Colts and Fillies, 3,000 meters (about 15 furlongs), turf, right-handed
Sunday, October 26, 2025 Kyoto Racecourse 11th Race Post time: 15:40
Total prize money: ¥ 434,000,000 (about US$ 2,765,000 <US$1=¥157>)
3-y-o: 57 kg (about 126 lbs), 2 kg allowance for Fillies, 2 kg allowance for Southern Hemisphere-bred born in 2022
Course Record: 3:01.0 Race Record: 3:01.0 [Toho Jackal (JPN, by Special Week), 2014]
Safety factor: 18 runners Going: Good Weather: Drizzle

Turnover for the Race alone: ¥ 20,548,039,900       Turnover for the Day: ¥ 30,438,746,300       Attendance: 37,598

Winner= 5 starts: 4 wins & 1 second / Added & stakes money: ¥ 227,559,000 / Career earnings: ¥ 318,219,000

* Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger) (G1)

The history of Kikuka Sho, the Japanese St. Leger and the last leg of the Triple Crown race for three-year-old colts and fillies, dates back to 1938—a year after Japan’s 11 racing clubs integrated into one organization named Nihon Keiba Kai (forerunner of the JRA). Initially called “Kyoto Norin-sho Shoten Yonsai Yobiuma Kyoso”, the race was renamed to Kikuka Sho in 1948. The race was held at its temporary venue of Hanshin Racecourse in 2021 and 2022 while Kyoto Racecourse was undergoing renovation.
The Kikuka Sho features three-year-olds, most of who have matured dramatically during the five months following the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby, G1, 2,400m) and their summer break. The Kikuka Sho winners have both the speed and the stamina to prove their caliber as potential breeding stock. The last of the eight Triple Crown winners in JRA history was Contrail (JPN, by Deep Impact) who followed in the footsteps of his sire by accomplishing the feat undefeated in 2020.
Satsuki Sho victor Museum Mile (JPN, by Leontes) won the first of the Kikuka Sho trials, the St. Lite Kinen (G2, 2,200m; Sep.15) but chose to run in the Tenno Sho (Autumn) (G1, 2,000m) against older foes a week later instead. Coming off the St. Lite Kinen included Yamanin Bouclier (2nd) and Red Bande (3rd). In another trial, the Kobe Shimbun Hai (G2, 2,400m; Sep.21), Eri King claimed his second graded title.  Tokyo Yushun third-place finisher Shohei followed in second and the Hopeful Stakes (G1, 2,000m) runner-up Giovanni in third. Also among the Kikuka Sho field were Excite Bio and Goltzschtal, respective winners of the Radio Nikkei Sho (G3, 1,800m; Jun.29) and the Nihonkai Stakes (3 Wins Class, 2,200m; Aug.30) as well as Aoba Sho (G2, 2,400m) victor Energico who came off a second in the Niigata Kinen (G3, 2,000m; Aug.31).