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Masquerade Ball Win First G1 Victory Against Top Older Foes in Tenno Sho (Autumn)

Race favorite Masquerade Ball, in his first start in five months, claimed his first G1 title in this year’s Tenno Sho (Autumn) to mark 3-1-0 out of four starts at Tokyo Racecourse. The Duramente colt won his two-year-old debut followed by another victory in the listed Ivy Stakes (1,800m) but finished a disappointing 11th in the year-end Hopeful Stakes (G1, 2,000m). He kicked off his three-year-old season with a first graded win in the Kyodo News Hai (G3, 1,800m) in February and finished third in the Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas, G1, 2,000m), then a second in the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby, G1, 2,400m). Trainer Takahisa Tezuka registered his tenth JRA-G1 title after the 2023 Satsuki Sho with Sol Oriens. It was his first Tenno Sho (Autum) victory although he had won two title in the Spring edition in 2019 and 2020 with Fierement. Jockey Christophe Lemaire, who partnered the colt for the first time, landed his third consecutive G1 victory following the Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger) with Energico just a week ago and the Shuka Sho with Embroidery another week before that. The French native now has a total of six Tenno Sho (Autumn) titles following Rey de Oro in 2018, Almond Eye in 2019 and 2020, and Equinox in 2022 and 2023 while also having claimed the spring version in 2019 and 2020 with Fierement and Justin Palace in 2023.

Masquerade Ball was allowed to settle between horses two-wide in mid-division and around tenth position through most of the 2,000-meter trip. The Duramente colt was caught behind horses as the field closed in on the leader approaching the final turn and had to wait patiently for horses on his outside to pass before finding enough space to angle out for a clear run just before the 400-meter pole from which the three-year-old gradually picked up speed and shot forward once reaching the leader with 100 meters to go, crossing the wire 3/4 length in front of the rest of the field.

“It’s great to be standing on this podium again for the third week and I’m delighted to have won the Tenno Sho (Autumn). I was racing behind Tastiera to keep a close eye on him during the trip. Then after the uphill, Masquerade Ball found his own speed and another gear to outrun the rest to the wire. He was amazing. The three-year-old, while with good potential, was probably still green although he was second in the Derby, but he’s matured and become stronger coming into the fall season and maybe could go for another G1 this year—if not he will definitely be among the top horses next season,” commented Christophe Lemaire.

Third favorite Museum Mile was a fraction slow out of the gate and traveled off the rails further back than mid-pack. Biding his time while moving up along the outside nearing the final turn, Cristian Demuro moved the colt further out before the 400-meter pole and found another gear to chase Masquerade Ball from the outside with increasing speed that matched the winner but 3/4 length short with more ground to cover.

Eighth pick Justin Palace saved ground along the rails in mid-division with the eventual winner on his outside and followed that foe out of a brief traffic jam before the uphill stretch, where the six-year-old son of Deep Impact showed a fine turn of speed especially in the last 100 meters to grab third place in the last strides.

Other Horses:
4th: (11) Shirankedo—trailed in rear, showed fastest late kick but belatedly
5th: (2) Urban Chic—raced 2nd from rear, stretched well but had too much ground to make up
6th: (13) Meisho Tabaru—set pace, showed response after surrendering lead 300m out, weakened in final strides
7th: (12) Seiun Hades—traveled around 11th, passed tired rivals
8th: (5) Tastiera—positioned around 5th, led 300m out, weakened in last 150m
9th: (14) Queen’s Walk—ran wide around 6th, responded until 100m out
10th: (6) Brede Weg—sat 2nd from rear, launched belated charge
11th: (10) Ecoro Walz—settled wide in 4th, showed little at stretch
12th: (1) Cosmo Kuranda—saved ground in 3rd, sustained bid until 200m pole
13th: (8) Ho O Biscuits—chased leader in 2nd, faded after 200m pole
14th: (4) Sol Oriens—hugged rails around 9th, outrun in last 300m

THE 172ND TENNO SHO (AUTUMN) (G1
3-year-olds & up, 2,000 meters (about 10 furlongs), turf, left-handed
Sunday, November 2, 2025      Tokyo Racecourse        11th Race         Post time: 15:40
Total prize money: ¥ 651,000,000 (about US$ 4,147,000 <US$1=¥157>)
3-y-o: 56kg (about 123-124 lbs), 4-y-o & up: 58kg (about 128 lbs),
2kg allowance for Fillies & Mares, 2kg allowance for Southern Hemisphere-bred born in 2022
Course Record: 1:55.2            Race Record: 1:55.2 [Equinox (JPN, by Kitasan Black), 2023]
Safety factor: 18 runners          Going: Good to Firm      Weather: Cloudy

Turnover for the Race alone: ¥ 23,744,947,200       Turnover for the Day: ¥ 35,115,846,300       Attendance: 79,192

Winner= 7 starts: 4 wins, 1 second & 1 third / Added & stakes money: ¥ 302,982,000 / Career earnings: ¥ 550,610,000

* Tenno Sho (Autumn) (G1)

“The Emperor’s Cup” was first held in 1905 to promote the horse racing sport through annual events that gave the winner the highest honor of being awarded the Imperial prize. Then the Tenno Sho (Autumn) was established in 1937 together with its counterpart, Tenno Sho (Spring), under the name “Teishitsu Goshoten Kyoso” and held biannually in both the Eastern and Western parts of Japan. The race was officially renamed the “Tenno Sho” in 1947. Both the spring and autumn races, which secured their status as the most prestigious events for older horses, were run over 3,200 meters in the early years. Later, the autumn version was shortened to 2,000 meters in 1984 so that the spring version could determine the best stayer, while the Tenno Sho (Autumn) would be the main target for middle-distance champions. This also gives the three-year-olds, who find the third leg of the Triple Crown, the Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger, G1, 3,000m), to be beyond their suitability, an alternative G1 as the ultimate goal for their autumn campaign. The Tenno Sho (Autumn) entered a new chapter in its long history when opening its doors to foreign contenders as an international race in 2005.
Last year, Do Deuce (JPN, by Heart’s Cry) claimed his fourth G1 title in the race and went on to win the Japan Cup before capping off his stellar racing career and being named the season’s Horse of the Year.
This year’s contest featured seven G1 winners; Sol Oriens (2023 Satsuki Sho [Japanese 2000 Guineas, 2,000m]), Justin Palace (2023 Tenno Sho (Spring) [3,200m]), Tastiera (2023 Tokyo Yushun [Japanese Derby, 2,400m] & 2025 Hong Kong’s Queen Elizabeth II Cup [2,000m]), Brede Weg (2023 Queen Elizabeth II Cup [2,200m]), Urban Chic (2024 Kikuka Sho), Museum Mile (2025 Satsuki Sho) and Meisho Tabaru (2025 Takarazuka Kinen [2,200m]). The field also included Queen’s Walk and Masquerade Ball who both finished second in the Victoria Mile (G1, 1,600m) and the Tokyo Yushun, respectively, as well as Ho O Biscuits, third in the Tenno Sho (Autumn) last year.