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Lovcen Captures His Second Classics’ Title in Tokyo Yushun

Lovcen validated his previous victory once again in dominating this year’s Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby), climbing to the pinnacle of a total of 7,944 three-year-olds and becoming the 25th colt to notch both spring classics after Contrail in 2020. The World Premiere colt scored two wins out of the same starts including the Hopeful Stakes (G1, 2,000m) as a two-year-old and while beaten to third in his kick-off start of this season in the Kyodo News Hai (G3, 1,800m) in February, claimed the following Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas, G1, 2,000m) by gate-to-wire in record time. Trainer Haruki Sugiyama and jockey Kohei Matsuyama celebrate their first Derby title while this victory marked the former’s ninth and the latter’s 11th G1 win in total in JRA.

Lovcen missed a step when breaking from the second farthest outside post, lightly bumping Green Energy on his left and was a tad late to position himself well by the first turn. The versatile colt, who claimed the Satsuki Sho gate-to-wire, was forced to camp in a wide position in mid-field this time while Meisho Hachiko went right to the front to seize the lead, tailed closely by second favorite and Satsuki Sho runner-up Realize Sirius. Fourth choice Peintre Naif was unhurried after his break and sat in mid-division, a length and a half in front of the race favorite and eventual winner as the field cruised down the backstretch in which Realize Sirius took over the lead early, registering a moderate pace. After heading the field into the straight, the Poetic Flare colt soon gave way 300 meters out to Basse Terre who strived to pull away while Peintre Naif, with Lovcen tightly at his heels, closed in with incredible speed. As Basse Terre succumbed to the intimidating speed of the two in the final strides, Peintre Naif failed to shake off the tenacious Lovcen who dug in fiercely and poked his head in front at the wire.

“I still can’t believe I’m now a “Derby Jockey.” It was surreal coming back to the stands and being greeted by the enormous cheering crowd—I couldn’t hold back the tears. To be honest, I did feel the pressure, as odds-on favorite and the hopes of notching two-thirds of the Triple Crown, but I believed in the colt and he gave his best and showed his true strength today. We weren’t able to sit in the most ideal position due to the wide draw but, as in the Hopeful Stakes, Lovcen showed an incredible turn of foot which proves his strength and versatility. He still has potential and we have a lot to look forward to,” commented Kohei Matsuyama.

Coming off an 11th in the first leg of the Triple Crown, 11th pick Basse Terre was reserved early, trailing in the rear, but made rapid headway in the backstretch to chase the pace by the final turn, then rallied to lead 300 meters out. The son of Kitasan Black ran willingly and sustained his bid but was denied the win in the final strides by the fast-closing Lovcen and Peintre Naif, while narrowly holding off Going to Sky by a nose for third place.

Other Horses:
4th: (14) Going to Sky—settled around 15th, launched fastest late kick but had too much ground to cover
5th: (2) Matenro Gale—ran around 5th, quickened in last 300m after finding opening
6th: (4) Altramuz—hugged rails around 10th, entered lane in 15th, launched 2nd fastest late drive
7th: (11) Realize Sirius—tracked leader in 2nd, took front after 2nd corner, showed tenacity after surrendering lead, weakened in last 100m
8th: (1) Reichsadler—took economic trip around 5th, rallied for lead
9th: (6) Congestus—raced around 9th, showed effort before meeting traffic 200m out
10th: (12) Ask Edinburgh—sat around 4th, outrun in last 200m
11th: (9) Audacia—settled near rear, showed tied 3rd fastest late speed but belatedly
12th: (15) Forte Angelo—positioned around 12th, lacked needed kick
13th: (7) Meisho Hachiko—set pace early, entered lane in 3rd, rallied for lead until 200m pole
14th: (18) M's Begin—traveled around 6th, ran gamely until 300m out
15th: (3) Kenton—saved ground around 11th, never threatened
16th: (16) Green Energy—ran wide behind winner, failed to respond
17th: (8) Shonan Gulf—traveled near rear, never fired
18th: (10) Justin Vista—raced around 14th, drifted to outside in final corner, no factor

THE 93RD TOKYO YUSHUN (JAPANESE DERBY, G1)
3-year-olds, Colts & Fillies, 2,400 meters (about 12 furlongs), turf, left-handed
Sunday, May 31, 2026        Tokyo Racecourse        11th Race         Post time: 15:40
Total prize money: ¥ 651,000,000 (about US$ 4,200,000 <US$1=¥155>)
3-y-o: 57 kg (about 126 lbs), 2 kg allowance for Fillies, 3 kg allowance for Southern Hemisphere-bred born in 2023
Course record: 2:20.3         Race record: 2:21.9 [Do Deuce (JPN, by Heart's Cry), 2022]
Safety factor: 18 runners     Going: Good to Firm      Weather: Fine

Turnover for the Race alone: ¥ 31,619,301,000      Turnover for the Day: ¥ 49,187,579,700      Attendance: 84,731

Winner= 5 starts: 4 wins & 1 third / Added & stakes money: ¥ 327,104,000 / Career earnings: ¥ 640,320,000

* Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) (G1)

With the aim of establishing a systemized program that emulates the Triple Crown race held in Britain, and enhancing the quality of thoroughbreds in Japan, a 2,400-meter race for three-year-old thoroughbreds was established at Tokyo Racecourse (then situated in Meguro ward) in 1932. While maintaining its status as one of the most popular JRA events with a record crowd of 196,517 in 1990, the race has evolved during its long history, opening its door to runners from National Association of Racing (NAR; local public racing) since 1995 and foreign-bred participants since 2001. In 2010, the race entered a new phase as JRA reached the final stage of its internationalization project, allowing foreign contestants in all its graded events. The winner’s prize money, which had already exceeded 100 million yen in 1989, has now reached 300 million, and is now tied for the third-richest race behind the Japan Cup (G1, 2,400m) and the Arima Kinen (G1, 2,500m).
Among those who won both the Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas, 2,000m) and the Derby, only eight in the past went on to claim the Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger, 3,000m), successfully becoming JRA’s Triple Crown winner—the latest being Contrail (JPN, by Deep Impact) who followed his sire as one of only three in JRA history to accomplish the feat undefeated in 2020.
This year, Lovcen, Realize Sirius, Reichsadler, Ask Edinburgh and Forte Angelo, the top five finishers of the Satsuki Sho (Apr.19) in that order, automatically acquired berths to run in the second leg of the Triple Crown. Proven grade-race winners who also made their bids in the Satsuki Sho, Green Energy (7th), Basse Terre (11th), Peintre Naif (14th) and Altramuz (18th), were at the starting gate in aim of stepping up in performance from the first leg. Contenders coming off Derby trial endeavors were Going to Sky and Meisho Hachiko, respective winners of the Aoba Sho (G2, 2,400m; Apr.25) and the Principal Stakes (Listed, 2,000m; May.3). The field also included Audacia and Congestus who came off their wins in the Spring Stakes (G2, 1,800m; Mar.15) and the Kyoto Shimbun Hai (G2, 2,200m; May.9), respectively.