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Going to Sky Stands in Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger)

Amid high expectations of a Triple Crown, third favorite Going to Sky, bouncing back from a sixth-place finish in the St. Lite Kinen (G2, 2,200m) on September 13, captured the final leg of the Triple Crown, the Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger), denying double-crown champion Lovcen the sweep. Sired by 2020 Triple Crown winner Contrail, the bay colt won his debut race in October (Tokyo, 2,000m) before registering a third in the Kyoto Nisai Stakes (G3, 2,000m) the next month. After finishing sixth in the Kisaragi Sho (G3, 1,800m) this February, he grabbed his first graded title in the Aoba Sho (G2, 2,400m) in April, which was followed by a fourth in the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby, G1, 2,400m). This victory marked the first G1 title for both his sire and trainer Yuki Uehara who opened his yard in 2023 and had scored four grade-races prior to the Kikuka Sho. Jockey Yutaka Take won his 87th JRA-G1 title, his first since this year’s Takarazuka Kinen aboard Meisho Tabaru, and sixth Kikuka Sho triumph after Super Creek (1988), Dance in the Dark (1996), Air Shakur (2000), Deep Impact (2005) and World Premiere (2019). He set a new record for the most Kikuka Sho victories.

Going to Sky broke smoothly and took a ground-saving trip in mid-pack while King Glory gunned for the lead to set the pace, widely distancing himself with the rest of the field. The frontrunner’s huge lead of nearly 20 lengths in the backstretch gradually dwindled as the field rounded the final corners. Entering the straight, the Contrail colt was shifted a few paths off the rail, advanced through an opening to take command 100 meters out and surged to the wire, narrowly holding off the runner-up’s late charge to prevail by a nose.

“I knew there were some strong horses in the field, but I wanted to focus on riding my own race. I’ve ridden this colt several times now, and I’d given a lot of thought to how best to ride him. He settled nicely in a good spot along the rail, and I felt we were in a very good rhythm. I decided to wait and make our move in the stretch. He responded well once given a green light and with about 200 meters to go, I thought we might win. He ran a good race in the Derby, and I felt we had a good chance in the last leg of the Triple Crown,” commented Yutaka Take.

Eighth pick Basse Terre was unhurried from the start, traveling near the rear up to the final turn. Heading for home with the fastest last three-furlong speed, the Kitasan Black colt kicked into gear bumping a rival in early stretch, then squeezed through a gap while briefly blocking the race favorite and unleashed a strong drive to the wire to threaten the eventual winner for the runner-up spot.

Second choice Danon History traveled most of the distance wide around sixth and gradually improved position to enter the lane in third. Battling with rivals for the lead, the son of Epiphaneia was overtaken by the eventual winner on the inside and runner-up from the outside in the last 200 meters but found another gear in the final strides to secure third place while fending off the fast-closing Sanono Greater by half a length.

Heavily favored Lovcen broke poorly and was forced to sit among the trailing runners, fourth to fifth from the rear. Attempting to make up ground, the colt made rapid headway from the outside before the third corner and although hitting the stretch in good striking position, the star colt could not match the charge of his rivals and faded to 14th.

Other Horses:
4th: (12) Sanono Greater—ran on rails around 12th, launched 2nd fastest late kick but belatedly
5th: (15) Sea to Summit—chased distant leader in 2nd, ran gamely until 100m out
6th: (16) Shonan Hayanami—traveled near rear, circled wide, showed belated charge
7th: (14) Majorelle Bleu—settled around 8th, rallied for lead at 200m out, weakened in last 100m
8th: (2) Congestus—traveled around 9th, showed effort but checked by rival at 200m pole
9th: (3) Audacia—sat around 14th, advanced in backstretch, checked by rival at early stretch, showed little
10th: (5) Justin Chicago—hugged rails in 6th early, dropped position in backstretch, showed brief effort
11th: (17) Charing Cross—positioned wide around 9th, lacked needed kick
12th: (7) Large Ensemble—raced around 5th, remained in contention until 200m pole
13th: (1) M’s Begin—trailed in rear on rails, even paced at stretch
15th: (13) King Glory—set fast pace, extended lead to more than 20 lengths at one point, weakened
16th: (18) Narita Esperanza—ran around 3rd, faded after 4th corner
17th: (11) Ask Edinburgh—saved ground around 3rd, failed to sustain bid, dropped back
18th: (4) Shonan Gulf—traveled around 15th inside favorite, no factor

THE 87TH KIKUKA SHO (JAPANESE ST. LEGER, G1)
3-year-olds, Colts and Fillies, 3,000 meters (about 15 furlongs), turf, right-handed
Sunday, October 25, 2026          Kyoto Racecourse         11th Race         Post time: 15:40
Total prize money: ¥ 434,000,000 (about US$ 2,800,000 <US$1=¥155>)
3-y-o: 57 kg (about 126 lbs), 2 kg allowance for Fillies, 2 kg allowance for Southern Hemisphere-bred born in 2023
Course record: 3:01.0                Race record: 3:01.0 [Toho Jackal (JPN, by Special Week), 2014]
Safety factor: 18 runners            Going: Good to Firm      Weather: Cloudy

Turnover for the Race alone: ¥ 23,768,562,900       Turnover for the Day: ¥ 34,024,087,700       Attendance: 52,126

Winner= 7 starts: 3 wins & 1 third / Added & stakes money: ¥ 228,140,000 / Career earnings: ¥ 344,298,000

* 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.
In the spotlight this year was Lovcen, the double crown champion one race away from the Triple Crown sweep. The World Premiere colt came into the race from a narrow win in the Kobe Shimbun Hai (G2, 2,400m, Sep.21) where Sea to Summit followed in a close third. Claiming the other trial race, the St. Lite Kinen (G2, 2,200m, Sep.13), was Justin Chicago with the Spring Stakes (G2, 1,800m) victor Audacia in third. The last leg of the Classics also included Going to Sky, Congestus, Sanono Greater and Danon History, respective winners of the Aoba Sho (G2, 2,400m), the Kyoto Shimbun Hai (G2, 2,200m), the Radio Nikkei Sho (G3, 1,800m) and the Akanko Tokubetsu (2 Wins Class, 2,600m, Aug.16), as well as Ask Edinburgh and Basse Terre, who finished fourth in the Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas, G1, 2,000m) and third in the Tokyo Yushun, respectively.