Titleholder more than lived up to his name in the Tenno Sho (Spring) (G1) May 1 at Hanshin Racecourse, leading throughout the 3,200 meters (about 2 miles) and romping home first by 7 lengths.
His only competition much of the way was the riderless Silver Sonic, who stumbled at the start, unseated Japan's leading jockey, Yuga Kawada, and worked out a perfect trip for himself around turn after turn to cross the finish line second.
The official runner-up was the race favorite, Deep Bond, a son of Kizuna with proven global credentials who also finished second in 2021. T O Royal was another length back in third.
After this performance, Titleholder will shoulder some of Japan's hopes to finally prevail in the race which has become a national hoodoo, the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1). Deep Bond finished 14th in that race last October in Paris after winning the Prix Foy (G2) three weeks earlier.
For Titleholder, there was nothing to the Tenno Sho. He broke cleanly from the No. 16 stall in a field of 18, not bothered by Silver Stonic's stumbling start just to his outside. He was in front by a wide margin by the time the field finished its first journey down the Hanshin backstretch and was comfortably in command throughout.
Jockey Kazuo Yokoyama scored his first group 1 win and joined his father and grandfather as winners in the Tenno Sho (Spring). He said he judged Titleholder, who does like to show the way in his races, was perfectly capable of maintaining that tactic through the marathon.
"I felt that he was in good form when I rode him in the post parade so I just believed in him and concentrated on riding him in good rhythm," Yokoyama said. "We were able to slow down the pace in the backstretch to conserve his stamina and I was not worried about the horses behind us in the last stretch."
Echoing the hopes of the Japanese racing establishment, Yokoyama added, "I think he will get stronger and stronger going forward."
About his personal achievement, he said, "I'm happy that I was able to win this race with Titleholder, rather than (just) being able to win my first group 1 title."
Titleholder, a 4-year-old Duramente colt, continued a pattern that has found winners of the Kikua Sho (Japanese St. Leger, G1) going on to score in the Tenno Sho (Spring). That list also includes Gold Ship, Kitasan Black, Fierement and World Premier. Kitasan Black and Fierement won the Tenno Sho (Spring) twice.
For Titleholder, the Oct. 24 Kikuka Sho was a breakthrough as his first top-level win. He subsequently finished fifth in the Arima Kinen (G1), won by eventual Japanese Horse of the Year Efforia, then won his first start as a 4-year-old in the Nikkei Sho (G2) March 26 at Nakayama.
After that and following productive works, trainer Toru Kurita said Yokoyama reported "dramatic improvement in the colt" and expressed confidence Titleholder was peaking.
"This time, I think his overall balance will be better and he's very close to what he was at his best," Kurita accurately forecast in the leadup to the race.
Bred by Okada Stud and racing for Hiroshi Yamada, Titleholder was produced by the Motivator mare Mowen.
