Four horses hit the finish line abreast at the end of the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby-G1) at Tokyo Racecourse May 28 with jockey Damien Lane timing things perfectly to get Tastiera home first by a neck.
The solid favorite, Sol Oriens, finished second, reversing the order posted in the Satsuki Sho (Japanese Two Thousand Guineas-G1) and ensuring there will be no Japanese Triple Crown winner this year.
Hearts Concerto and Bellagio Opera were a pair of noses back in third and fourth. Dura Erede, making his first start since finishing second to Derma Sotogake in the UAE Derby (G2), stumbled at the start, unseating jockey Ryusei Sakai. The Duramente colt ran on solo to finish the 2,400-meter course, seemingly uninjured.
Tastiera raced just behind the leaders of the main pack while an outsider opened a gaping lead through most of the race. As things tightened on the uphill stretch climb, he got to the lead with some 200 meters left and held on.
"It's a very special, great feeling, especially for Hori Stables and Carrot Farm, with whom I've had success," Lane said.
Tastiera was bred by Northern Farm and runs for U Carrot Farm. Noriyuki Hori trains the colt, by Satono Crown, out of the Manhattan Cafe mare Partitura.
He started his career with a victory in November at Tokyo Racecourse, his only start at 2. He finished fourth in the Kyoto News Hai (Tokinominoru Kinen-G3) in his 2023 debut and won the Hochi Hai Yayoi Sho Deep Impact Kinen (G2) in his final prep for the Guineas.
The Guineas defeat was a shocking disappointment as Tastiera took the lead early in the stretch and appeared to have the race won despite the heavy going and a taxing run. Sol Oriens came from next-last with an electrifying bolt up the middle of the course to win by 1 1/4 lengths.
Lane said things worked out better in the Derby with a better trip.
"It was definitely the position (today) and credit to the horse," Lane said. "He's so versatile. He could jump quick, put himself in a good position, and relax. It's just a great sense of achievement."
Sol Oriens came into the Tokyo Yushun undefeated after three starts, including the remarkable finish in the Guineas. Trainer Takehisa Tezuka voiced hope before the race that Sol Oriens would benefit from a better draw in the No. 12 gate and firmer turf to improve on his runner-up finish in the Guineas.
"I think his performance in the Satsuki Sho was good. I had my doubts about whether he could do well over the heavy ground and how he would do with the inside gate and the big field. But he came through well on all points," the trainer argued.
Despite the better going in the Japanese Derby, he couldn't quite pull it off.
The Japan Racing Association noted a couple of oddities in the outcome of the Derby.
Tastiera is from the first crop of promising sire Satono Crown, becoming the first first-crop Derby winner in 14 years since Logi Universe, by Neo Universe. Satono Crown himself finished third in the 2015 Tokyo Yushun, won by Duramente. He went on to win the Hong Kong Vase (G1) the following season and the Takarazuka Kinen (G1) in 2017.
From 123 registered foals in his 2020 crop, Satono Crown has 111 starters with 29 winners and 34 placers, per Japan Bloodstock Information System.
Also, Lane was the fourth rider to hop aboard Tastiera and became the first jockey in 69 years to ride a new mount to Derby victory. The JRA noted that factoid is "not due to difficulty as much as it is the changing nature of Japanese racing ..."
