Silk Racing's Congestus secured his spot in the Japanese Derby (G1) by capturing the Kyoto Shimbun Hai (G2) May 9, and punching his ticket to the May 31 Blue Riband of the Turf at Tokyo Racecourse. The 127-10 sixth choice in the 16-runner field delivered a powerful move in the homestretch to win the 2,200-meter race by a neck over the favorite, Bereshit, and extended his unbeaten streak to three.
Congestus is from the first crop of Contrail, the 2020 Japanese Triple Crown winner, who began his stud career at Shadai Stallion Station in 2022. His debut crop was met with strong demand—most notably, a colt by Contrail out of Conviction, topped the 2023 JRHA Select Sale foal session, fetching ¥520,000,000 (approx. US$3.6M).
Contrail dominated as 2025's leading freshman sire with 19 winners, but it wasn't until April that he had a graded stakes winner. Contrail was not represented by any runners in the Oka Sho (G1) or the Satsuki Sho (G1), the first legs of the Japan Fillies' and Colts' Triple Crown.
But the tide turned at Tokyo Racecourse April 25 as Going to Sky won the Aoba Sho (G2T), a key Japanese Derby prep held over the same course and distance. Contrail will now have two Derby starters.
