2025 Tenno Sho (Spring): Group 1 Review
Venue: Kyoto Racecourse
Distance: 3200m
Value: ¥651,000,000 (US$4,521,870)
The Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and the Melbourne Cup are among the races being considered for Redentor after Tetsuya Kimura’s four-year-old produced a strong staying effort to take the G1 Tenno Sho (Spring) over 3200m at Kyoto Racecourse on Sunday.
Sent out as 3.1 favourite, Redentor proved too strong under Damian Lane to continue the run of short-term licence holders winning Group 1 races in Japan. In fact, only the Osaka Hai – won by Kazuo Yokoyama on Bellagio Opera – has been taken by a full-time Japan-based rider in 2025.
The Race
A field of 15 took to the 3200m start at Kyoto. Redentor began well but Lane allowed him to find his feet as plenty of other speed emerged, most notably Jean Kazuma, Pradaria and Meiner Emperor. This meant that, by the time they hit the first turn along the back, Redentor was on the rail in sixth.
A strong but even tempo throughout gave most horses their chance and set it up for everything beyond the first couple. Lane kept Redentor in that rails position until the 1000 metres when he shifted off the fence. He was unable to match the move of Justin Palace, who swept around out wide, but he was able to improve between horses until he was able to get onto Justin Palace’s back on the turn.
Meanwhile, Andrasch Starke on Byzantine Dream had settled back last through halfway but the German rider had slowly allowed his mount to improve to the point that he was only three lengths behind Redentor on the home turn.
Early in the Kyoto straight it became clear that Redentor and Byzantine Dream were set to fight out the finish. Redentor hit the lead at the 200 metres but Byzantine Dream looked set to race on by. However, Redentor fought on strongly and was even holding Byzantine Dream in the concluding stages.
At the line, Redentor had a head on Byzantine Dream with three lengths further back to Shonan La Punta in third.
Redentor’s final time of 3:14.0 was the fastest time in the race since Kitasan Black stopped the clock in a world record of 3:12.5 in 2017.
The Winner
Redentor has now won six of his nine starts and is building a fine record as a stayer. His only defeats came on debut over 2000m, a disappointing eighth in the G2 Aoba Sho (2400m) when he got too far out of his ground and a closing second in a muddling G1 Kikuka Sho (3000m) when Urban Chic was off and gone under a heady ride.
A big win in the G3 Diamond Stakes (3400m) had him spot on for this and although it was a narrow win, it confirmed him as a stayer of immense promise.
He has already been entered in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, while Lane has been searching for his next potential Melbourne Cup ride in Japan and – after the retirement of Silver Sonic – this could be his next chance.
For racing club Carrot Farm, it means they have now secured victory across Japan’s eight most prestigious races – the Satsuki Sho, the Tokyo Yushun, the Kikuka Sho, the Oka Sho, the Yushun Himba, the Tenno Sho (Spring), the Tenno Sho (Autumn) and the Arima Kinen. They have also won two races that carry prestige abroad but are not considered in the same league locally – the Japan Cup and the Takarazuka Kinen.
They are only the third owners to win the “JRA eight” after another racing club, Sunday Racing, as well as Deep Impact’s owner Kaneko Masato.
The Jockey
A week after Lane wore the Carrot Club colours to win the G1 QEII Cup (2000m) on Tastiera at Sha Tin, he repeated the dose on Redentor to give him his sixth JRA Group 1 win.
He became the first foreign short-term jockey to win the race since his Melbourne sparring partner Craig Williams won aboard Jaguar Mail in 2010. It was also enough to push Lane up to third in the World’s Best Jockey race for 2025 behind James McDonald and Ryusei Sakai.
Lane is set for further big race opportunities in the weeks ahead, having commenced his latest two-month JRA contract at the end of April.
The Crop
For the first time ever, four-year-olds filled the first four places in the Tenno Sho (Spring). It was also the first time since 2000, when the great T M Opera O led home Rascal Suzuka and Narita Top Road, that four-year-olds filled the trifecta.
The top four – Redentor, Byzantine Dream, Shonan La Punta and Sunrise Earth – had all contested last year’s G1 Tokyo Yushun (2400m) behind Danon Decile, while the trifecta had all finished close up behind Urban Chic – and in front of Danon Decile – in the Kikuka Sho.
The four-year-old crop continues to look very strong. Danon Decile franked the form in the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic (2410m) and Shin Emperor won the G2 Neom Turf Cup (2100m) in Saudi Arabia and placed in the G1 Irish Champion Stakes (1m 2f).
Throw in Regaleira’s G1 Arima Kinen (2500m) victory, not to mention other international winners like Ascoli Piceno, and it adds further depths to Japan’s four-year-old ranks.
The Quotes
Damian Lane (jockey, Redentor, 1st): “It was a good fight, a very good race. I thought that he was in trouble a couple of times but he has a real competitive spirit. I was very happy in the race, he jumped well and the speed was good. To be able to find the rail on a horse that can sometimes be keen was a real advantage, it allowed me to get him covered up and relaxed. I think he’s still relatively young in the mind, he’s still immature so I think he’s learning all the time. That means that I think he can run at the top level over the next couple of years.”
Tetsuya Kimura (trainer, Redentor, 1st): “What happened last week in Hong Kong (with Liberty Island) has been very painful for me as well. When I think about the feelings of those directly involved, I too have been carrying complex emotions. Even so, I was in a situation where I had to face my daily work. He (Redentor) ran a good race and secured a Group 1 victory through his own ability. First and foremost, I hope he returns safely to the stable.”
Andrasch Starke (jockey, Byzantine Dream, 2nd): “I would have preferred a slightly quicker pace in the early stages. From behind, I was able to settle him into a good rhythm and get him to relax. That led to his late surge in the straight. I had to wait for a gap to open, but once it did, I asked him for his run and he responded with a good turn of foot.”
Yutaka Take (jockey, Shonan la Punta, 3rd): “I was able to execute the race as planned. I wanted to secure a safe lead turning into the early straight, but he didn’t have that much acceleration. Still, I think he ran his race to the best of his ability.”
Katsuma Sameshima (jockey, Justin Palace, 6th): “We didn’t begin well from an outside gate and it became a difficult race. From there, I tried to settle him into a rhythm and aimed to be within striking distance by the fourth corner. My intention was to gradually improve our position along the backstretch without pushing too hard. It just didn’t work out.”
Akira Sugawara (jockey, Blow the Horn, 8th): “He jumped well out of the gates and I was able to get him to settle in a good position. However, the track was firm and he didn’t pick up well. I think he would perform better on softer ground in a race like this.”
Kazuo Yokoyama (Warp Speed, 9th): “When the pace quickened along the backstretch, I used up a lot of energy trying to chase down Byzantine Dream. He gave his best effort, but a fast race like today’s does not suit him.”
The Future
The top two finishers could go to the G1 Takarazuka Kinen (2200m) next month but it may depend on whether or not the plan is to travel abroad later in the year. ∎
