The ageless Yutaka Take earned a sixth Group 1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) (2400m) when last season's Champion Two-Year-Old Do Deuce prevailed in a thriller.
A third winner of the race for trainer Yasuo Tomomichi, the son of Heart’s Cry defeated the heavily backed Kitasan Black colt Equinox by a neck.
Ridden by Christophe Lemaire, Equinox was taken back to last from the extreme outside barrier. The Satsuki Sho runner-up made a long-sustained run that may have taken its toll in the final 100m.
Deep Impact colt Ask Victor More was two lengths further back in third ahead of the favourite Danon Beluga (Heart’s Cry).
Damian Lane’s mount Lord les Ailes (Deep Impact) was never a factor and clocked in 14th of the 18 runners.
Do Deuce made a successful career debut in a Newcomers race over 1800m at Kokura last September. A month later he captured the Listed Ivy Stakes (1800m) at Tokyo before rounding out a perfect season in the Group 1 Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes (1600m) at Hanshin on December 19.
The son of Heart’s Cry lost his unbeaten record on resumption at three when second to Ask Victor More in the Group II Deep Impact Kinen (2000m) at Nakayama on March 6. Five weeks later he clocked in a fast-finishing third behind Geoglyph in the Group 1 Satsuki Sho (2000m) (Japanese 2000 Guineas).
Connections are keen to have a shot at the Arc later this year.
Do Deuce is the best of six winners from as many to race from Dust and Diamonds (Vindication) a Grade II winner in America who was second in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint.
Katsumi Yoshida shelled out for $1 million for Dust and Diamonds, in foal to Pioneerof the Nile, at the 2016 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale.
Dust and Diamonds has a 2yo colt by Lord Kanaloa and visited Real Steel (JPN) last year.
Do Deuce is the second Japanese Derby winner for the pensioned Heart’s Cry after One and Only in 2014.
