Last season's 2-year-old champion Logotype snatched the first jewel of the Japanese triple crown with a record victory in the Satsuki-sho on Sunday.
The Mirco Demuro-ridden Logotype, the favorite in a full field of 18, went under the wire in a race record of 1 minute, 58.0 seconds over the 2,000 meters on firm going at Nakayama Racecourse.
Second choice Epiphaneia was runner-up a half-length behind while Codino came in third another length and a quarter back.
Logotype was named the top 2-year-old colt of 2012 after winning the Asahihai Futurity Stakes in December. He took 0.5 seconds off the old Satsuki-sho mark held by No Reason.
Demuro's younger brother Cristian won last weekend's Oka-sho, the first leg in the filly's triple crown.