Top favorite Kiseki powered to victory on Sunday to capture the Kikka-sho, the last race of the Japanese triple crown.
Ridden by Italian jockey Mirco Demuro, Kiseki made his move shortly after the final bend and charged down the outside channel before going on to cross the line in 3 minutes, 18.9 seconds at a rain-lashed Kyoto Racecourse.
It was the first Grade One victory for the three-year-old colt and was worth ¥115 million in prize money.
"This horse is tense and 3,000 meters is not his favored distance but he races smart," Demuro said after winning the Kikka-sho for the first time.
"It was a tough race but he was good from the start and ran well along the way behind (third favorite) Mikki Swallow. I was confident that we would win the race once we entered the final stretch."
Tenth pick Clincher came second, two lengths behind Kiseki, while 13th favorite Popocatepetl placed third.