The first Japanese Derby of the Reiwa Era turned out to be a surprising one, even for the winning jockey.
Roger Barows, the 12th favorite, came from behind in the final 500 meters to win the Japanese Derby on Sunday, clocking 2 minutes and 22.6 seconds on the 2,400-meter turf course.
"Probably I'm surprised most by the result. I can't believe it," jockey Suguru Hamanaka, a 13-year veteran, said after winning his first Derby in his sixth try. "(We) started from the No. 1 gate and made a quick start. It was our game plan and we were able to control the race as planned."