Read the full story on SportsLook - Tastiera Edges Race Favorite Sol Oriens in 90th Tokyo Yushun
The 90th Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) produced a pulse-rising finish as the final 200 meters of the 2,400-meter was a quintessential traffic jam at full speed on the crowded turf.
But there was poise amidst the pressure. Tastiera, guided by 29-year-old Australian Damian Lane, found the perfect path, operating efficiently and with quickness. As a result, Tastiera finished first by a neck's length over race favorite Sol Oriens (Takeshi Yokoyama) on Sunday, May 28 at Tokyo Racecourse.
Hearts Concerto, Kohei Matsuyama's ride, secured third place by a neck over Bellagio Opera (Kazuo Yokoyama, Takeshi's older brother).
Nocking Point placed fifth, one length behind Bellagio Opera, a Lord Kanaloa offspring, in the Japan Racing Association Grade 1 race, the second leg of the Japanese Triple Crown races. (Watch the full race on the JRA's YouTube channel.)
In 2022, Heart's Cry progeny Do Deuce set a race record of 2 minutes, 21.9 seconds, giving Yutaka Take his sixth Japanese Derby win.
Twelve months later, neither Heart Cry's 2023 entrant Hearts Concerto nor Take experienced the same winning feeling at Tokyo Racecourse.
On Sunday, the 54-year-old legendary jockey placed eighth aboard Phantom Thief, the third favorite.
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Author: Ed Odeven
Find Ed on JAPAN Forward's dedicated website, SportsLook. Follow his [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and Twitter ＠ed_odeven.
