Redentor Wins Late Rally in the Tenno Sho (Spring) for 1st G1 Title

Race favorite Redentor claimed his first G1 and second graded title in the 2025 Tenno Sho (Spring) on Sunday, May 4 at Kyoto Racecourse.

Redentor was coming off his first graded win in the Diamond Stakes (G3, 3,400 meters) on February 22.

In Redentor's sophomore season, he concluded it with a runner-up effort in his first G1 challenge, the Kikuka Sho (Japanese St Leger, 3,000 meters), in October 2024.

On Sunday, trainer Tetsuya Kimura, who has two Tenno Sho (Autumn) titles with Equinox in 2022 and 2023, won his 13th Japan Racing Association G1 title following his title in this year's February Stakes with Costa Nova.

Jockey Damian Lane, who has been riding under a short-term license since Saturday, notched his sixth JRA G1 title. Before Sunday, his most recent G1 win was in the 2023 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) with Tastiera.

Redentor's Path to Victory in the Tenno Sho

First to break out of the gate, Redentor eased back and settled around sixth-seventh from the frontrunner. The Rulership colt continued to travel in mid-division by the rails. Unhurried as some of his rivals began to accelerate approaching the final corners, gradually angled out rounding the last corners to make a bid from the outside.

The dark bay responded willingly to Lane's urging, taking the front past the 200-meter pole. And although challenged by the fast-closing Byzantine Dream (Andrasch Starke) in the last 100 meters, Redentor managed to outduel the chestnut at the wire, winning by a head's length. (Watch the race on the JRA's YouTube channel.)

Lane Reacts to Victory in the Tenno Sho

"I'm very privileged to ride in this special race and win it," Lane said. "I wanted to get the horse in a good position and good rhythm and get him to relax because he can get a little keen in the races."

The winning jockey added, "He was traveling very strong at the third corner and I had to be patient and wait and get him to the outside to give him a clear [run]. I think he's still relatively young in the mind and immature and so he's learning all the time, which means that he can continue to race at the top level over the next couple of years."

A Tremendous Late Charge for Byzantine Dream

Slow out of the gate, sixth choice Byzantine Dream traveled the first lap in the rear, gradually advanced forward in the second lap and continued to improve his position turning the last corners wide to enter the lane on the heels of Redentor. The Epiphaneia colt launched a tremendous late charge that marked the fastest last three furlongs (34.9 seconds) and dueled with the race favorite to the wire but finished a head short in second.

Unhurried in 11th early while racing wide throughout the trip, fourth pick Shonan la Punta (Yutaka Take, an eight-time winner of the race) gradually made headway, passing the winner with 1,200 meters to go. The Kizuna colt rallied for the lead at the early stretch and, although overtaken by the top two finishers after the 200-meter pole, easily secured third place by three lengths.

Second favorite Sunrise Earth (Kenichi Ikezoe) placed fourth.

Rounding out the top five was Meiner Emperor (Yuji Tannai), who was 1¼ lengths behind Ikezoe's ride.