Redentor captured the spotlight in Japan's prestigious Tenno Sho Spring (G1), but the performance of a son of Argentine mare Furia Azteca turned plenty of heads along the way

With Damian Lane in the irons, the son of Rulership got the better of Byzantine Dream over the turf at Kyoto

Redentor (rail) kept Byzantine Dream at bay at Kyoto / JRA

KYOTO, Japón (Special for Turf Diario).- Redentor lived up to his billing as the favorite on Sunday and secured his first G1 victory with a gritty win in the prestigious Tenno Sho (Spring) over 3200 meters on the turf at Kyoto. With Damian Lane aboard—riding just a day after beginning a new short-term license in Japan—the Tetsuya Kimura trainee held off a furious late rally from Byzantine Dream (Epiphaneia) to establish himself as one of the nation’s top stayers.

The victory marked the second graded stakes win for Redentor, who captured the G3 Diamond Stakes in February. A proven long-distance performer, the son of Rulership skipped the classic races as a 3-year-old but stamped himself as one to watch with a runner-up effort in the G1 Kikuka Sho last fall—his first taste of top-level competition.

For South American breeding interests, the race offered a particularly bright highlight as Shonan La Punta (Kizuna), out of Argentine G1 winner Furia Azteca (Zensational), finished an excellent third, just three lengths behind the winner. Furia Azteca captured the G1 Gran Premio Selección de Potrancas at La Plata in 2016.

In the running, Redentor was quickly into stride before settling in mid-pack along the rail, saving ground in sixth or seventh. While several rivals made early moves on the second circuit, Lane kept his cool and angled out his mount in time to strike. Redentor surged to the lead inside the final 200 meters, but had to dig deep as Byzantine Dream came charging from last, falling just a head short at the wire.

“It’s a privilege to ride and win a race this special,” Lane told Netkeiba. “Redentor still has a lot to learn, but he traveled kindly, had rhythm, and responded when I asked. He’s still developing both mentally and physically, and that’s exciting because it means he can stay at this level for a long time.” The win marked Lane’s sixth career G1 win in Japan and his first since the 2023 Tokyo Yushun (G1) aboard Tastiera (Satono Crown).

The sixth choice on the board, Byzantine Dream trailed the field through the first lap but began to close rapidly midway through the second circuit. He circled the field widest into the stretch and set down a strong challenge late, clocking the fastest final three furlongs in the field to secure a valiant second-place finish.

For trainer Tetsuya Kimura, it was his 13th career G1 win under the JRA banner, adding to a résumé that includes back-to-back fall victories in this race with the unforgettable Equinox (Kitasan Black) in 2022 and 2023, as well as a more recent win with Costa Nova (Lord Kanaloa) in the February Stakes (G1).