Seventh pick Ayusan dominated this year’s first leg of the Triple Crown for fillies and celebrated her first grade-race victory. After breaking her maiden in her debut outing last October, she showed a runner-up effort in the newly established grade-race Artemis Stakes and capped off her first season with a seventh-place finish in the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies (G1). She secured her ticket to this year’s Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) with her third-place finish in her first race of the season, the Tulip Sho (G3), and has now become the first filly in 18 years with only one win under her belt to grab the title since Wonder Perfume in 1995. Her jockey, Cristian Demuro captured his first career G1 title after being appointed to substitute for regular jockey, Genki Maruyama the previous day when Maruyama suffered severe injuries from a fall. In second was his brother Mirco Demuro on board Red Oval, and they have become the first brothers to mark a 1-2 finish in JRA's G1 history. It is her trainer, Takahisa Tezuka’s second G1 title since the 2011 Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes with Alfredo. Not to mention this year’s runner-up Red Oval, Deep Impact fillies have now dominated the Oka Sho title for three years in a row.

The race broke off smoothly on the backstretch with Someries taking advantage of her inner stall to set the pace, quickly being stalked by race favorite Kurofune Surprise who unhesitatingly moved up to challenge the pace while most of the field bunched up in a big group right behind. Princess Jack traveled right behind Ayusan who sat in mid-pack stuck between horses and traveled wide, while Mirco Demuro kept Red Oval well reserved a few lengths behind the pack before the initial corner.

As Kurofune Surprise launched an early bid well before the final turn that put her up front at the top of the lane, Ayusan, although finding herself briefly trapped behind horses, showed a good drive pinning the stubborn leader at the furlong pole, but only to be encountered by a late but impressive charge this time from Red Oval, who turned wide from well behind at the last corner and was forced an outside route down the stretch. As soon as Ayusan overhauled the leader after a brief duel, she was faced with another challenge by Red Oval, however it was the filly of the younger brother in the irons who found another gear in the final strides to pull away by a neck. Princess Jack, who was passed by Red Oval in upper stretch, demonstrated a good but belated kick to pick off Kurofune Surprise for third, while 2012 Best Two-Year-Old Filly Robe Tissage, who sat in front of the winner in mid-division throughout most of the journey, smoothly took an inner course in the stretch however finished 1-1/2 lengths behind in fifth.

Other Horses:
6th: (4) Sambre et Meuse—trailed last, angled out and responded well but was too late
7th: (12) Tosen Soleil—was off slow and raced rear in mid-division, showed brief effort in final strides
8th: (15) Nancy Shine—ran 2nd from last, improved position after turning wide
9th: (11) Sound Rihanna—chased leaders in 5th, sustained bid but fell back in last 100m
10th: (18) Meisho Mambo—made headway from widest stall, circled out to lane but failed to accelerate
11th: (5) Win Primera—chased in 3rd or 4th, lacked needed kick at stretch
12th: (10) Sea Breeze Life—settled inside winner, found little space 200m out and unable to reach contention
13th: (8) Tiz Tremendous—sat toward rear, passed tired rivals at homestretch
14th: (16) Genie Magic—travelled wide in mid-group, advanced to 3rd before last corner, met traffic last 200m
15th: (17) Collector Item—raced wide in mid-pack, boxed in and bumped 200m out
16th: (3) Crown Rose—prominent early, quickened on inner route briefly but outpaced passing 200m mark
17th: (1) Stalk and Ray—hugged the rail in mid-division, no factor at stretch
18th: (2) Someries—set the pace, tired and faded after 4th corner