Croix du Nord secured his fourth Group 1 victory with a nose margin in the Tenno Sho (Spring) after Wurttemberg's late surge fell just short. The four-year-old became the first Derby winner to claim the 3,200-metre test since Meisho Samson in 2007.

Tactical Display Holds Off Late Rally

Breaking cleanly, Croix du Nord settled three wide around sixth as Mystery Way set a strong tempo up front. The Kitasan Black colt travelled smoothly through the extended trip, positioned to strike as the field descended toward the final turn. Jockey Yuichi Kitamura asked for effort entering the straight and the response was immediate—Croix du Nord accelerated clear and appeared home until Wurttemberg emerged from the pack.

The six-year-old had tracked at the tail of the field before circling widest of all into the straight. His finishing speed matched the leader's, and at the line just a nose separated them. Kitamura admitted the margin made for an anxious wait. "I really didn't know whether we had won or not and it was a long time waiting for the final results but I feel relieved that we were the winner," he said after the photo confirmed the result.

Distance Test Passed Despite Keenness

The victory extended Croix du Nord's unbeaten run this year following his Osaka Hai success four weeks earlier. It also marked the seventh father-and-son combination to win the same JRA Group 1—his sire Kitasan Black claimed consecutive renewals in 2016 and 2017. For trainer Takashi Saito and Kitamura, it was a second consecutive top-level success with the colt, taking their career tallies to 11 and nine Group 1 wins respectively.

Kitamura noted the colt showed more keenness than ideal in the opening lap but highlighted his versatility. "The plan was to have him relaxed going downhill in the first lap but the colt got a little keen but all in all, he proved himself to be a terrific colt with all-round capabilities and power," he said, acknowledging the performance validated the step up in distance.

Admire Terra Flies Home, Others Fall Short

Admire Terra produced the run of the race from well back, securing a clear passage wide and closing powerfully once Croix du Nord made his move. The Rey de Oro colt threatened briefly but was overtaken by Wurttemberg in the final strides, finishing half a length behind the winner in third.

Aqua Vernal rallied from a wide trip to take fourth, while Redentor and Tagano Dude filled the minor placings after settling further back. Mystery Way's bold frontrunning effort unraveled inside the final 100 metres, and Sunrise Soleil briefly threatened after improving to second on the backstretch but weakened late to finish 11th.

The narrow margin and late challenge served notice that Croix du Nord's supremacy at the top level remains under scrutiny, but his ability to handle the distance and hold off quality opposition positions him as a force through the staying ranks.