Poignant Satsuki Sho triumph for Nunthorpe heroine's son Justin Milano

Justin Milano's record-breaking triumph in the Grade 1 Satuski Sho at Nakayama prompted an outpouring of emotion from trainer Yasuo Tomomichi and jockey Keita Tosaki as the son of Kizuna and Nunthorpe Stakes heroine Margot Did had previously been ridden by the late Kota Fujioka.

The 35-year-old, who was an integral part of Tomomichi's team and heavily involved in preparing Justin Milano for his Grade 1 success, died on Wednesday from injuries sustained in a fall at Hanshin on April 6.

Tomomichi recalled his final conversation with Fujioka: "I would like to pray for the repose of the soul of jockey Kota Fujioka, who passed away in a fall from a horse. He helped our stable with training and rode Justin Milano until the very end. I think this victory is all thanks to him. I'm really thankful to you, Kota."

"Today, instead of calling out the horse's name, I was shouting 'Kota! Kota!' When I got him to breeze the horse a week ago, he said, 'This was the best breezing as one before a week,' which ended up being the last words with him for me."

The immediate post-race thoughts of Tosaki were also for his fallen comrade.

"Kota Fujioka trained this horse two weeks ago and one week ago, and he gave me detailed information about his condition. This margin at the end was due to Kota's support, and I think Kota is also happy about it. Kota, I would like to say thank you for your hard work," Tosaki said.

He had the Grade 3 Kyoto News Hai winner positioned prominently on the outside in a fast pace with Meisho Tabaru, who led in the early part of the race, recording a time of 57.50s for the first five furlongs.

Justin Milano parades after his Grade 1 Satsuki Sho triumphCredit: Masakazu Takahashi

Tosaki let Justin Milano roll approaching the final furlong and he took the lead from Jantar Mantar, before fending off the challenge of Cosmo Kuranda to win the first leg of the Japanese Triple Crown by a neck, with Jantar Mantar a further half-length back in third. 

Regaleira who was sent off favourite, finished fast on the outside but was only sixth.The race time of 1 min 57.10 sec is a new course record for a mile and a quarter at Nakayama.

The winning rider said of Justin Milano: "He won his last race with a strong performance, so I trusted him and rode him again this time. He was a little excited at the start of the race, but I think he is mentally strong.

"Maybe because he has raced in one turn races, there were times when I felt he was confused from the third corner to the fourth corner though he was able to go in a good rhythm, however he was able to get back on track and improve. There were a lot of challenges that were new to him, but I think the reason he could clear them so quickly was because of his high level of ability."

Both the trainer and jockey are of the opinion that the best of Justin Milano will be seen in the second leg of the Triple Crown; the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) on May 26.

"He powered up again today, and I think he'll be in even better shape heading into the Derby. I'm looking forward to it. I hope I can ride well," said Tosaki.

Trainer Tomomichi concurred: "Even before the Satsuki Sho, I thought the Derby would be easier to race for him, and I would like to once again aim for the second crown as the Satsuki Sho winner."

Hayley Turner acknowledges the crowd after winning the Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes on Margot Did for her mentor Michael Bell in August 2011Credit: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)

There have been eight winners of the Japanese Triple Crown, most recently Contrail in 2020, while Justin Milano's grandsire Deep Impact triumphed in 2005.

Justin Milano is the third top-level winner sired by Kizuna, winner of the Tokyo Yushin in 2013 and from the family of Narito Brian, who was victorious in the Japanese Triple Crown 30 years' ago.

Successful also in the Group 2 Prix Niel when being prepared for a tilt at the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, in which he was fourth to Treve, Kizuna's previous Grade 1 winners are the dual Yasuda Kinen heroine Songline and Akai Ito, who won the Queen Elizabeth II Cup.

Kizuna is a Deep Impact half-brother to the Grade 2 Peter Pan Stakes winner Sunday Break, who was third in both the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes and Wood Memorial. The son of Forty Niner sired Group 1 Prix d'Ispahan winner Never On A Sunday from his first crop.

Their Brian's Time half-sister, Phalaenopsis, was champion three-year-old filly and older mare in Japan with her successes including the Oka Sho (Japanese 1,000 Guineas) and Queen Elizabeth II Commemorative Cup.

Dam Catequil is out of the Grade 1 Delaware Oaks winner Pacific Princess and is a Storm Cat full-sister of the Listed winner Ocean Cat and a half-sister to the dam of the aforementioned Narita Brian.

Kizuna's newest Grade 1 winner is a son of Margot Did, who won the 2011 Nunthorpe for Hayley Turner with the pair also claiming the Listed Land O'Burn Fillies Stakes and the Scurry Stakes. The daughter of Exceed And Excel was second in the Lowther, Albany and Princess Margaret Stakes at two.

Margot Did began her breeding career in Europe before being acquired by the Yoshida family and transferred to Japan.

Justin Milano is not her first offspring to win at the highest level; that honour was claimed by her daughter Magic Attitude who was successful in the Belmont Oaks. Margot Did is the dam of Group 2 Prix Sandringham winner Mission Impassible, who was also placed in the Group 1 Prix Marcel Boussac and Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup. Both mares are by Galileo.

Justin Milano was bred by Northern Farm and carries the colours of Masahiro Miki. 

Margot Did has no two-year-old or yearling recorded and was covered by Kitasan Black, sire of world champion Equinox, last year.

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