The spring dirt champion has been crowned. King's Sword, the third favourite, took the lead at the entrance of the home turn in the Teio Sho and effortlessly held off the challenge from Wilson Tesoro, the pre-race favourite, to win his second Jpn1 title following his JBC Classic victory last autumn. The un-fancied Diktaean finished third after a strong closing run from the rear. For the third consecutive year, JRA horses swept the top positions. The best-placed NAR horse was Sayono Nature, who bravely finished fifth. Meisho Hario, aiming for an unprecedented third consecutive victory, ended up in ninth place.

In a race that saw the absence of Ushba Tesoro and Lemon Pop, the two leading stars of the dirt scene, King's Sword delivered an impressive performance that mocked pre-race predictions of a tight contest.

As the crowd roared at the entrance of the home stretch, King's Sword boldly surged from third to first. Wilson Tesoro, still under a hands-and-heels ride, appeared poised to challenge, but the gap only widened. King's Sword ultimately won by a decisive one and 3/4 lengths, reclaiming the dirt crown on the same stage as his previous triumph last autumn.

Jockey Yusuke Fujioka, reuniting with King's Sword for the first time since their Newcomer win, beamed, "He was in perfect shape. During the warm-up, he felt incredibly powerful. His neck has thickened, and he now looks like a true Open class dirt horse," he said with a smile. This was Fujioka's first Teio Sho victory, having also guided Peptide Nile to a surprise win in the G1 February Stakes earlier this spring, thus securing major dirt race victories.

In the JBC Classic, Joao Moreira's brilliant ride saw King's Sword break from third, a strategy Fujioka and the trainer agreed upon. "We aimed to secure second place but settled into third smoothly. Despite the slow pace, there was no panic. With no threats closing in from behind, we kicked on in the backstretch. At the final turn, I checked my left rear and saw Wilson Tesoro, but King's Sword responded well, pulling away," Fujioka recounted, detailing the race with satisfaction.

After the JBC Classic win, King's Sword faced three consecutive defeats, including two mile races where he lacked a strong record. Trainer Ryo Terashia explained, "The track conditions were poor last time out, but we quickly got him back on track and he was in excellent condition for this race."

Now, King's Sword heads into a summer break. "He's grown stronger and is still only five years old. He has plenty of improvement left," Fujioka confidently stated. Trainer Terashia echoed this sentiment, "We'll continue to find the right conditions for him." Both were pleased with their horse's resurgence and looked forward to his future races with optimism.