Odds-on favourite Liberty Island and Yuga Kawada won the 1st leg of the Japanese fillies' Classics in Sunday's G1 Oka Sho with a stunning finish. Liberty Island started the race from behind after a slow jump out of the gate, but when Kawada asked her to pick up the pace she responded well with a stunning finish in the last 200m, overtaking the entire field. Kona Coast drew away from the group in the home turn but could not hold off the challenge made by Liberty Island and finished second, 3/4 length behind the winner.

Perifania came in third a neck behind Kona Coast and the third-favourite Harper finished fourth.

Liberty Island is a daughter of Duramente out of Yankee Rose, by All American. This is Liberty Island's second G1 win in a row, following her victory in the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies. With this victory, jockey Yuga Kawada and Duramente are the winners of the Oka Sho for the second consecutive year. It was a first for winning trainer Mitsu Nakauchida, as he scored his maiden career Classic win.