KYOTO – While hopes were high for Lovcen to become the next Japanese 3YO Triple Crown winner after he claimed the first two legs of the series, it was the son of a former Triple Crown hero who stole the limelight in the final leg at Kyoto racecourse on Oct 25.

Going To Sky, the son of Japan’s last Triple Crown winner Contrail in 2020, bounced back from his last-start sixth in the Grade 2 Asahi Hai St Lite Kinen (2,200m) at Nakayama on Sept 13 to capture the 434 million yen (S$3.5 million) Grade 1 Kikuka Sho (3,000m).

His triumph in the three-year-old feature – also known as the Japanese St Leger – handed trainer Yuki Uehara, who began training in 2023 and had recorded four Group race success before the Kikuka Sho, a maiden Grade 1 success.

Going To Sky won on debut in a two-year-old race over 2,000m at Tokyo in October 2025, before finishing third in the Grade 3 Kyoto Nisai Stakes (2,000m) the following month.

In February 2026, the bay colt ran sixth behind Zoroastro in the Grade 3 Kisaragi Sho (1,800m) at Kyoto. He then secured his first stakes race in the Grade 2 Aoba Sho (2,400m) in Tokyo in April, when he was first ridden by legendary jockey Yutaka Take.

Going To Sky then took a stab at glory in his first Grade 1 assignment in the Tokyo Yushun (2,400m) – the second leg of the Triple Crown series also known as the Japanese Derby – at Tokyo in May, but managed only fourth behind Lovcen.

He did not run in the first leg, the Grade 1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas, 2,000m) at Nakayama in April, which was also won by Lovcen.

Take, who has now ridden Going To Sky four times for two wins, set a record for the most Kikuka Sho victories with his sixth Kikuka Sho triumph.

The veteran rider won the race previously with Super Creek (1988), Dance in the Dark (1996), Air Shakur (2000), Deep Impact (2005) and World Premiere (2019).

“He (Going To Sky) ran a good race in the Derby, and I felt we had a good chance in the last leg of the Triple Crown,” said Take, who was claiming his 87th Grade 1 title.

“I knew there were some strong horses in the field, but I wanted to focus on riding my own race.

“I’ve ridden this colt several times now, and I’d given a lot of thought on how best to ride him.

“He settled nicely in a good spot along the rails, and I felt we were in a very good rhythm.

“I decided to wait and make our move in the stretch. He responded well once given the green light and with about 200m to go, I thought we might win.”

Going To Sky ($53) broke smoothly and took a ground-saving trip in midfield while King Glory (Yuji Tannai) tore away from his 17 rivals to lead by nearly 20 lengths.

But the Masaaki Koga-trained front runner’s huge lead in the backstretch gradually dwindled as the field rounded the final corners.

Entering the straight, Going To Sky left the paint and began charging down the middle before taking command 100m out.

He surged to the wire, narrowly holding off a fast-finishing Basse Terre (Yuga Kawada) to prevail by a nose.

Danon History (Christophe Lemaire) finished another length away in third.

The heavily-backed Lovcen (Kohei Matsuyama) broke poorly and was forced to sit fourth to fifth from the rear.

Attempting to make up ground, the Haruki Sugiyama-trained colt made rapid headway from the outside upon turning. Although he was in a good striking position, the star colt failed to match his rivals and faded to run 14th. JAPAN RACING ASSOCIATION