Sunday’s Kikuka Sho (3000m) winner Titleholder is the first Gr1 winner for Duramente.
Titleholder was sent straight into the lead by Takeshi Yokoyama and enjoyed an uncontested lead, clear into the home straight and going on to defeat Orthoclase (Epiphaneia) by five lengths with the filly Divine Love (Epiphaneia) in third, the favourite Red Genesis finishing a well beaten 13th.
It is the third win for Titleholder, previously the winner of the Gr2 Yayoi Sho Deep Impact Kinen (2000m) and runner-up in the Gr1 Satsuki Sho (2000m).
A half-brother to three-time winner Melody Lane (Orfevre), their dam Mowen (Motivator) won five times in Japan and a half-sister to Listed Prix des Jouvenceaux et Jouvencelles winner Zato (Zafonic) and to Listed Easter Stakes at Kempton winner Krispy Knight (Kris).
The granddam Top Table (Shirley Heights) is a half-sister to Listed winner and Gr1-placed Centre Stalls (In The Wings) and further back, Titleholder traces to Mumtaz Mahal through Courtessa.
Gr1 Duramente (King Kamehameha) stands at Shadai Stallion in Japan where he is advertised at ¥10,000,000 this season.