Fierement has first stakes triumph in Japanese St. Leger

The lightly raced colt Fierement won his first graded stakes in Sunday’s Grade 1 Japanese St. Leger at Kyoto Racecourse in his fourth start. He established a record for winning the third leg of Japan’s Triple Crown with the least experience.

Fierement, ridden by Christope Lemaire, finished a nose in front of 5-2 second choice Etario, who was fourth in the Japanese Derby in May.

Fierement was a 13-1 chance in the field of 18.

Wagnerian, who won the Japanese Derby, did not start in the Japanese St. Leger and is scheduled to run against older horses in the Group 1 Tenno Sho on Oct. 28.

Fierement closed from eighth and weaved through traffic in the final half-mile to win narrowly over Etario after the two dueled through the last furlong. The $2.37 million Japanese St. Leger was run at 1 7/8 miles on turf.

You Can Smile, a 20-1 outsider, finished third, while 2-1 favorite Blast Onepiece finished fourth, beaten 2 1/4 lengths.

Fierement has won 3 of 4 starts. He beat maidens in January and won an allowance race in April before finishing second in the Grade 3 Radio Nikkei Sho in July.

By Deep Impact, Fierement is owned by Sunday Racing Co., Ltd, and is trained by Takahisa Tezuka. The win could lead to a start in the Japan Cup at Tokyo Racecourse on Nov. 25.