Favorite Equinox pipped runaway leader Panthalassa by a length for his first Grade 1 win on Sunday, securing the autumn Tenno-sho at Tokyo Racecourse.
Seventh-favorite Panthalassa had a huge lead coming out of the final curve and appeared to have marched away with the win before the chasing pack finally caught up in the final moments of the 2,000-meter race.
Equinox, who had held his run toward the back of the field of 15, snatched the win after crossing in 1 minute, 57.5 seconds. Panthalassa held off fourth-favorite Danon Beluga to finish second by a neck.
"Panthalassa was ahead of us but Equinox showed tremendous legs to gather steam. He's a wonderful horse," Equinox jockey Christophe Lemaire said of the three-year-old colt.
"I really hadn't seen Panthalassa until the final stretch. Equinox reacted well but the gap was around 15 lengths and I was quite worried."