Deep Brillante emulated his sire in winning the Japanese Derby in Tokyo on Sunday.
The Tokyo Yoshun was established in 1932 as part of a plan to emulate the British Triple Crown races and has been won by the likes of Vodka, Orfevre as well as the brilliant Deep Impact.
It was a son of the latter, Deep Brillante who claimed the 79th running of the Grade One contest in getting the better of Fenomeno by a nose with Tosen Homareboshi just three quarters of a length back in third.
Third in the Satsuki Sho (2000 Guineas) on his previous start, he relished the step up in trip to claim a first Grade One win to become the seventh father-and-son Derby title holder.
Victory proved all too much for his emotional jockey, Yasunari Iwata, who cried tears of joy over his first Derby title which made him a Triple Crown-winning jockey.
He had won the Kikuka Sho (St. Leger) in 2004 with Delta Blues and the Satsuki Sho in 2009 and 2010 with Unrivaled and Victoire Pisa, respectively.
This win also gave trainer Yoshito Yahagi his first Derby and classic title, and third G1 victory following two wins with Grand Prix Boss.
Deep Brillante, breaking smoothly from stall 10, was settled by the rail in fourth, behind the front-running Zelos.
With the field spreading out wide to make their bids after the last turn, Tosen Homareboshi inherited the lead with two furlongs to go, while Yasunari Iwata unleashed Deep Brillante for a late charge.
Responding willingly to the jockey's urging, Deep Brillante overtook Tosen Homareboshi before the furlong pole and accelerated powerfully, barely managing to fend off the strong challenge by Fenomeno who closed in with a tenacious late charge from the outside route.
The top two favourites, World Ace and Gold Ship, finished well - both running the last three furlongs the fastest at 33.8 seconds - from further back but too late to reach the top three horses, finishing a neck and another neck behind Tosen Homareboshi in fourth and fifth, respectively.
