Osaka Hai
Japan | FEATURE RACE GUIDE
History
The Osaka Hai is a Grade 1 race run under Weight For Age conditions for four year olds and above at Hanshin racecourse conducted by the Japan Racing Association.
The Osaka Hai is run over 2000m. It was first run in 1957 and was won by Homare Ichi.
The race has been known as the Sankei Osaka Hai until 2016 and the Ōsaka Cup.
When first run in 1957 it was over 1800m then it was increased to 1900m in 1966 before the race was run over its current distance for the first time in 1972.
The Ōsaka Hai was promoted from Grade 2 to Grade 1 in 2017.
The Osaka Hai was worth JPY432,000,000 in 2024.
Hanshin racecourse is a right handed course with the start at the top of the straight.
The four year olds have been the ones in the last 23 years with 13 winning.
A couple of elite Japanese favourites of late took it out. Orfevre won over the 2000m which was a great effort for a real stayer. He'd then head to France and took the Prix Foy before running into Treve in the Arc. He ended his career bolting away with the Arima Kinen.
The mighty Kitasan Black finished his final season which also culminated in a big Arima Kinen effort after winning the Osaka Hai.
Lei Papale caused a minor upset in 2021 remaining unbeaten after a totally dominant effort. She defeated some of the best around on resumption. She almost won again in 2022 when there was a major upset as Potager scored.
The most successful recent jockey is Yutaka Take with six since 1993.
Yasutoshi Ikee has three recent wins as a trainer.
Notable winners of the Osaka Hai include Bellagio Opera (2024), Jack D'Or (2023), Lei Papale (2021), Lucky Lilac (2020), Al Ain (2019), Suave Richard (2018), Kitasan Black (2017), Ambitious (2016), Kizuna (2014), Orfevre (2013), Daiwa Scarlet (2008), Meisho Samson (2007), Neo Universe (2004), Sunrise Pegasus (2002/2005), Air Groove (1998), Mejiro McQueen (1993), Tokai Teio (1992), Super Creek (1990) and Katsuragi Ace (1984).
The 2024 Osaka Hai was won by Bellagio Opera from Rousham Park and Rouge Eveil.
Previous Osaka Hai Winners
Date | Horse | Jockey | WT | Trainer | BP |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
BELLAGIO OPERA
(JPN)
4H LORD KANALOA (JPN) - AIR ROUTINE (JPN) HARBINGER (GB) |
KAZUO YOKOYAMA | 58.0 | HIROYUKI UEMURA | 11 |
|
JACK D'OR
(JPN)
5H MAURICE (JPN) - RAVARINO (USA) UNBRIDLED'S SONG (USA) |
YUTAKA TAKE | 58.0 | K FUJIOKA | 9 |
|
POTAGER
(JPN)
5H DEEP IMPACT (JPN) - GINGER PUNCH (USA) AWESOME AGAIN (CAN) |
HAYATO YOSHIDA | 57.0 | Y TOMOMICHI | 8 |
|
LEI PAPALE
(JPN)
4F DEEP IMPACT (JPN) - SHELLS LEI (JPN) KUROFUNE (USA) |
YUGA KAWADA | 55.0 | TOMOKAZU TAKANO | 8 |
|
LUCKY LILAC
(JPN)
5M ORFEVRE (JPN) - LILACS AND LACE (USA) FLOWER ALLEY (USA) |
M DEMURO | 55.0 | MIKIO MATSUNAGA | 5 |
|
AL AIN
(JPN)
5H DEEP IMPACT (JPN) - DUBAI MAJESTY (USA) ESSENCE OF DUBAI (USA) |
YUICHI KITAMURA | 57.0 | Y IKEE | 3 |
|
SUAVE RICHARD
(JPN)
4H HEART'S CRY (JPN) - PIRRAMIMMA (USA) UNBRIDLED'S SONG (USA) |
M DEMURO | 57.0 | Y SHONO | 15 |
|
KITASAN BLACK
(JPN)
5H BLACK TIDE (JPN) - SUGAR HEART (JPN) SAKURA BAKUSHIN O (JPN) |
YUTAKA TAKE | 57.0 | H SHIMIZU | 5 |
|
AMBITIOUS
(JPN)
4H DEEP IMPACT (JPN) - CARNIVAL SONG (JPN) EL CONDOR PASA (USA) |
N YOKOYAMA | 56.0 | H OTONASHI | 9 |
|
LACHESIS
(JPN)
5M DEEP IMPACT (JPN) - MAGIC STORM (USA) STORM CAT (USA) |
C P LEMAIRE | 55.0 | KATSUHIKO SUMII | 3 |
|
KIZUNA
(JPN)
4H DEEP IMPACT (JPN) - CATEQUIL (CAN) STORM CAT (USA) |
YUTAKA TAKE | 58.0 | SHUICHI SASAKI | 7 |
|
ORFEVRE
(JPN)
5H STAY GOLD (JPN) - ORIENTAL ART (JPN) MEJIRO MCQUEEN (JPN) |
K IKEZOE | 58.0 | Y IKEE | 5 |
|
SHONAN MIGHTY
(JPN)
4H MANHATTAN CAFE (JPN) - LUXURY (USA) STORM CAT (USA) |
S HAMANAKA | 56.0 | T UMEDA | 11 |
|
HIRUNO D'AMOUR
(JPN)
4H MANHATTAN CAFE (JPN) - SHARE ELEGANCE (JPN) LAMMTARRA (USA) |
S FUJITA | 57.0 | M KON | 8 |
|
T M ENCORE
(JPN)
6H OPERA HOUSE (GB) - SNARK SUCCESS (JPN) BRIAN'S TIME (USA) |
S HAMANAKA | 57.0 | M SHIBATA | 11 |
|
DREAM JOURNEY
(JPN)
5H STAY GOLD (JPN) - ORIENTAL ART (JPN) MEJIRO MCQUEEN (JPN) |
K IKEZOE | 57.0 | Y IKEE | 8 |
|
DAIWA SCARLET
(JPN)
4M AGNES TACHYON (JPN) - SCARLET BOUQUET (JPN) NORTHERN TASTE (CAN) |
KATSUMI ANDO | 56.0 | K MATSUDA | 9 |
|
MEISHO SAMSON
(JPN)
4M OPERA HOUSE (GB) - MY VIVIEN (JPN) DANCING BRAVE (USA) |
MAMORU ISHIBASHI | 59.0 | SHIGETADA TAKAHASHI | 3 |
|
COMPANY
(JPN)
5H MIRACLE ADMIRE (JPN) - BRILLIANT VERY (JPN) NORTHERN TASTE (CAN) |
Y FUKUNAGA | 57.0 | H OTONASHI | 5 |
|
SUNRISE PEGASUS
(JPN)
7H SUNDAY SILENCE (USA) - HIGASHI BRIAN (JPN) BRIAN'S TIME (USA) |
H MIYUKI | 57.0 | S ISHIZAKA | 5 |
|
NEO UNIVERSE
(JPN)
4H SUNDAY SILENCE (USA) - POINTED PATH (GB) KRIS (GB) |
M DEMURO | 59.0 | TSUTOMU SETOGUCHI | 5 |
|
TAGANO MY BACH
(JPN)
4H DANCE IN THE DARK (JPN) - AFTER THE SUN (USA) STORM BIRD (CAN) |
KATSUMI ANDO | 57.0 | H MATSUDA | 8 |
|
SUNRISE PEGASUS
(JPN)
4H SUNDAY SILENCE (USA) - HIGASHI BRIAN (JPN) BRIAN'S TIME (USA) |
KATSUMI ANDO | 57.0 | S ISHIZAKA | 7 |
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