Ōsaka Hai Explained

Surface:Turf
Class:Grade 1
Horse Race:Osaka Hai
Location:Hanshin Racecourse, Takarazuka, Hyogo
Inaugurated:1957
Race Type:Thoroughbred Flat racing
Distance:2000 metres
Track:Right-handed
Qualification:4-y-o +
Weight:4-y-o & up 58 kg
Allowances
2 kg for fillies and mares
Bonuses:Winner of Osaka Hai, Tenno Sho (Spring), Takarazuka Kinen[1]
Domestic: ¥ 200,000,000

International: ¥ 100,000,000

The is a Grade 1 horse race in for Thoroughbred colts and fillies aged four and over run over a distance of 2,000 metres at Hanshin Racecourse. The race is also known as the (until 2016) and the Ōsaka Cup. The race is run in early April.

It was first run in 1957 over 1800 metres. The distance was increased to 1900 metres in 1966 before the race was run over its current distance for the first time in 1972.

Among the winners of the race have been Katsuragi Ace, Tokai Teio, Mejiro McQueen, Air Groove, Neo Universe, Meisho Samson, Daiwa Scarlet, Orfevre and Kizuna.

The Ōsaka Hai was promoted from Grade 2 status (as it has been since 1984) to Grade 1 in 2017.[2] Prior to 2017, the race was known as the Sankei Ōsaka Hai and served as a trial race for the spring edition of the Tenno Sho.[3] From 2017 the winner will have a guaranteed and complimentary entry to that season's Irish Champion Stakes.[4]

Records

Speed record:

Most successful horse (2 wins):

Winners since 1992

Year
Winner
Age
Jockey
Trainer
OwnerTime
1992Tokai Teio4Yukio OkabeShoichi MatsumotoMasanori Uchimura2:06.3
1993Mejiro McQueen6Yutaka TakeYasuo IkeeMejiro Shoji2:03.3
1994Nehai Caesar4Katsumi ShiomuraTadashi FuseDaimaru Kigyo2:01.2
1995Inter My Way5Mikio MatsunagaHitoshi NakamuraTomee Matsuoka1:59.3
1996Taiki Blizzard5Yukio OkabeKazuo FujisawaTaiki Farm2:00.7
1997Marvelous Sunday5Yutaka TakeMakoto OsawaSadao Sasahara2:02.0
1998Air Groove5Yutaka TakeYuji ItoLucky Field2:01.3
1999Silent Hunter6Yutaka YoshidaYokichi OkuboHiroyoshi Usuda1:59.9
2000Meisho Odo5Yuji IidaAhihiro IidaYoshio Matsumoto2:00.8
2001Toho Dream4Katsumi AndoYoshiyasu TajimaToho Bussan1:58.4
2002Sunrise Pegasus4Katsumi AndoSei Ishizaka Takao Matsuoka1:59.1
2003Tagano My Bach4Katsumi AndoHiroyoshi MatsudaRyoji Yagi1:59.1
2004Neo Universe4Mirco DemuroTsutomo SetoguchiShadai Race Horse1:59.6
2005Sunrise Pegasus7Hideaki MiyukiSei Ishizaka Takao Matsuoka1:59.0
2006Company5Yuichi FukunagaHidetaki OtonashiEiko Kondo2:04.5
2007Meisho Samson4Mamoru Ishibashi Shigetada TakahashiYoshio Matsumoto2:01.4
2008Daiwa Scarlet4Katsumi AndoKunihide MatsudaKeizo Oshiro1:58.7
2009Dream Journey5Kenichi IkezoeYasutoshi IkeeSunday Racing1:59.7
2010T M Encore6Suguru HamanakaMasami ShibataMasatsugu Takezono1:59.5
2011Hiruno d'Amour4Shinji FujitaMitsugu KonMasafumi Hirukawa1:57.8
2012Shonan Mighty4Suguru HamanakaTomoyuki UmedaTetsuhide Kunimoto2:05.5
2013Orfevre5Kenichi IkezoeYasutoshi IkeeSunday Racing1:59.0
2014Kizuna4Yutaka TakeShozo SasakiShinji Maeda2:00.3
2015Lachesis5Christophe LemaireKatsuhiko SumiiMasaya Oshima2:02.9
2016Ambitious4Norihiro YokoyamaHidetaka Otonashi Eiko Kondo1:59.3
2017Kitasan Black5Yutaka TakeHisashi Shimizu Ono Shoji1:58.9
2018Suave Richard4Mirco DemuroYasushi ShonoNICKS1:58.2
2019Al Ain5Yuichi KitamuraYasutoshi IkeeSunday Racing2:01.0
2020Lucky Lilac5Mirco DemuroMikio MatsunagaSunday Racing1:58.4
2021Lei Papale4Yuga KawadaTomokazu TakanoCarrot Farm2:01.6
2022Potager5Hayato YoshidaYasuo TomomichiMakoto Kaneko1:58.4
2023Jack d'Or5Yutaka TakeKenichi FujiokaToshiyuki Maehara1:57.4
2024Bellagio Opera4Kazuo YokoyamaHiroyuki UemuraShorai Hayashida1:58.2

Earlier winners

See also

References

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 平成29年度競馬番組等について. Japanese . Japan Racing Association.
  2. Web site: 2017年度開催日割および重賞競走について . 17 October 2016 . 28 January 2017 . Japanese . Japan Racing Association.
  3. Web site: Sankei Osaka Hai (G2). japanracing.jp.
  4. Web site: Sheerin. Brian. Osaka Hai becomes first qualifier for Irish Champion Stakes. Racing Post. 7 March 2017.
  5. Web site: 大阪杯 . Netkeiba.
  6. Web site: Osaka Hai . Netkeiba.