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Stellenbosch Conquers Oka Sho-First Leg of Fillies’ Triple Crown

Second favorite Stellenbosch used her signature late speed to claim this year’s Oka Sho in her three-year-old debut and scored her first G1 triumph. After breaking her maiden in her debut start last July (Sapporo, 1,800m), she was a close second in the Saffron Sho (Nakayama, 1 Win Class, 1,600m) in October before notching her second win in the Akamatsu Sho (Tokyo, 1 Win Class, 1,600m) that November. The filly went on to land a neck-second behind winner Ascoli Piceno in the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies (Hanshin, G1, 1,600m) the next month. Trainer Sakae Kunieda took home his 22nd JRA-G1 title, his first since the 2021 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies with Circle of Life, and his third Oka Sho victory—his first with Apapane in 2010 and then with Almond Eye in 2018. For jockey Joao Moreira, who is riding in Japan under a short-term license since April 6, this is his second G1 victory since the 2018 Queen Elizabeth II Cup with Lys Gracieux.

A touch late out of stall 12, Stellenbosch was sent to settle a half-length behind rival Ascoli Piceno in mid-pack while the field was led by Shonan Manuela. Making a wide move into the lane, the daughter of Epiphaneia slipped in front of Ascoli Piceno and with a good turn of foot, stormed down the straight pinning the brief leader Etes Vous Prets running on the rails in the last 100 meters while holding off the tenacious race favorite and hard-closing Light Back that followed.

“She didn’t jump very well but she did nothing wrong during the race—she was very impressive. When we were approaching the home turn, we were trapped but as we passed by the 500-meter marker, we were able to split horses. She went up front a little bit too early and I was worried she couldn’t sustain her speed all the way to the end but as all good horses, she has proved to be capable and has given me my second G1 win in Japan which will be in my heart forever,” commented Joao Moreira in the interview after the race.

2023 Best Two-Year-Old Filly and race favorite Ascoli Piceno took a wide trip throughout in mid-pack, entered the stretch a beat behind the eventual winner and strived to keep up but finished second 3/4 length behind while fending off the late charge by Light Back.

Sent off seventh pick, Light Back was eased back to settle second from the rear and after circling wide into the stretch, launched the fastest late drive but had too much ground to cover, finishing a neck behind the runner-up in third.

Other Horses:
4th: (7) Sweep Feet—trailed in rear, angled out around 200m pole, showed belated charge
5th: (15) Etes Vous Prets—chased leader in 2nd, took command 300m out, weakened in last 100m
6th: (1) Wide Latour—traveled around 13th, circled wide, showed effort
7th: (10) Sekitoba East—prominent around 3rd, showed tenacity until 200m out
8th: (2) Queen’s Walk—hugged rails around 8th, rallied for lead until 100m out
9th: (13) Teumessa—raced around 13th, angled out at early stretch, lacked needed kick
10th: (6) Hawaiian Tiare—ran in 16th, passed tired rivals, needed more
11th: (3) Ipheion—positioned around 8th, showed brief effort, even paced in last 200m
12th: (5) Chicago Sting—sat 3-wide around 6th, failed to respond at stretch
13th: (18) Cervinia—advanced to 6th from widest stall, met traffic before 200m pole
14th: (17) Mask All Win—raced wide in 15th, unable to reach contention
15th: (16) Cecilie Plage—traveled 3-wide around 11th, never fired at stretch
16th: (8) Corazon Beat—keen to go, tracked leaders around 3rd, remained in contention until 200m pole
17th: (14) Shonan Manuela—set pace, dropped back after surrendering lead
18th: (4) Catfight—chased leaders around 3rd, found little room at early stretch, faded after 300m out

THE 84TH OKA SHO (JAPANESE 1000 GUINEAS, G1)
3-year-olds, Fillies, 1,600 meters (about 8 furlongs), turf, right-handed
Sunday, April 7, 2024           Hanshin Racecourse        11th Race        Post time: 15:40
Total prize money: ¥ 302,400,000 (about US$ 2,145,000 <US$1=¥141>)
3-y-o: 55kg (about 121 lbs), 2kg allowance for Southern Hemisphere-bred born in 2021
Course Record: 1:31.1         Race Record: 1:31.1 [Sodashi (JPN, by Kurofune), 2021]
Safety factor: 18 runners      Going: Good to Firm           Weather: Fine

Turnover for the Race alone: ¥ 17,999,121,200       Turnover for the Day: ¥ 27,463,912,800       Attendance: 34,233

Winner= 5 starts: 3 wins & 2 seconds / Added & stakes money: ¥ 166,628,000 / Career earnings: ¥ 215,468,000

* Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) (G1)

The Oka Sho, which is the first of the five JRA Classics held during the year, determines the champion three-year-old filly possessing the fastest speed running over 1,600 meters and serves as an opportunity to scout potential broodmare talents. The Japanese equivalent to the One Thousand Guineas originated in England, the Oka Sho was first held at Nakayama Racecourse in Chiba, run over 1,800 meters and under the name “Nakayama Yonsai Himba Tokubetsu”, then changed its distance and venue under the new name, “Oka Sho” (Oka, meaning cherry flower which is in full bloom at this time of the season). With the entire graded races opening its doors to foreign-trained horses in 2010, the three-year-old Classics including this race entered a new phase with international G1 status. While speed is a much required ability to win this race, the extension of the homestretch as well as a deeper turf surface and an uphill stretch at Hanshin after the track renovation in 1991 has added “stamina” as an added qualification—a newly added outside turf track further extended the homestretch in 2006.
The Oka Sho, together with the Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks, G1, 2,400m) and the Shuka Sho (G1, 2,000m), is also widely considered as the fillies’ version of the “Triple Crown”, a title which has been claimed by seven fillies in the past including Almond Eye (JPN, by Lord Kanaloa) who concluded her stellar career with her ninth G1 triumph in the 2020 Japan Cup (G1, 2,400m), Daring Tact (JPN, by Epiphaneia) who became the first undefeated filly to complete the sweep in 2020, and Liberty Island (JPN, by Duramente) last year.
This year’s Oka Sho field featured 2023 Best Two-Year-Old Filly Ascoli Piceno and Stellenbosch, the two top finishers in last year’s Hanshin Juvenile Fillies (G1, 1,600m), as well as Artemis Stakes (G3, 1,600m) winner Cervinia, all of whom made their three-year-old debut in this classics’ G1 race. Those who earned tickets to run by their endeavors in trial races were Sweep Feet, Sekitoba East and Hawaiian Tiare, the top three finishers in that order in the Tulip Sho (G2, 1,600m, Mar.2); winner Catfight and runner-up Teumessa in the Anemone Stakes (Listed, 1,600m, Mar.10); and Etes Vous Prets, Corazon Beat and Cecilie Plage, the top three dominating the Fillies’ Revue (G2, 1,400m, Mar.10). The field also included Ipheion, Light Back and Queen’s Walk, respective winners of the Fairy Stakes (G3, 1,600m, Jan.7), the Elfin Stakes (Listed, 1,600m, Feb.3) and the Queen Cup (G3, 1,600m, Feb.10).