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Potager Lands Upset G1 Victory in 2022 Osaka Hai

Potager upset a strong field of G1 winners which included the reigning Horse of the Year and race favorite Efforia and defending champion Lei Papale to claim his first G1 title in this year’s Osaka Hai. The five-year-old son of Deep Impact was unable to make it to the Triple Crown as a three-year-old and while he turned in four consecutive wins during 2020 and 2021, his best score in six grade-race starts was a second in the Niigata Daishoten (G3, 2,000m) in May last year—he was sixth in his only previous start at G1 level, the 2021 Tenno Sho (Autumn). Trainer Yasuo Tomomichi won his 15th JRA-G1 title, his latest G1 victory being the 2021 Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes with Do Deuce, while jockey Hayato Yoshida registered his fourth G1 title, the first since with Sodashi in the Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) last year.

Potager broke smoothly along with the rest of the field and was positioned near the front group in fifth behind defending champion Lei Papale who came with good speed to secure fourth position from gate 14, while second pick Jack d’Or set the pace for most of the 2,000-meter trip. As the field began to close in on the leader approaching the final turn, the five-year-old son of Deep Impact continued to chase Lei Papale, shifted to her outside for the bid while soon joined by Arrivo and showed considerable guts to out-win both by a narrow margin to claim his first G1 victory.

“We had a good draw so I was hoping to secure a good position today. Potager adapts well to various race developments and he was terrific in that he was able to keep up with the pace of the other really strong horses in front. He really gave his all in the end and all I could do was keep urging him on so I’m happy that we were able to win,” commented winning jockey Hayato Yoshida.

Lei Papale was just a neck short in defending her Osaka Hai title after an impressive performance from an outside draw. Always prominent, she maintained her speed throughout the 2,000-meter trip, overtaking early leaders at the furlong pole and pinned just before the wire for second.

Arrivo, who had traveled in mid-field, just behind race favorite Efforia, chose not to follow that foe to the outside for the stretch run but instead found a clear path in the center lane as the top two finishers broke away from the rest of the crowd and made his bid outside of the eventual winner, finishing a close third.

Heavy favorite Efforia was unable to show much in his kick-off start of this season. Breaking smoothly and rated outside a rival in mid-division, he made his move 600 meters out, angled to the outside for a clear run turning for home but failed to find another gear and was well beaten for the first time of his career. “Efforia was not himself. We made an early move but he just didn’t have anything to give at the straight. He was a bit heavy and wasn’t as sharp in his movement during training last week which may have affected his performance today,” commented Takeshi Yokoyama.

Other Horses:
4th: (10) Hishi Iguazu—sat in 7th behind eventual winner, showed effort but failed to threaten top finishers
5th: (4) Jack d’Or—set pace, sustained lead up to 200m marker, weakened thereafter
6th: (1) Scar Face—hugged rails in 14th, tied fastest late kick at stretch
7th: (15) African Gold—tracked leader in 2nd from wide stall, remained in contention up to 200m pole
8th: (11) Stellaria—settled around 10th behind favorite, showed belated charge
10th: (5) Akai Ito—sat 3-wide in 13th, lacked needed kick outside favorite at stretch
11th: (13) King of Koji—broke slowly, ran near rear, angled out, never fired
12th: (12) Shonan Bardi—raced around 5th outside eventual winner, dropped back turning final corner
13th: (2) Red Genesis—trailed in rear, no factor
14th: (16) Makahiki—traveled in 11th, gradually fell back
15th: (3) Humidor—took economic trip around 8th, outrun after 3rd corner
16th: (7) Win Marilyn—saved ground around 3rd, faded after 300m out

THE 66TH OSAKA HAI (G1)
4-year-olds & up, 2,000 meters (about 10 furlongs), turf, right-handed
Sunday, April 3, 2022           Hanshin Racecourse        11th Race         Post time: 15:40
Total prize money: ¥ 432,000,000 (about US$ 3,757,000 <US$1=¥115>)
4-y-o & up: 57kg (about 126 lbs),
2kg allowance for Fillies & Mares, 1kg allowance for Southern Hemisphere-bred born in 2018
Course Record: 1:57.2         Race Record: 1:58.2 [Suave Richard (JPN, by Heart’s Cry), 2018]
Safety factor: 16 runners      Going: Good to Firm       Weather: Cloudy

Turnover for the Race alone: ¥ 18,703,667,900       Turnover for the Day: ¥ 29,258,264,700       Attendance: 8,477

Winner= 15 starts: 6 wins, 4 seconds, 2 thirds / Added money: ¥ 203,360,000 / Career earnings: ¥ 362,826,000

* Osaka Hai (G1)

The Osaka Hai, renewing its name in 2017 from the familiarly known Sankei Osaka Hai, was established in 1957 as a handicap race open to runners of four years of age and upwards run over 1,800m at Hanshin Racecourse in March. After the distance was extended to 2,000m in 1972, the date was moved to one week earlier to the Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) in 1981. The race was given G2 status in conjunction with the new grading system in 1984, opened its doors to foreign competitors in 2003 and was upgraded to G1 in 2017. The winner of the race will automatically earn a starting position in the Irish Champion Stakes (G1, 2,000m) held in September.
Attracting strong contenders by serving as a prep race for G1 spring races for older horses such as the Tenno Sho (Spring) (G1, 3,200m) and the Takarazuka Kinen (G1, 2,200m), many Osaka Hai champions have gone on to achieve G1 successes; Meisho Samson (JPN, by Opera House) in 2007, Hiruno d’Amour (JPN, by Manhattan Cafe) in 2011, two-time Horse of the Year Kitasan Black (JPN, by Black Tide) in 2017, all went on to capture the Tenno Sho (Spring) that followed; and Dream Journey (JPN, by Stay Gold) in 2009 landed his Takarazuka Kinen victory two starts later. Winners who also showed extraordinary accomplishments include 2008 champion Daiwa Scarlet (JPN, by Agnes Tachyon), legendary 2013 winner Orfevre (JPN, by Stay Gold) and 2014 victor Kizuna (JPN, by Deep Impact).
Efforia commenced his four-year-old season with this race in his bid to validate his Horse of the Year title of 2021 while defending champion Lei Papale came off a runner-up effort in the Kinko Sho (G2, 2,000m, Mar.13) won by Jack d’Or who extended his winning streak to five—2021 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (G1, 2,200m) victor Akai Ito and Potager followed in third and fourth, respectively. This year’s field also included King of Koji, African Gold and Arrivo, respective victors of the American Jockey Club Cup (G2, 2,200m, Jan.23), the Kyoto Kinen (G2, 2,200m, Feb.13) and the Kokura Daishoten (G3, 1,800m, Feb.20), as well as multiple G2 winner Win Marilyn, 2021 Kyoto Shimbun Hai (G2, 2,200m) victor Red Genesis, 2016 Tokyo Yushun champion Makahiki and 2021 Queen Elizabeth II Cup runner-up Stellaria.