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Jack d’Or Claims Wire-to-Wire Victory in 2023 Osaka Hai

Second pick Jack d’Or captured his first G1 and third graded victory in his kickoff start of this season, the Osaka Hai, with race record time of 1:57.4. Debuting as a two-year-old in December, the son of Maurice broke his maiden in April the following season. Though unable to race in the Classics, he extended his winning streak to five when claiming his first graded victory in the 2022 Kinko Sho (G2, 2,000m) in March and finished fifth in the Osaka Hai. He returned from a four-month break in August to win his second graded victory in the Sapporo Kinen (G2, 2,000m) and finished fourth and seventh, respectively, in the following Tenno Sho (Autumn) (G1, 2,000m) and the Hong Kong Cup (G1, 2,000m). Trainer Kenichi Fujioka marked his third JRA-G1 victory following his win in the 2016 Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) with Jeweler, while jockey Yutaka Take claimed his 80th JRA-G1 win following his victory in last year’s Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) with Do Deuce. He has won the Osaka Hai with Kitasan Black in 2017, and is now the oldest G1 winning jockey at the age of 54 years and 19 days.

Quick out of the gate, Jack d’Or promptly advanced to the front as expected, and assumed command after rallying with North the World for the lead. The five-year-old son of Maurice continued to set a fast pace and ran persistently after entering the lane while managing to hold off a strong rally by Danon the Kid in the last 200 meters and a powerful late charge by Stars on Earth before the wire for a nose victory.

“I was hoping to take the front if we could get a good start. He was a bit keen to go in the first two corners but raced in good rhythm thereafter. I think it was tough for him because of the headwind in the straight, but I had a feeling that we were able to hold off the chasing horses when we crossed the wire. (Regarding his 80th G1 victory and becoming the oldest G1 winner) I owe it to all the many great horses I was able to ride, and I will do my best to extend this record even further,” commented Yutaka Take.

Race favorite Stars on Earth broke slowly from an outer draw and settled toward the rear, around 12th from the front. The four-year-old Duramente filly gradually made headway turning the last corners and, while meeting traffic entering the lane, found an open space 300 meters out, dislodged a powerful late charge that marked the fastest closing speed and overtook her rivals one by one, though a nose short of the winner at the wire to finish second.

Tenth pick Danon the Kid made headway to fourth early from the no.13 stall, gradually closed in on the leaders to enter the lane in second but failed to catch the eventual winner and weakened in the final strides to be outrun by the favorite for third.

Other Horses:
4th: (7) Matenro Leo—chased leaders in 3rd, showed tenacity, weakened in last 100m
5th: (2) Maria Elena—saved ground around 10th, quickened in last 300m but had too much ground to make up
6th: (1) Geraldina—hugged rails in 13th, threaded through horses at stretch to pass tiring frontrunners
7th: (14) Hishi Iguazu—traveled 3-wide around 5th, lacked needed kick at stretch
8th: (4) North Bridge—rallied for lead early then eased back to 5th, showed effort until 100m out
9th: (6) Weltreisende—ran around 8th, circled wide for stretch run, responded little
10th: (10) Potager—sat around 5th, unable to keep up with frontrunners in last 200m
11th: (8) Lagulf—settled in 14th, passed tiring rivals
12th: (3) Mozu Bello—positioned 2nd from rear, unable to reach contention
13th: (12) Killer Ability—raced 3-wide around 11th, even paced at stretch
14th: (5) Wonderful Town—trailed in far rear, no factor
15th: (16) North the World—advanced to 2nd from outermost draw, faded after final corner
16th: (15) Hindu Times—traveled 4-wide around 8th, dropped back after 3rd corner

THE 67TH OSAKA HAI (G1)
4-year-olds & up, 2,000 meters (about 10 furlongs), turf, right-handed
Sunday, April 2, 2023           Hanshin Racecourse        11th Race         Post time: 15:40
Total prize money: ¥ 432,000,000 (about US$ 3,298,000 <US$1=¥131>)
4-y-o & up: 58kg (about 128 lbs),
2kg allowance for Fillies & Mares, 1kg allowance for Southern Hemisphere-bred born in 2019
Course Record: 1:57.2         Race Record: 1:57.4 [Jack d’Or (JPN, by Maurice), 2023]
Safety factor: 16 runners      Going: Good to Firm       Weather: Fine

Turnover for the Race alone: ¥ 18,508,236,900       Turnover for the Day: ¥ 28,801,529,700       Attendance: 25,699

Winner= 14 starts: 8 wins & 2 seconds / Added money: ¥ 203,402,000 / Career earnings: ¥ 472,042,000

* 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).
Two JRA Award winners of 2022 commenced the current season with this race—Best Three-Year-Old Filly Stars on Earth and Best Older Filly or Mare Geraldina—who came off respective thirds in the Shuka Sho (G1, 2,000m) last October and the year-end Arima Kinen (G1, 2,500m). One of its trial races, the Nakayama Kinen (G2, 1,800m, Feb.26) was won by Hishi Iguazu with Lagulf in second while the 2022 Hong Kong Cup (G1, 2,000m) runner-up Danon the Kid was a disappointing 11th. Last year’s Osaka Hai champion Potager aimed to bounce back from sixth place in the other trial, the Kinko Sho (G2, 2,000m, Mar.12). This year’s field also included Weltreisende and North Bridge, respective winners of the Nikkei Shinshun Hai (G2, 2,200m, Jan.15) and the American Jockey Club Cup (G2, 2,200m, Jan.22), two-time G2 victor Jack d’Or who finished seventh in the Hong Kong Cup, and 2021 Hopeful Stakes (G1, 2,000m) champion Killer Ability who came off a fifth in the Kyoto Kinen (G2, 2,200m, Feb.12).