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Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) (G1) - Embroidery Wins First Leg of Fillies’ Triple Crown

Third favorite Embroidery won three in a row, capturing her first G1 title this year’s Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas). While giving her sire Admire Mars his first G1 title—Admire Mars was a winner of three G1 victories at mile distance including the 2019 Hong Kong Mile. After a runner-up effort in her debut at 1,600 meters at Tokyo in June last year, the two-year-old broke her maiden in her following start at Niigata over 1,800 meters, then finished a close fifth against boys in the Saffron Sho (1 Win Class, Nakayama, 1,600m) before concluding her two-year-old season with her second win in November (1 Win Class, Tokyo, 1,400m). Embroidery kicked off this season with another win in the Queen Cup (G3, Tokyo, 1,600m) prior to her Oka Sho triumph. It was the first G1 victory and third graded title for trainer Kazutomo Mori who is in his second season as a JRA trainer. Jockey Joao Moreira, who partnered the filly for the second time after the filly’s debut last year and whose last JRA-G1 win was just two weeks ago in the Takamatsunomiya Kinen aboard Satono Reve, also won the Oka Sho last year with Stellenbosch and has now collected four JRA-G1 titles.

Embroidery broke smoothly and settled off the rails in mid-division around tenth position up to the final turn. Joao Moreira waited for an opening as the field straightened for the stretch run and swiftly guided the filly out to overtake the race favorite who weakened before the furlong pole. Soon joined by Arma Veloce from the outside, the bay filly outdueled that foe for a neck victory.

“It’s another G1 win in Japan (following the Takamatsunomiya Kinen) which I would say is rather difficult, and no doubt, I’m extremely happy. We didn’t really know how she was going to handle the track as it’s been raining for nearly half of the day and there was a lot of moisture out there and not many of the horses out there could handle it, but she proved that she can and I was just a lucky boy to have been able to sit on a nice horse to another G1 race in Japan. When she was able to get the split between horses then really fight as there was company, I can’t remember which number, coming from the outside. She really had to let down and show what she’s got—I was riding her along really strongly hoping that she would give it to me, and she did—she really won well. The surface definitely didn’t affect her at all and I’m extremely pleased to have been given a chance to ride another very special horse in Japan. Having won as she did today, I have no doubt that she will be competitive once again in her next start and I will be hoping she will run as well she did today,” commented Joao Moreira.

2024 Best Two-Year-Old filly Arma Veloce also raced in mid-field with close watch on the eventual winner throughout the 1,600-meter trip. While the winner opted to take the inside route rounding the final turn, Mirai Iwata angled out to secure a clear path along the outside at equal speed for the duel but missed by a neck for second.

Lynx Tip was unhurried early and trailed at the very rear of the 18-horse field early but rapidly advanced along the outside from the 600-meter pole with impressive speed but had too much ground to make up to threaten the top two finishers, crossing the 2-1/2 lengths behind for third.

Race favorite Erika Express was the first out of the gate to assume command and maintained her lead up to the final corner but, tired from her early efforts, was unable to sustain her bid and gave way to her rivals from behind while managing to finish fifth.

Other Horses:
4th: (3) Ma Puce—saved ground around 12th, rallied for lead along rails, weakened in last 200m
6th: (13) Cerbiatto—sat towards rear around 15th, had too much ground to make up
7th: (17) Primzahl—positioned wide in 15th, passed tired rivals at stretch
8th: (1) Voulezvous—saved ground around 9th, rallied for lead but weakened in last 200m
9th: (18) Brown Ratchet—raced 2nd from rear, showed effort on inner stretch until 200m pole
10th: (4) Shonan Xanadu—hugged rails around 4th, remained in contention until 200m pole
11th: (6) Vip Daisy—sat around 6th in front of winner, angled out for stretch run, lacked needed kick
12th: (5) Bonne Soiree—settled around 5th, showed effort until 200m pole
13th: (16) Namura Clara—chased leaders around 3rd, dropped back at stretch
14th: (8) Water Gerbera—ran around 12th, unable to reach contention
15th: (15) Kurino Mei—pressed pace in 2nd, faded after final corner
16th: (14) Dantsu Elan—raced wide around 12th, checked by rival at early stretch, never fired
17th: (11) Mistress—traveled wide around 6th, showed little at stretch
18th: (10) Twilight City—positioned forwardly early, eased back to around 6th, outrun after 3rd corner

THE 85TH OKA SHO (JAPANESE 1000 GUINEAS, G1)
3-year-olds, Fillies, 1,600 meters (about 8 furlongs), turf, right-handed
Sunday, April 13, 2025          Hanshin Racecourse        11th Race        Post time: 15:40
Total prize money: ¥ 303,800,000 (about US$ 1,936,000 <US$1=¥157>)
3-y-o: 55kg (about 121 lbs), 2kg allowance for Southern Hemisphere-bred born in 2022
Course Record: 1:31.1          Race Record: 1:31.1 [Sodashi (JPN, by Kurofune), 2021]
Safety factor: 18 runners       Going: Good                   Weather: Rainy

Turnover for the Race alone: ¥ 18,040,019,000       Turnover for the Day: ¥ 27,036,214,300       Attendance: 25,610

Winner= 6 starts: 4 wins & 1 second / Added & stakes money: ¥ 168,791,000 / Career earnings: ¥ 224,551,000

* 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) in 2023.
This year’s Oka Sho field featured 2024 Best Two-Year-Old Filly Arma Veloce who came off a victory in last year’s Hanshin Juvenile Fillies (G1, 1,600m, Dec.8). Those who qualified to run in the race from their performances in trial races were Kurino Mei, Water Gerbera and Hanshin Juvenile Fillies runner-up Vip Daisy, the top three finishers (in that order) in the Tulip Sho (G2, 1,600m, Mar.2); Shonan Xanadu, Cerbiatto and Bonne Soiree, who dominated the top three in the Fillies’ Revue (G2, 1,400m, Mar.8); and the winner and runner-up in the Anemone Stakes (Listed, 1,600m, Mar.15), Twilight City and Primzahl. The field also included Erika Express, Voulezvous and Embroidery, respective winners of the Fairy Stakes (G3, 1,600m, Jan.12), the Elfin Stakes (Listed, 1,600m, Feb.10) and the Queen Cup (G3, 1,600m, Feb.15) as well as 2024 Artemis Stakes (G3, 1,600m) winner Brown Ratchet.