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Hanshin Juvenile Fillies (G1) - Star Anise Wins Two-Year-Old Filly Champion Title in Race Record Tie

Second favorite Star Anise claimed this year’s Hanshin Juvenile Fillies title while matching the race record of 1:32.6 over 1,600 meters. Foaled out of two-time graded winner Epice Arome, the daughter of Drefong was fifth in her debut in June (Kokura, 1,200m) and broke her maiden in July over the same track and distance before finishing second in her previous start, the Chukyo Nisai Stakes (Chukyo, G3, 1,400m) against male opponent in late August. Trainer Tomokazu Takano won his 11th JRA-G1 title following his victory with Jantar Mantar in the Mile Championship last month. Jockey Kohei Matsuyama, who had ridden this filly since her debut, scored his seventh G1 victory after this year’s NHK Mile Cup with Panja Tower.

Star Anise broke sharply but was eased back to about eighth between rivals behind a brisk pace. Shifted out to ensure a clear path approaching the third corner, the Drefong filly circled wide into the stretch, immediately picked up speed along the outside route, taking command passing the 200-meter pole, and continued strongly to fend off strong challenges from Garavogue and Taisei Vogue from the inside, stretching beautifully in the last strides for a 1-1/4-length victory.

“I am grateful to the connections for allowing me to have another shot with this strong filly at this big stage after being defeated in our last start, and also to the filly Star Anise herself for putting in such great effort to win this race. Although it was her first time at a mile distance, she gave me the impression that she’d be just fine after her last start over 1,400 meters. She has big jumping stride so that my main concern was the weather but (after the rain yesterday) it held up fine so luck was on our side. We were nearly stuck inside early in the race but, with a big stride like hers, I wanted her path to be clear and chose the outside route which worked out just as I had imagined. She responded beautifully and had enough in the tank to put in another effort in the end. The three-year-old triple crown awaits her with expectations next season. I just hope that she will arrive there safe and sound and it would be great if I can partner her again,” commented Kohei Matsuyama.

Garavogue, saved ground, further back than mid-pack, early. Although struggling to escape traffic soon after entering the stretch, the Lord Kanaloa filly turned in the fastest late kick under strong urgings from her rider, as soon as an opening presented itself between horses, to quickly reach contention and, while unable to match the winner in the last strides, managed to out-finish Taisei Vogue by a neck for second.

Taisei Vogue jumped well from an outside draw and advanced steadily along the outside passing the eventual winner 800 meters out and within striking distance into the stretch. With Star Anise on her outside, the two hit the front in the last 200 meters to join Garavogue to rally but the winner had another gear in the last strides while the Indy Champ filly ran gamely to cross the wire a neck behind Garavogue who came up strongly with the fastest finishing speed.

Race favorite Alankar, who had come off two impressive wins by more than three lengths, trailed at the rear of the 18-horse field after a decent break, advanced rapidly to mid-field approaching the third corner but, after turning widest for the stretch run, had much ground to cover and was unable to cause a serious threat to the leaders while improving to fifth at the wire.

Other Horses:
4th: (11) Sweet Happiness—settled around 11th, angled out, launched 2nd fastest late kick
6th: (6) Arbanne—saved ground around 14th, met traffic 200m out, quicken belatedly
7th: (18) Shonan Charis—ran wide around 10th, lacked needed kick
8th: (7) Margot Love Me—sat around 4th, remained in contention until 100m out
9th: (2) Lady Goal—positioned 3rd from rear, showed belated charge
10th: (10) Inubono Utagoe—bumped at break, traveled around 13th, even paced
11th: (14) Stunning Lady—unhurried around 16th, circled wide, passed tired rivals
12th: (3) Mitsukane Venera—ran around 9th, met traffic 300m out, unable to reach contention
13th: (16) Rose Charis—tracked leaders in 3rd, rallied for lead at one point, faded after 200m pole
14th: (12) Maple Happy—hugged rails around 6th, weakened in last 200m
15th: (8) His Masterpiece—rallied to set pace, used up passing 200m pole
16th: (15) Lasting Snow—raced wide around 5th, failed to sustain bid
17th: (13) From Raven—chased leader in 2nd, faded after 300m out
18th: (1) Angelitas—traveled around 14th, dropped back after 3rd corner

THE 77TH HANSHIN JUVENILE FILLIES (G1)
2-year-olds, Fillies, 1,600 meters (about 8 furlongs), turf, right-handed
Sunday, December 14, 2025       Hanshin Racecourse        11th Race      Post time: 15:40
Total prize money: ¥ 140,850,000 (about US$ 898,000 <US$1=¥157>)
2-y-o: 55kg (about 121 lbs), 3 kg allowance for Southern Hemisphere-bred born in 2023
Course Record: 1:32.3               Race Record: 1:32.6 [Ascoli Piceno (JPN, by Daiwa Major), 2023]
Safety factor: 18 runners            Going: Good to Firm        Weather: Fine

Turnover for the Race alone: ¥ 15,174,536,900       Turnover for the Day: ¥ 23,548,631,800       Attendance: 21,950

Winner= 4 starts: 2 wins & 1 second / Added & stakes money: ¥ 66,288,000 / Career earnings: ¥ 84,768,000

* Hanshin Juvenile Fillies (G1)

Races for two-year-olds were held for the first time in 1946 at Tokyo. As the number of contenders increased, championship races that determine the top two-year-olds of the season—the Asahi Hai Sansai Stakes (predecessor to the Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes) and the Hanshin Sansai Stakes (predecessor to the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies)—were established in eastern and western Japan, respectively, in 1949. The two races were designated G1 status in conjunction with the new grading system implemented in 1984. In 1991, the two races were divided by gender into two separate G1 events; the Hanshin Sansai Himba Stakes for two-year-old fillies and the Asahi Hai Sansai Stakes for two-year-old colts and geldings, then renamed “Hanshin Juvenile Fillies” and “Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes,” respectively, in 2001. The Hanshin Juvenile Fillies, which initially started as a 1,200-meter sprint race, was extended to 1,400 meters in 1960 and to 1,600 meters in 1962. The race was temporarily shifted to Kyoto Racecourse last year due to Hanshin’s renovation and returned to its original venue this year.
Past winners of the race include many subsequent successful G1 champions such as 2006 winner and 2008 & 2009 Horse of the Year Vodka (JPN, by Tanino Gimlet); 2008 champion and 2010 Horse of the Year Buena Vista (JPN, by Special Week); and 2022 victor Liberty Island (JPN, F3, by Duramente) who later became the seventh filly to sweep the fillies’ Triple Crown races—the Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas, G1, 1,600m), the Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks, G1, 2,400m) and the Shuka Sho (G1, 2,000m).
Last year, May Day Ready (USA, by Tapit) from the U.S. became the first foreign contender to take part in the two-year-old fillies’ G1 race since it opened its doors to foreign runners in 2010 and finished 13th.
In this year’s edition, notable contenders coming off their respective wins included Alankar (Nojigiku Stakes [Open Class, 1,600m; Sep.20]), Arbanne (Saffron Sho [1 Win Class, 1,600m; Sep.28]), Lasting Snow (Rindo Sho [1 Win Class, 1,400m; Oct.4]), His Masterpiece (Akamatsu Sho [1 Win Class, 1,600m; Nov.23]) and Margot Love Me (Shiragiku Sho [1 Win Class, 1,600m; Nov.30]). Also among the field were three second-place finishers in graded events, Star Anise (Chukyo Nisai Stakes [G3, 1,400m; Aug.31]), Mitsukane Venera (Artemis Stakes [G3, 1,600m, Oct.25]) and Shonan Charis (Fantasy Stakes [G3, 1,400m, Nov.1]) as well as Taisei Vogue who finished third in the Artemis Stakes.