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Star Anise Shines in Oka Sho Victory

Race favorite Star Anise claimed this year’s Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas), the first leg of the fillies’ Triple Crown. The Drefong filly scored 2-1-0 out of four starts last year including a victory in the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies (G1, 1,600m), her previous start, which earned her the Best Two-Year-Old Filly title. Trainer Tomokazu Takano registered his 12th JRA-G1 win following the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies with this filly while it was his first classic title. Jockey Kohei Matsuyama won his ninth G1 victory since the year-end Hopeful Stakes with Lovcen and second Oka Sho title after Daring Tact who went on to complete the fillies’ Triple Crown sweep in 2020.

Star Anise broke smoothly from an outside gate 15 but got excited briefly after being shuffled back by rivals closing from both sides. Managing to keep the filly in hand, Matsuyama settled her in mid-division around 9th or 10th up to the last turn where the Drefong filly was steered slightly out for a clear run. As soon as the filly was released to go, Star Anise immediately shot forward and assumed command before the furlong pole and continued to pull away easily and opening the gap for a 2-1/2-length victory.

“The race was said to be a close competition this year but I had every faith in my filly and while the pressure to run as the 2025 two-year-old champion was great, I am relieved and happy to have been able to show the fans the power that she possesses. My main goal during the race was to have her stay in good rhythm and I felt plenty of energy beneath me, so much so that I could keep her back and still trust her to respond powerfully when asked, which she did with great ease. I am not certain what plan awaits her after this race but I think that she has a great future to look forward to,” commented Kohei Matsuyama.

Garavogue was unhurried out of the gate and in good position around 4th while saving ground along the rails down the backstretch. Shifting out for the stretch run nearing the final turn and increasing her speed down the center lane, the Lord Kanaloa filly was soon joined by the winner on the outside and, although showing terrific effort to chase that foe after taken over before the 200-meter pole, she was no match for the winner while successfully proving second best.

12th pick Zippy Tune raced well behind, second from last while saving ground along the rails, waited patiently for the field to spread out wide turning for home and immediately shot forward through an opening in the inside with great force that equaled the fastest finish with the winner to close in well for third.

Other Horses:
4th: (6) I Need You—ran around 4th on rails, sustained bid, surrendered 3rd place by neck before wire
5th: (7) Alankar—trailed in rear, angled out, launched late speed but had too much ground to cover
6th: (10) Namura Cosmos—traveled wide around 13th, passed tired rivals
7th: (2) Saint Antoine—hugged rail around 7th, angled out, needed more
8th: (4) Elegance Ask—traveled around 13th, showed effort until 100m out
9th: (14) Dream Core—settled wide around 11th, failed to respond
10th: (16) Shonan Charis—sat around 5th, ran gamely until 200m pole
11th: (13) Lily Joie—broke through gate before start and was re-loaded into outermost stall, ran near rear, circled wide, lacked needed kick
12th: (3) Dear Diamond—positioned around 9th, unable to reach contention
13th: (12) Sweet Happiness—raced wide around 15th, never fired
14th: (9) Rule the Wave—stalked leader in 2nd, rallied for lead until 300m out
15th: (17) Black Chalice—traveled wide around 7th, dropped back after final corner
16th: (18) Presepio—advanced to 3rd from wide stall, showed tenacity until 300m out
17th: (1) Festival Hill—saved ground around 11th, showed little at stretch
18th: (8) Longing Celine—set pace, faded after 300m out

THE 86TH OKA SHO (JAPANESE 1000 GUINEAS, G1)
3-year-olds, Fillies, 1,600 meters (about 8 furlongs), turf, right-handed
Sunday, April 12, 2026          Hanshin Racecourse        11th Race        Post time: 15:40
Total prize money: ¥ 303,800,000 (about US$ 1,960,000 <US$1=¥155>)
3-y-o: 55kg (about 121 lbs), 2kg allowance for Southern Hemisphere-bred born in 2023
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: ¥ 19,693,542,300       Turnover for the Day: ¥ 29,372,998,900       Attendance: 34,454

Winner= 5 starts: 3 wins & 1 second / Added & stakes money: ¥ 168,259,000 / Career earnings: ¥ 253,027,000

* 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 then changed its distance and venue under the current 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.
Last year’s Hanshin Juvenile Fillies (G1, 1,600m; Dec.14) winner and Best Two-Year-Old Filly Star Anise commenced her current season with this race while Hanshin Juvenile Fillies runner-up Garavogue came off a ninth-place finish in the Queen Cup (G3, 1,600m; Feb.14) which was won by Dream Core. Those who also came off good placings in separate trial races were Namura Cosmos (2nd) and Alankar (3rd) in the Tulip Sho (G2, 1,600m; Mar.1); Saint Antoine (2nd) and I Need You (3rd) in the Fillies’ Revue (G2, 1,400m; Mar.7); and Dear Diamond (1st) and Rule the Wave (2nd) in the Anemone Stakes (Listed, 1,600m; Mar.14). The field also included Festival Hill, Black Chalice, Lily Joie and Sweet Happiness, respective winners of the Fantasy Stake (G3, 1,400m; Nov.1), the Fairy Stakes (G3, 1,600m; Jan.11), the Kobai Stakes (Listed, 1,400m; Jan.17) and the Elfin Stakes (Listed, 1,600m; Feb.7).