Newly promoted to Group 1 status, Hanshin's Osaka Hai was rewarded with a first-class winner in the 2016 Horse of the Year Kitasan Black (Jpn) (Black Tide {Jpn}), whose long-term aim this season is a trip to Chantilly to take on Europe's finest in the G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.
The 5-year-old stallion may well now stop off en route in Ireland, with Sunday's three-quarter-length victory having earned him an automatic berth in the G1 QIPCO Irish Champion S. at Leopardstown following the inaugural 'win and you're in' link between the two races.
Runner-up to Satono Diamond (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the G1 Arima Kinen on Christmas Day after a decisive win in the G1 Japan Cup last November, Kitasan Black was sent off as favourite for the Osaka Hai under Yutake Take, who had his mount perfectly positioned in third on the rail as Maltese Apogee (Jpn) (Goshawk Ken) set an unsustainable frenetic early pace some eight lengths clear of the chasing Lord Vent d'Or (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn). As the early leaders gave way rounding the turn, Kitasan Black loomed into contention, with eventual runner-up Staphanos (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) making a bold bid to run him down, but the Hisashi Shimizu-trained galloper looked the certain winner throughout his stretch run and duly notched his ninth career success from 15 starts.
Pedigree Notes…
Sired by a stakes-winning full-brother to Shadai superstar Deep Impact (Jpn) (Sunday Silence), Kitasan Black is the best foal of the unraced Sugar Heart (Jpn) (Sakura Bakushin O {Jpn}), who is out of a half-sister to GI Super Derby third-place finisher Cee's Tizzy (Relaunch), himself responsible for two-time GI Breeders' Cup Classic hero Tiznow.
Sunday, Hanshin, Japan
OSAKA HAI-G1, ¥232,260,000 (US$2,085,387/£1,662,258/€1,957,342), Hanshin, 4-2, 4yo/up, 2000mT, 1:58.90, fm.
1–KITASAN BLACK (JPN), 126, h, 5, by Black Tide (Jpn)
1st Dam: Sugar Heart (Jpn), by Sakura Bakushin O (Jpn)
2nd Dam: Otome Gokoro (Jpn), by Judge Angelucci
3rd Dam: Tizly, by Lyphard
O-Ono Shoji Inc.; B-Yanagawa Farm; T-Hisashi Shimizu;
J-Yutaka Take; ¥122,982,000. Lifetime Record: Horse of the
Year-Jpn, Ch. Older Horse-Jpn, 15-9-2-3. *1/2 to Shonan Bach
(Jpn), Stay Gold {Jpn}), GSP-Jpn, $624,964. Werk Nick Rating:
A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Staphanos (Jpn), 128, h, 5, Deep Impact (Jpn)–Kokoshnik (Jpn), by Kurofune. O-Carrot Farm; B-Northern Farm; ¥48,852,000.
3–Yamakatsu Ace (Jpn), 128, h, 5, King Kamehameha (Jpn)–Yamakatsu Marilyn (Jpn), by Grass Wonder. O-Kazuo Yamada; B-Okada Farm; ¥30,426,000.
Margins: 3/4, HF, 1HF. Odds: 1.40, 16.70, 9.20.
Also Ran: Makahiki (Jpn), Ambitious (Jpn), Satono Crown (Jpn), Mikki Rocket (Jpn), Monde Intero (Jpn), Angreifen (Jpn), Decipher (Jpn), Suzuka Devious (Jpn), Maltese Apogee (Jpn), Sakura Empereur (Jpn), Lord Vent d'Or (Jpn).
Click for the Racing Post chart, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. JRA Video.
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