Two Japanese Derby Winners Face Off in Osaka Hai

Wagnerian and Makahiki, stablemates and Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby, G1) winners sired by Deep Impact, are set to face off April 5 in the Osaka Hai (G1) at Hanshin Racecourse.

They have been idle since finishing third and fourth, respectively, in the Nov. 24 Japan Cup (G1) at Tokyo racecourse and will face other grade/group 1 winners with more recent form in the 2,000-meter (about 1 1/4-mile) race. The field also includes the runner-up from the 2019 Tokyo Yushun, Danon Kingly, a 4-year-old and yet another son of Deep Impact.

The Osaka Hai serves as a springboard to other important middle-distance races throughout the Japanese racing calendar. After several retirements at the end of the 2019 season, the 4- and 5-year-olds in the field will be working to reset the pecking order.

Wagnerian won the 2018 Tokyo Yushun and followed with a grade 2 score but has not won in four succeeding starts. He finished third in last year's Japan Cup.

"There's a really fresh feel to him, and that's how I wanted things to be so that we could aim him at this race," said Yasuo Tomomichi, who trains both Wagnerian and Makahiki. "It's been good to see him get things right in training, and his responses and breathing have been great. He's in really good condition, and I'm expecting him to run a big race."

Makahiki, the 2016 Tokyo Yushun champion, also followed that victory with a win in a grade 2 event. He, too, is winless since—a span of 14 starts. He finished 14th in the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1) in 2016.

"He doesn't seem any less powerful than when he was a 3- or 4-year-old," Tomomichi said of Makahiki. "He's pleased me in training, and his times have been good enough." 

Tomomichi gave both horses a long rest at Northern Farm Tenei and put them back into training Feb. 21.

Wagnerian drew gate 4, and Yuichi Fukunaga will ride. Tomomichi has switched riders on Makahiki, and Lyle Hewitson will start him from gate 9.

Wagnerian and Makahiki race for their breeder, Kaneko Makoto Holdings.

Others in the 12-horse field also will be looking to validate past glory.

Blast Onepiece, a 5-year-old son of Harbinger, won the Arima Kinen (G1) in December 2018. He finished 11th in last year's Arc, then returned to win the Jan. 26 American Jockey Club Cup (G2). He was the favorite in this race last year but finished sixth.

"He got well back, and the slow pace didn't suit him," trainer Masahiro Otake said of Blast Onepiece's effort in the 2019 Osaka Hai. "In his latest race, it was good to get a result, and I was pleased about that after his trip overseas."

Chrono Genesis and Lucky Lilac are the only female runners.

Chrono Genesis, a 4-year-old daughter of Bago, tuned up with a 2 1/2-length win in the Kyoto Kinen (G2) in February, her fifth win from nine starts. Her grade 1 score came in last year's Shuka Sho.

Lucky Lilac is a 5-year-old daughter of Orfevre. She accounted for the Queen Elizabeth II Cup (G1) in November at Kyoto, then finished second to Glory Vase in the Longines Hong Kong Vase (G1) at Sha Tin Racecourse in December.

Danon Kingly is still looking for his first win at the top level. He enters fresh from a victory in the Nakayama Kinen (G2) in March—his first start since a fifth-place finish in the Nov. 17 Mile Championship (G1) at Kyoto.

"I think he's come on well since his last race, and that was his first run for a while," trainer Kiyoshi Hagiwara said. "In training, he's been moving well and his times have been faster than I expected, so he'll have done enough going into the race." 

The Osaka Hai benefits from a purse increase to about US$2.7 million, with US$1.25 million to the winner. The race is run right-handed using the inner loop of the turf course. Although Al Ain upset last year's renewal at odds of 21-1, favorites have performed well during the past decade.