Japanese Horse of the Year Efforia Returns in Osaka Hai

Japan's reigning Horse of the Year, Efforia, makes his eagerly awaited 4-year-old debut in the Osaka Hai (G1) April 3 at Hanshin Racecourse after a three-month freshening.

Efforia is only a nose short of being undefeated after seven starts and hopes are high the Epiphaneia colt can take his place among the ranks of Japanese stars who have been so dominant in recent international race meetings from Del Mar to Dubai.

After acing his two starts as a juvenile, the colt won four of his five races in 2021, including the Satsuki Sho (Japanese Two Thousand Guineas, G1), the Tenno Sho (Autumn, G1), and the Arima Kinen (G1), the last two over older horses.

His only loss was a second, a nose behind Shahryar  in the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby, G1). Shahryar went on to finish third in the Japan Cup (G1) and kicked off his 4-year-old season with a triumph March 26 in the Longines Dubai Sheema Classic (G1).

"Last time he did have a slight hoof issue," trainer Yuichi Shikato said of Efforia. "This isn't a problem now. He has been running with a good rhythm and all's well with him so far."

Efforia's jockey, Takeshi Yokoyama, concurred with the trainer's assessment.

"In his final work on the woodchip course this week, he's been sharp, and went nicely between the two other horses training with him," Yokoyama said. "He is an easy horse to ride and he knows how to race."

Efforia, out of the Heart's Cry  mare Katies Heart, was bred by Northern Farm and races for Carrot Farm. His ascent into the ranks of stardom and last autumn's triumphs over older horses brings hope he will be the one finally to bring the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1) trophy to Japan.

The Osaki Hai will be an early-season gauge of those chances. While many of Japan's best horses will need some recovery time after plundering Dubai riches, the Osaka Hai field, 16 strong, retains enough firepower to provide a legitimate test. 

The field for the 2,000-meter test includes last year's winner, Lei Papale , a 5-year-old Deep Impact  mare who comes off a second in the Kinko Sho (G2) at Hanshin Racecourse. She has not won in five starts since the 2021 Osaka Hai but did finish a respectable sixth in the Longines Hong Kong Cup (G1) in December at Sha Tin Racecourse.

The Kinko Sho winner, Jack d'Or, a 4-year-old Maurice  colt, also lines up for Sunday's race with a long winning streak of his own, as does third-place finisher Akai Ito.

Lei Papale's trainer, Tomokazu Takana, gave a good account of his mare's condition after she drew the No. 14 gate.

"She ran well in her last race, finding a good rhythm and finishing well," he said. "She will be up against last year's top horse, so in a way she's a challenger here, although as last year's winner of the race, I can still take pride in that."

Jack d'Or steps up in class but his trainer, Kenichi Fujioka, said the conditions should suit him.

"He is honest in what he does and is easy to control," Fujioka said of Jack d'Or. "He won a maiden race at Hanshin, and I think the track and distance suits his footwork. Having won his last five races, it's clear he's improving and he deserves his chance in a grade 1."

The race is contested over the inner loop of the Hanshin turf, starting in front of the grandstand, once around and a second time through the stretch.