A look back at JRA G1 races from February Stakes to Takarazuka Kinen in 2024
Monday, 30 December, 2024 22:59
Ten Happy Rose on left (Photo: Yuki Shimono), Danon Decile in center (Photo: Yuki Shimono), Blow the Horn on right (C)netkeiba
The 2024 JRA-G1 races were filled with many thrilling battles. Here, we take a look back at the year's first G1 race, the February Stakes, through to the spring Grand Prix, the Takarazuka Kinen.
February 18th - February Stakes
Winner: Peptide Nile (6yo horse, trainer Hidenori Take)
The 41st running of the February Stakes at Tokyo Racecourse saw Peptide Nile, piloted by Yusuke Fujioka, claimed victory at huge odds of the 11th favourite. Positioned prominently early, he surged ahead in the stretch to defeat fifth favourite Gaia Force, who closed strongly from mid-pack, by 1 and a 1/4 lengths. The winning time was 1:35.7.
March 24 - Takamatsunomiya Kinen
Winner: Mad Cool (5yo horse, trainer Manabu Ikezoe)
In the 54th Takamatsunomiya Kinen at Chukyo Racecourse, 6th favourite Mad Cool, ridden by Ryusei Sakai, emerged victorious after tracking the leaders and battling through a fierce stretch duel. He narrowly defeated second favourite Namura Clair, who finished strongly from the inside, by a head. The winning time was 1:08.9.
March 31 - Osaka Hai
Winner: Bellagio Opera (4yo horse, trainer Hiroyuki Uemura)
The 68th Osaka Hai at Hanshin Racecourse was won by second favourite Bellagio Opera, with Kazuo Yokoyama aboard. After pressing the pace in the second, he outdueled 3rd favourite Rousham Park, who made an early move, by a neck. The winning time was 1:58.2.
April 7 - Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas)
Winner: Stellenbosch (3yo filly, trainer Sakae Kunieda)
In the 84th Oka Sho at Hanshin Racecourse, second favourite Stellenbosch, ridden by Joao Moreira, stormed home from mid-pack to defeat the favourite Ascoli Piceno, who also closed from mid-pack, by 3/4 of a length. The winning time was 1:32.2.
April 14 - Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas)
Winner: Justin Milano (3yo colt, trainer Yasuo Tomomichi)
The 84th Satsuki Sho at Nakayama Racecourse saw second favourite Justin Milano, with Keita Tosaki in the saddle, prevail after stalking the pace and edging out 7th favourite Cosmo Kuranda, who closed from mid-pack, by a neck. The winning time was 1:57.1 (a new course record), breaking Lovely Day's 2015 Nakayama Kimpai record by 0.7 seconds.
April 28 - Tenno Sho (Spring)
Winner: T O Royal (6yo horse, trainer Inao Okada)
At Kyoto Racecourse in the 169th Tenno Sho (Spring), 1st favourite T O Royal, ridden by Yuji Hishida, tracked the pace before surging clear in the stretch to defeat 5th favourite Blow the Horn, who made a late charge from the back, by 2 lengths. The winning time was 3:14.2.
May 5 - NHK Mile Cup
Winner: Jantar Mantar (3yo colt, trainer Tomokazu Takano)
The 29th NHK Mile Cup at Tokyo Racecourse saw second favourite Jantar Mantar, with Yuga Kawada aboard, secure victory after breaking well and taking a prominent position, then pulling clear in the stretch to defeat the favourite Ascoli Piceno, who encountered traffic before closing strongly, by 2 1/2 lengths. The winning time was 1:32.4.
May 12 - Victoria Mile
Winner: Ten Happy Rose (6yo mare, trainer Daisuke Takayanagi)
In the 19th Victoria Mile at Tokyo Racecourse, 14th favourite Ten Happy Rose, ridden by Hideaki Tsumura, came from the back of the pack with a powerful late surge to defeat 4th favourite Fierce Pride, who ran well from a prominent position, by 1 1/4 lengths. The winning time was 1:31.8.
May 19 - Japanese Oaks (Yushun Himba)
Winner: Cervinia (3yo filly, trainer Tetsuya Kimura)
The 85th Japanese Oaks at Tokyo Racecourse was won by 2nd favourite Cervinia, guided by Christophe Lemaire. She launched a sweeping run from the back, overtaking 1st favourite Stellenbosch, who had taken the lead from the inside, by 1/2 length. The winning time was 2:24.0.
May 26 - Japanese Derby (Tokyo Yushun)
Winner: Danon Decile (3yo colt, trainer Shogo Yasuda)
The 91st Japanese Derby at Tokyo Racecourse saw 9th favourite Danon Decile, ridden by Norihiro Yokoyama, secure victory after racing in a prominent position and surging through an inside opening in the stretch to beat the favourite Justin Milano, who also closed strongly from a similar position, by 2 lengths. The winning time was 2:24.3.
June 2 - Yasuda Kinen
Winner: Romantic Warrior (6yo gelding, Hong Kong trainer C S Shum)
In the 74th Yasuda Kinen at Tokyo Racecourse, the favourite Romantic Warrior, with James McDonald aboard, tracked the leaders before asserting his dominance in the stretch to defeat 4th favourite Namur, who closed from mid-pack, by 1/2 length. The winning time was 1:32.3.
June 23 - Takarazuka Kinen
Winner: Blow the Horn (5yo horse, trainer Tatsuya Yoshioka)
The 65th Takarazuka Kinen at Kyoto Racecourse saw 3rd favourite Blow the Horn, piloted by Akira Sugawara, unleash a devastating late run from the back along the outer rail to defeat 7th favourite Sol Oriens, who also closed well from mid-pack, by 2 lengths. The winnin g time was 2:12.0.
February 18th - February Stakes
Winner: Peptide Nile (6yo horse, trainer Hidenori Take)
The 41st running of the February Stakes at Tokyo Racecourse saw Peptide Nile, piloted by Yusuke Fujioka, claimed victory at huge odds of the 11th favourite. Positioned prominently early, he surged ahead in the stretch to defeat fifth favourite Gaia Force, who closed strongly from mid-pack, by 1 and a 1/4 lengths. The winning time was 1:35.7.
March 24 - Takamatsunomiya Kinen
Winner: Mad Cool (5yo horse, trainer Manabu Ikezoe)
In the 54th Takamatsunomiya Kinen at Chukyo Racecourse, 6th favourite Mad Cool, ridden by Ryusei Sakai, emerged victorious after tracking the leaders and battling through a fierce stretch duel. He narrowly defeated second favourite Namura Clair, who finished strongly from the inside, by a head. The winning time was 1:08.9.
March 31 - Osaka Hai
Winner: Bellagio Opera (4yo horse, trainer Hiroyuki Uemura)
The 68th Osaka Hai at Hanshin Racecourse was won by second favourite Bellagio Opera, with Kazuo Yokoyama aboard. After pressing the pace in the second, he outdueled 3rd favourite Rousham Park, who made an early move, by a neck. The winning time was 1:58.2.
April 7 - Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas)
Winner: Stellenbosch (3yo filly, trainer Sakae Kunieda)
In the 84th Oka Sho at Hanshin Racecourse, second favourite Stellenbosch, ridden by Joao Moreira, stormed home from mid-pack to defeat the favourite Ascoli Piceno, who also closed from mid-pack, by 3/4 of a length. The winning time was 1:32.2.
April 14 - Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas)
Winner: Justin Milano (3yo colt, trainer Yasuo Tomomichi)
The 84th Satsuki Sho at Nakayama Racecourse saw second favourite Justin Milano, with Keita Tosaki in the saddle, prevail after stalking the pace and edging out 7th favourite Cosmo Kuranda, who closed from mid-pack, by a neck. The winning time was 1:57.1 (a new course record), breaking Lovely Day's 2015 Nakayama Kimpai record by 0.7 seconds.
April 28 - Tenno Sho (Spring)
Winner: T O Royal (6yo horse, trainer Inao Okada)
At Kyoto Racecourse in the 169th Tenno Sho (Spring), 1st favourite T O Royal, ridden by Yuji Hishida, tracked the pace before surging clear in the stretch to defeat 5th favourite Blow the Horn, who made a late charge from the back, by 2 lengths. The winning time was 3:14.2.
May 5 - NHK Mile Cup
Winner: Jantar Mantar (3yo colt, trainer Tomokazu Takano)
The 29th NHK Mile Cup at Tokyo Racecourse saw second favourite Jantar Mantar, with Yuga Kawada aboard, secure victory after breaking well and taking a prominent position, then pulling clear in the stretch to defeat the favourite Ascoli Piceno, who encountered traffic before closing strongly, by 2 1/2 lengths. The winning time was 1:32.4.
May 12 - Victoria Mile
Winner: Ten Happy Rose (6yo mare, trainer Daisuke Takayanagi)
In the 19th Victoria Mile at Tokyo Racecourse, 14th favourite Ten Happy Rose, ridden by Hideaki Tsumura, came from the back of the pack with a powerful late surge to defeat 4th favourite Fierce Pride, who ran well from a prominent position, by 1 1/4 lengths. The winning time was 1:31.8.
May 19 - Japanese Oaks (Yushun Himba)
Winner: Cervinia (3yo filly, trainer Tetsuya Kimura)
The 85th Japanese Oaks at Tokyo Racecourse was won by 2nd favourite Cervinia, guided by Christophe Lemaire. She launched a sweeping run from the back, overtaking 1st favourite Stellenbosch, who had taken the lead from the inside, by 1/2 length. The winning time was 2:24.0.
May 26 - Japanese Derby (Tokyo Yushun)
Winner: Danon Decile (3yo colt, trainer Shogo Yasuda)
The 91st Japanese Derby at Tokyo Racecourse saw 9th favourite Danon Decile, ridden by Norihiro Yokoyama, secure victory after racing in a prominent position and surging through an inside opening in the stretch to beat the favourite Justin Milano, who also closed strongly from a similar position, by 2 lengths. The winning time was 2:24.3.
June 2 - Yasuda Kinen
Winner: Romantic Warrior (6yo gelding, Hong Kong trainer C S Shum)
In the 74th Yasuda Kinen at Tokyo Racecourse, the favourite Romantic Warrior, with James McDonald aboard, tracked the leaders before asserting his dominance in the stretch to defeat 4th favourite Namur, who closed from mid-pack, by 1/2 length. The winning time was 1:32.3.
June 23 - Takarazuka Kinen
Winner: Blow the Horn (5yo horse, trainer Tatsuya Yoshioka)
The 65th Takarazuka Kinen at Kyoto Racecourse saw 3rd favourite Blow the Horn, piloted by Akira Sugawara, unleash a devastating late run from the back along the outer rail to defeat 7th favourite Sol Oriens, who also closed well from mid-pack, by 2 lengths. The winnin g time was 2:12.0.