G1 Takarazuka Kinen headlines this weekend's graded stakes action across Tokyo, Hanshin, and Hakodate
Tuesday, 10 June, 2025 00:19
Regaleira (Photo: Yuki Shimono)
This week's JRA action takes place across three racecourses, Tokyo, Hanshin, and Hakodate, with a total of three graded stakes races scheduled.
The main event is Sunday's G1 Takarazuka Kinen at Hanshin Racecourse. The prestigious Grand Prix will feature top-class runners including Regaleira (Filly, 4yo), who secured her second G1 title in last year's Arima Kinen, Bellagio Opera (Horse, 5yo), winner of back-to-back editions of the Osaka Hai, and Urban Chic (Horse, 4yo), last year's Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger) champion.
Saturday at Hakodate Racecourse kicks off their summer meeting with the G3 Hakodate Sprint Stakes. Among the key entries are Namura Clair (Mare, 6yo), who was runner-up in the Takamatsunomiya Kinen and is aiming for her second win in this race since 2022, Big Caesar (Horse, 5yo), in search of a second graded victory, and Win Greatest (Horse, 8yo), runner-up in this race last year.
Also on Saturday, Tokyo Racecourse will host the Jump G3 Tokyo Jump Stakes. Leading contenders include June Velocity (Horse, 7yo) and Hokko Mevius (Gelding, 9yo), both four-time winners of jump graded stakes, as well as Said(Gelding, 6yo), who ran second against tough competition in the recent Kokura Jump Stakes.
In the NAR circuit, the Jpn1 Tokyo Derby will be held on Wednesday at Oi Racecourse. The standout entry is Natural Rise (Colt, 3yo), who dominated the first leg of the NAR Triple Crown, the Haneda Hai.
The main event is Sunday's G1 Takarazuka Kinen at Hanshin Racecourse. The prestigious Grand Prix will feature top-class runners including Regaleira (Filly, 4yo), who secured her second G1 title in last year's Arima Kinen, Bellagio Opera (Horse, 5yo), winner of back-to-back editions of the Osaka Hai, and Urban Chic (Horse, 4yo), last year's Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger) champion.
Saturday at Hakodate Racecourse kicks off their summer meeting with the G3 Hakodate Sprint Stakes. Among the key entries are Namura Clair (Mare, 6yo), who was runner-up in the Takamatsunomiya Kinen and is aiming for her second win in this race since 2022, Big Caesar (Horse, 5yo), in search of a second graded victory, and Win Greatest (Horse, 8yo), runner-up in this race last year.
Also on Saturday, Tokyo Racecourse will host the Jump G3 Tokyo Jump Stakes. Leading contenders include June Velocity (Horse, 7yo) and Hokko Mevius (Gelding, 9yo), both four-time winners of jump graded stakes, as well as Said(Gelding, 6yo), who ran second against tough competition in the recent Kokura Jump Stakes.
In the NAR circuit, the Jpn1 Tokyo Derby will be held on Wednesday at Oi Racecourse. The standout entry is Natural Rise (Colt, 3yo), who dominated the first leg of the NAR Triple Crown, the Haneda Hai.