Meisho Tabaru Defends Title in the 67th Takarazuka Kinen

Second favorite Meisho Tabaru triumphed in the 67th running of the Takarazuka Kinen (All-Star "Grand Prix") on Sunday, June 14.

At Hanshin Racecourse in Takarazuka, Hyogo Prefecture, Meisho Tabaru became only the third horse to win the race two years in a row, following his sire Gold Ship in 2013-14 and Chrono Genesis in 2020-21.

After winning the 2025 Takarazuka Kinen, the son of Gold Ship finished sixth, 0.2 seconds behind the winner, in the Tenno Sho (Autumn) (G1, 2,000 meters) before finishing a disappointing 13th in the year-end Arima Kinen (G1, 2,500 meters).

Meisho Tabaru began the current season by finishing second to Croix du Nord in the Osaka Hai (G1, 2,000 meters) on April 5.

Trainer Mamoru Ishibashi scored his second Japan Racing Association G1 win, while jockey Yutaka Take claimed his 86th G1 title, following his victory in the Yasuda Kinen aboard Sixpence on June 7 at Tokyo Racecourse.

Take extended his own record for most Takarazuka Kinen victories to six, including wins with Inari One (1989), Mejiro McQueen (1993), Marvelous Sunday (1997) and Deep Impact (2006).

The Japanese legend extended his own record as the oldest jockey to win a JRA G1 race at the age of 57 years, 3 months and 1 day.

Back-to-Back Takarazuka Wins for Meisho Tabaru

With the track condition changing from "good to firm" to "yielding" due to a sudden downpour just before the race, the strong field of 18, which included five of the top six horses in the fans' vote, made a clean break in front of a large crowd of racing fans.

As Cosmo Kuranda (Takeshi Yokoyama) rushed to the front to take the lead, Meisho Tabaru broke smoothly from an outside draw and settled just off the pace in second. The field crowded while turning the last two corners, and the 5-year-old bay by Gold Ship tenaciously closed ground.

Meisho Tabaru caught the leader passing the 200-meter marker and managed to fend off the strong charge by the race favorite in the final 100 meters to defend his title by a neck. (Watch the race on the JRA's YouTube channel.)

"When it started raining just before the race, I felt as though the late owner Yoshio Matsumoto had sent it down from heaven," winning jockey Take said. "Since races are unpredictable, I stayed flexible and settled in second position, and we were able to race in a good rhythm.

"When Croix du Nord closed in before the wire, I thought, 'Please, not this time!' I felt that Meisho Tabaru was in really good form and the strongest today. I think we can head to France with our heads held high."

Meisho Tabafru — *Meisho Tabaru (left) closes in on a victory in the 67th Takarazuka Kinen. (©SANKEI)*

The 67th Takarazuka Kinen

Race favorite Croix du Nord (jockey Yuichi Kitamura's ride) tracked the pace in a good striking position, around fifth from the front, and saved ground along the rails through the final two corners.

The 4-year-old Kitasan Black colt launched his bid upon entering the lane, chasing Meisho Tabaru and unleashing a powerful late kick in an attempt to catch the leader as he had in the Osaka Hai. But Croix du Nord fell a neck short this time to finish second.

Breaking from the innermost stall, third pick Danon Decile (Keita Tosaki) was unhurried around 14th and made headway on the rails rounding the final corners before angling out at the top of the stretch. The two-time G1 victor dug well to close in on the leaders with the fastest late speed (35.0 seconds for the final three furlongs).

And while unable to threaten the top two finishers due to too much ground to make up, Danon Decile denied tenacious Cosmo Kuranda just before the wire to register his fourth consecutive third-place finish since the 2025 Japan Cup.

Cosmo Kuranda placed fourth, and Tagano Dude (Riki Takasugi) rounded out the top five in the 18-horse race.

Read the full report, including details on each of the Takarazuka Kinen entrants, on JRA News.