Takarazuka Kinen Preview: An All-Star Spectacle for Thoroughbreds

After the five straight weeks of Grade 1 racing at Tokyo Racecourse, the venue this Sunday (June 14) is Hanshin Racecourse, where the Grade 1 Takarazuka Kinen will be run to round out the top JRA races for the first half of the year.

The event is one of the so-called Grand Prix (All-Star) races (the Grade 1 Arima Kinen is the other), where fans get to vote for the horses they want to see take on the race. Any horse voted into the top 10 of the poll is eligible to run, with other runners decided on their prize money levels.

First held in 1960, the Takarazuka Kinen was originally run over 1,800 meters. The current distance of 2,200 meters was introduced in 1966. It's run over the inner course at Hanshin, and it became an international G1 race in 1997. There will be no runners from overseas on Sunday, although Hong Kong's Werther ran a great race in 2018 to finish second.

The race is for 3-year-olds and up, and the younger horses, with a generous weight allowance, can run off a mark of 53 kg. Four-year-olds and up carry 58 kg, with fillies and mares able to claim 2 kg. There have been 18 nominations for a maximum 18-runner field on Sunday.

About the Takarazuka Kinen

In the past 10 years, only two first favorites have won (Equinox was the most recent in 2023), with 5-year-olds having the best recent record, winning six times in that same time period. Horses trained at the JRA Ritto Training Center have also won six times in the last 10 years.

The winner collects ¥300 million JPY (nearly $1.9 million USD).

Another bonus for the first horse past the post is an automatic entry to the Breeders' Cup in the United States and the Cox Plate in Australia.

Titleholder ran in a time of 2 minutes, 9.7 seconds in 2022 to set the record for the Takarazuka Kinen.

A couple of Grade 1 races some of the horses participated in prior to this Sunday's race were the Osaka Hai and the Tenno Sho (Spring), with the distance of the former probably being the best guide.

The 67th running of the Takarazuka Kinen will be race 11 on the Sunday card at Hanshin, with a post time of 3:40 PM.

Here's a look at some of the runners expected to take on the race:

Croix du Nord Places 1st in Fan Balloting

Kitasan Black progeny Croix du Nord topped the fans' vote, and the 4-year-old continues to impress, with two G1 wins to his name already this year.

"He got a win last time in the Tenno Sho, even if it was just by a nose," trainer Takashi Saito said.

Saito added, "He went to the farm after that, and came back to the stable on May 20. More than being tired, he was just a bit loose, but he's coming on for his work and should be in good condition just before the race."

Meisho Tabaru Returns as Defending Champion

The 5-year-old by Gold Ship came in second in the fans' vote, and Meisho Tabaru is back to defend his title after running away with the race in 2025 and winning by three lengths as the seventh favorite. He's coming off a second-place finish in the G1 Osaka Hai.

Trainer Mamoru Ishibashi said, "The first half of the Osaka Hai was run in 58.1 seconds, [and] the start of the 2,000-meter race at Hanshin is near the first corner. So I think instinctively the jockey went to the front, and he did so quickly.

"Despite it being a bit of a frantic pace, the horse still did well. There's a furlong extra this time, but it's back to the distance he won over last year."

Regaleira to Make 2026 Debut

Coming in at number four on the fans' list, Regaleira will be making her first run of the year, after finishing fourth in the 2025 Arima Kinen.

"She's sometimes not so good at the gate, and her condition last time meant she couldn't do so well in the Arima Kinen [in December], which was a bit regrettable," assistant trainer Yu Ota said. "She was pretty tired after that race, but now after time, things have been good with her back at the stable."

Ota added, "She's worked well over a distance and clocked a good time."

Christophe Lemaire looks set for the ride on Regaleira.

Read the rest of this article about the Takarazuka Kinen and the Japanese horses in contention on JRA News.

Author: JRA News