Beaten in two Grade 1 races for 3-year-olds last year, Bellagio Opera took advantage of the absence of several of Japan’s leading older horses to win Sunday’s Grade 1 Osaka Hai at 1 1/4 miles on turf at Hanshin Racecourse.
Several top Japan-based runners were in action on Saturday in Dubai.
Bellagio Opera, who paid $14.40 in American pools, was always near the front in the $2.54 million Osaka Hai and won by a neck over 5-1 Rousham Park, who was a nose in front of 31-1 Rouge Evil in a field of 16.