Absence of Almond Eye makes Osaka Hai Stakes wide open

With reigning Japanese Horse of the Year Almond Eye racing in Dubai this weekend, Sunday’s Grade 1 Osaka Hai Stakes at Hanshin Racecourse in Japan lacks a standout in a field of 14.

Three of the leading contenders will be coming off lengthy layoffs.

As of Friday, Blast Onepiece and Kiseki, who were first and fifth in the Grade 1 Arima Kinen at Nakayama on Dec. 23, were the leading contenders over Wagnerian, the winner of the Japanese Derby last May. Blast Onepiece and Kiseki have not raced since the Arima Kinen.

Blast Onepiece has won 5 of 7 starts and won the Arima Kinen by a neck over Rey de Oro.

The $2.09 million Osaka Hai is run at 1 1/4 miles on turf, the same distance as the Grade 3 Niigata Kinen at Niigata Racecourse last September, which Blast Onepiece won as the favorite.

Kiseki was second in the Japan Cup to Almond Eye last November, losing by 1 3/4 lengths. He tends to run near the front.

Wagnerian has not raced since a win in the Grade 2 Kobe Shimbun Hai at 1 1/2 miles at Hanshin last November. He failed to recover quickly from the race, which led to a cancellation of plans for the second half of 2018. Wagnerian has won 5 of 7 starts.