Former Japanese Derby champs huge factors in Osaka Hai

Danon Decile and Croix du Nord, winners of the 2024 and 2025 Japanese Derby, will deservedly draw ample attention for their first starts of 2026 in Sunday’s Grade 1 Osaka Hai for older horses at 1 1/4 miles on turf at Hanshin Racecourse in Japan.

They could have a tough time, however, catching the speedy Meisho Tabaru, who is unbeaten in three career starts at Hanshin.

The Osaka Hai is the first Grade 1 turf race of the season for middle-distance runners in Japan. The race drew a field of 15 and has a post time of 2:40 a.m. Eastern on Sunday.

Meisho Tabaru will start from post 6 and often races on or near the lead. Miesho Tabaru could be joined early by the longshot Seiun Hades, who set the pace in the Japan Cup last November before fading to finish 12th.

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Meisho Tabaru won the Grade 1 Takarazuka Kinen at 1 3/8 miles at Hanshin last June, the most prestigious win of his career.

Later in 2025, Meisho Tabaru was sixth in the autumn running of the Grade 1 Tenno Sho at 1 1/4 miles at Tokyo in early November, and 13th of 16 in the Grade 1 Arima Kinen at 1 9/16 miles at Nakayama Racecourse in late December. The Arima Kinen was beyond Meisho Tarabu’s best distance.

Danon Decile and Croix du Nord were third and fourth behind the French shipper Calandagan in the Grade 1 Japan Cup at 1 1/2 miles at Tokyo Racecourse in November. Calandagan won his first start this year in the Group 1 Sheema Classic at Meydan Racecourse in the United Arab Emirates on March 28, a race Danon Decile won in 2025.

Danon Decile was third by three-quarters of a length in the Arima Kinen in December. A closer, Danon Decile has a good starting spot in post 4 on Sunday, which will aid his closing style.

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