Japan: Bellagio Opera gets Grade 1 win in Osaka Hai

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.

Tastiera, the champion 3-year-old male of 2023 in Japan, was the 3-1 favorite, but finished 11th, five lengths behind Bellagio Opera.

A 4-year-old colt by Lord Kanaloa, Bellagio Opera won for the fifth time in his eight-race career on Sunday. Ridden by Kazuo Yokoyama for trainer Hiroyuki Uemura, Bellagio Opera was sent to the early lead and then stalked Stunning Rose before taking the lead in the final furlong.

“Bellagio Opera has very good maneuverability, and I knew that he was in good condition,” Yokoyama told Japan Racing Association publicity. “I decided to race him toward the front. He’s really strong when it comes to a close rally.”

Yokoyama rode Bellagio Opera to a fourth-place finish in the Grade 1 Japanese Derby last May. Bellagio Opera was 10th in the Japanese 2000 Guineas last April in his Grade 1 debut when ridden by Hironobu Tanabe.

“I was so disappointed when we lost the Derby that I really wanted to win a Grade 1 with this horse,” Yokoyama said.

Bellagio Opera races for Shorai Hayashida. Aside from the Osaka Hai, Bellagio Opera has won a Grade 2 stakes at 1 1/8 miles in March 2023 and a Grade 3 stakes at 1 1/4 miles in December.

In Dubai on Saturday, Japan’s older horses were winless. Namur finished second in the Group 1 Dubai Turf at 1 1/8 miles, while Shahryar and Liberty Island were second and third in the Grade 1 Sheema Classic at 1 1/2 miles on turf.

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