Oka Sho attracts 18 starters, including Star Anise

Star Anise, the 2025 champion 2-year-old filly in Japan, starts for the first time this year in Sunday’s Grade 1 Japanese 1000 Guineas at Hanshin. She races against a field that includes a few prominent runners she has yet to face.

Star Anise clinched her championship with a win in the Grade 1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies at Hanshin on Dec. 14, her last race. A winner of 2 of 4 starts, Star Anise was a slight favorite at 5-2 in early betting on Friday.

The $1.92 million Japanese 1000 Guineas, officially known as the Oka Sho, drew a field of 18 and is run at a mile on turf.

Star Anise, who will be ridden by regular rider Kohei Matsuyama, drew post 15, which may not be an issue considering her closing style. She won the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies by closing from eighth of 18 with a wide rally in the last half-mile.

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Garavogue, second in the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies, was 20-1 on Friday for the Japanese 1000 Guineas. Alankar, fifth in the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies, is rated as a more prominent runner. She finished third in the Grade 2 Tulip Sho on March 1 in her first start of the year.

Dream Core and Lily Joie, who did not start in the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies, are rated as leading fillies in the Japanese 1000 Guineas.

Dream Core has won 3 of 4 starts, including a win by 1 1/2 lengths in the Grade 3 Queen Cup at a mile on Feb. 14.

Lily Joie is undefeated in three starts – two races at 2 and her 3-year-old debut, a four-length win in the Kobai Stakes at seven furlongs at Kyoto Racecourse on Jan. 17. Lily Joie has sufficient speed to set the pace and could prove tough to catch on Sunday.

The Japanese 1000 Guineas has a post time of 2:40 a.m. Eastern on Sunday.

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