Takarazuka Kinen: Bellagio Opera Looks for Glory—and a Ticket to the Breeders’ Cup

The Japanese G1 offers an automatic berth into the Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf at Del Mar, heightening interest among the East’s top contenders

Bellagio Opera lines up as a leading contender for the Takarazuka Kinen / JRA

TAKARAZUKA, Japón (Special for Turf Diario).- Bellagio Opera, a dual G1 winner for Shorai Hayashida, headlines Sunday’s ¥740,000,000 (US$4.3 million) G1 Takarazuka Kinen at Hanshin Racecourse, a 2200-meter test that offers an automatic berth into the $5 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) at Del Mar as part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series—a global roster of 93 Win and You’re In races across 15 countries, which includes paid entry fees and travel allowances.

A son of Lord Kanaloa, Bellagio Opera arrives in peak form following a record-setting win in the Osaka Hai (G1) on April 6, where he edged Lord Del Rey (also by Lord Kanaloa) in 1:56.4. Trainer Hiroyuki Uemura believes the colt is coming into the race sharper than last year, when he finished third in the Takarazuka Kinen over a rain-soaked course after fading in the final quarter mile.

Another leading contender is Urban Chic (Suave Richard), a 4-year-old representing Silk Racing Co. Ltd., who captured the Kikuka Sho (G1) last year at Kyoto and was the third betting choice in the Nikkei Sho (G2) at Nakayama in March.

Sunday Racing Co. Ltd. is double-handed with the lone filly in the field, Regaleira (Suave Richard), winner of the Arima Kinen (G1) in December, and veteran Rousham Park (Harbinger), who was narrowly defeated by Rebel’s Romance (Dubawi) in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Turf at Del Mar.

The aforementioned Lord Del Rey, campaigned by Lord Horse Club Co. Ltd., comes in off a narrow second to Bellagio Opera in the Osaka Hai and a win in the Nikkei Shinshun Hai (G2) at Chukyo.

Rounding out the field is 7-year-old Yoho Lake (Deep Impact), who finished third in the Osaka Hai and previously captured the Kyoto Kinen (G2) in February.

Under the Challenge Series program, Breeders’ Cup will cover entry fees and travel costs for all pre-entered horses based outside North America by the October 20 deadline.