Oka Sho

Oka Sho
Japanese 1,000 Guineas
桜花賞

Grade 1 race
2021 Oka Sho winner Sodashi
Location	Hanshin Racecourse, Takarazuka, Hyōgo
Inaugurated	1939
Race type	Thoroughbred Flat racing
Race information
Distance	1600 meters
Surface	Turf
Track	Right-handed (outer course)
Qualification	3-y-o , Fillies
Weight	55 kg
Purse	¥ 302,400,000 (as of 2024) 1st: ¥ 140,000,000 2nd: ¥ 56,000,000 3rd: ¥ 35,000,000
Bonuses	Fillies Triple Crown Winner of Oka Sho, Yushun Himba, Shuka Sho[1] ¥ 100,000,000

The Oka Sho (桜花賞) is a Japanese Grade 1 flat horse race in Japan. The race is restricted to three-year-old Thoroughbred fillies and is run over a distance of 1,600 metres (approximately 1 mile) at Hanshin Racecourse in Takarazuka, Hyōgo. Run in early April, it is the traditional start to the annual classic races for three-year-olds in Japan.^[2]

The Oka Sho was first contested in 1939, and is the Japanese equivalent of the English 1,000 Guineas.

The race was run at Nakayama Racecourse until 1944 when it was run at Tokyo Racecourse. After a two-year hiatus the Oka Sho was staged at Kyoto Racecourse from 1947 to 1949. The race was also run at Kyoto in 1967, 1991 and 1995.

Winners of the Oka Sho usually go on to contest the Yushun Himba and the double has been completed by Sweet Sue (1952), Yamaichi, Miss Onward, Kane Keyaki, Tesco Gaby, Titania, Mejiro Ramonu, Max Beauty, Vega, Still In Love, Buena Vista, Apapane, Gentildonna, Almond Eye and Daring Tact. Still In Love, Apapane, Gentildonna and Almond Eye went on to take the Shuka Sho and secure the Japanese Fillies' Triple Crown.

Trial races

Trial races provide automatic berths to the winning horses or placed horses as specified.^[3]

Winners since 1990

Earlier winners

See also

• Horse racing in Japan
• List of Japanese flat horse races

References

• Netkeiba:^[4][5]
  • 1956 en, 1957 en, 1958 en, 1959 en, 1960 en, 1961 en, 1962 en, 1963 en, 1964 en, 1965 en, 1966 en, 1967 en, 1968 en, 1969 en, 1970 en, 1971 en, 1972 en, 1973 en, 1974 en, 1975 en, 1976 en, 1977 en, 1978 en, 1979 en, 1980 en, 1981 en, 1982 en, 1983 en, 1984 en, 1985 en, 1986 en, 1987 en, 1988 en, 1989 en, 1990 en, 1991 en, 1992 en, 1993 en, 1994 en, 1995 en, 1996 en, 1997 en, 1998 en, 1999 en, 2000 en, 2001 en, 2002 en, 2003 en, 2004 en, 2005 en, 2006 en, 2007 en, 2008 en, 2009 en, 2010 en, 2011 en, 2012 en, 2013 en, 2014 en, 2015 en, 2016 en, 2017 en, 2018 en, 2019 en, 2020 en, 2021 en, 2022 en, 2023 en, 2024 en

• Racing Post:
  • 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006
  • 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
  • 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024