In the Japanese language, Oka means the cherry flower. In early spring, the cherry trees are in full bloom. In keeping with the season, there is a race for sophomore fillies in Japan. It is the Oka Sho, the Japanese 1000 Guineas, that was run at the right-handed Hanshin Race Course on Sunday, April 11.

Eighteen fillies went postward in the 1600-metre Oka Sho, the first leg in the Japanese Triple Crown for girls. The second leg is the Yushun Himba, the Japanese Oaks over 2400 metres. The final leg is the Shuka Sho over 2000 metres. For the first time, these three races have been thrown open to foreign breds.

The 18/10 favourite in the Oka Sho was Apapane, the champion freshman filly in 2009. Apapane broke alertly, settled to be fourth and fifth, got a ground-saving trip, was able to switch to the outside early in the lane and made quick headway to wrest the lead late in the stretch. Apapane won by one half length in a time of 1 33.3 seconds on firm turf. It was a glorious day at Hanshin. Masayoshi Ebina rode Apapane who is trained by Sakae Kunieda. The winner’s share of the purse was 2,084,000 US dollars. At the moment, one American dollar gets you 90 Japanese yen.

Apapane is by King Kamehameha. The dam is Salty Bid who is by Salt Lake. A sum of 16.601,342,800 yen was wagered on the Oka Sho.

Big races from Japan are shown on TVG, an America-based racing network. The American audience hears the commentary in English. Tokyo is 15 hours ahead of Chicago. I watched the race in the comfort of my living room. It was about 12 30 AM Sunday in Chicago.

John Shirreffs, Zenyatta’s trainer, has been talking about the 2010 targets for his trainee. It seems certain that the six year-old mare will go in the 1800-metre $600,000 Stephen Foster at Churchill Downs on June 12. Churchill is the track Zenayatta will be racing on when she attempts back to back wins in the Breeders’ Cup Classic in November. The other two options are the $250,000 Vanity Handicap (1800 metres) on June 13 and the Hollywood Gold Cup over 2000 metres. In these two races, Zenyatta is sure to be assigned high weight. The daughter of Street Cry has $5,924,580 in her account.

This is what happened in the Arkansas Derby, a Grade I race, at Oaklawn Park last Saturday. The race carried a purse of one million dollars. Line of David, Jon Court up, led start to finish. Super Saver, with Calvin Borel, stalked the leader and could not get by. The margin was a neck. Another neck away in third was Dublin who was involved in a three-way battle down the stretch. Line of David, a son of Lion Heart trained by John Sadler who already has Sidney’s Candy in the Derby line-up, returned $36.60. The mile was run in 1 36.52 and Line of David completed the 1800-metre journey in 1 49.37 on a fast (dirt) track. Line of David is owned by Dawn and Ike Thrash.

Noble’s Promise, the favourite, was pinched at the start, improved somewhat and was a lost cause a long way from home.

Keeneland was hosting the Toyota Blue Grass the same afternoon. The Blue Grass is traditionally one of the major Derby preps. Keeneland is about 75 miles from Churchill Downs. The two tracks are in Kentucky. Keeneland is in Lexington, the breeding capital of the world.

There was a shock result in the 1800-metre Blue Grass. Stately Victor broke the duck in a turf race at Saratoga last summer. The Mike Maker pupil’s form was on a downward spiral after the Saratoga victory. That explained why the odds on the Ghostzapper colt were long.

Jockey Alan Garcia had Stately Victor in sixth position, made headway to go in chase of Paddy O’Prado who had assumed command turning for home and shot into an unassailable lead in the last furlong. Stately Victor won by four and one quarter lengths in a time of 1 48.69 on Keeneland’s polytrack. The tote payoff was $82.20 on a two-dollar ticket. Paddy O’Prado stayed on for second. Interactif, the public choice, was not in contention and ran on late to take fourth.

Trainer Mike Maker said, “I’ve always been high on this horse. I never quit believing in him. He was one of those horses you made excuses for every time.”

Mike Maker has another horse in the Derby field, Dean’s Kitten, winner of the Lane’s End Stakes at Turfway Park on March 27.

Jockey Garcia was thrilled: “He did it all by himself. I am very impressed with him.”

Ghostzapper by Awesome Again is Stately Victor’s sire. The dam is Collect The Cash by Dynaformer.

A lady rider won a Group I race on Saturday at Randwick in Sydney. The event was the Sires’ Stakes over 1400 metres for freshman girls. Michelle Payne was aboard Yosei, a 17-1 chance. Jockey Payne used all the strength and finesse she could muster to win in a photo finish. Stuart Webb is the winning trainer.

“She (Yosei) really toughed it out but I did not want to act as if I had won because I was not sure. It’s amazing. This filly has come from nowhere and each time she has stepped up,” Payne explained.

In England, the jockeys’ race is getting to be interesting. It is early, in fact, very early in the season. The leader is Paul Hanaghan who has been winning races at a steady clip. Ryan Moore, three-time champion, Kieren Fallon and Frankie Dettori, also champions in the past, are all in the mix.

Jockey Moore talked about the race: “It is good for racing. I can only go and do my own thing. Yes, I want to win but I won’t be doing anything differently.”

Fantasia played second fiddle to Rainbow View in 2008 in the freshman filly division in England. The two fillies were owned by George Strawbridge. Fantasia is now in the US. She won the Nell Gwyn Stakes in 2009. Nell Gwyn was run on Wednesday at Newmarket. The Craven Stakes is on Thursday. Fantasia made her American debut at Keeneland on Saturday. She was the chalk and was beaten by Keertana in an allowance race. Fantasia is a Saddler’s Wells filly.

In my next report, we will take a look at what happened at Newmarket. Let us also get a preliminary view of the Coolmore Lexington, the final prep for the Kentucky Derby. Churchill Downs opens on May 24. The Oaks is on April 30 and the Derby will be run on May 1.

With the curtains coming down in India, fans will now have to await the start of the Bangalore summer meeting. There is sure to be an undercurrent of anxiety as Bangalore’s future is clouded with uncertainty. Would it not be wonderful if Chennai makes itself a viable venue and steps forward? Miracles have happened. I am keeping my fingers crossed.