8:14 p.m. Leaving my regretfulness aside, let's start thinking about Osaka-hai.

Osaka-hai is run on the inner course of Hanshin, and because it starts from the homestretch right before the famous uphill climb, Osaka-hai is rarely run at a tight pace. Nevertheless, it rarely becomes an instataneous speed contest either, thanks to the hill. The setting requires long-lasting speed and power to perform well therefore, front runners have been the regulars of Osaka-hai.

In addition, horses running the same distance as their previous races as well as horses extending the distance have been performing more highly than horses shortening their distances from their last race possibly, due to the leisurely pace. The only two horses winning this race by shortening the distance in the past 10 years were the 2017 champion Kitasan Black and last year's winner, Bellagio Opera.

Kitasan Black and Bellagio Opera, they're both basically front runners!

The End

Caterpillar

8:04 p.m. Desierto entered in Osaka-hai seemed to have been seeking for a rider. Today Kenichi Ikezoe was anounced to ride Desierto in Osaka-hai.

Desierto reminds me of Kinko-sho where he took the lead on a tough track to hang in on the fourth place, despite lacking harmony in the first half of the race. I'm not sure what the problem was with the horse, but I don't see Yutaka being troubled so often. Desierto was clearly mibehaving in the back stretch giving Yutaka a hard time.

I wonder if Ikezoe could handle Desierto? The horse might fight to break away in the begining of the race just like he did in Kinko-sho. If the rider loses the battle against the horse, the pace could get tight as well as Kinko-sho.

Well, since I can't do anything but worry until the barriers are drawn and announced, let me leave it as it is or now.

The End

Caterpillar