Meisho Tabaru, the 2025 Takarazuka Kinen (G1T) hero, headlines a competitive field for the Osaka Hai (G1T) at Hanshin Racecourse April 5. When the colt secured his grade 1 victory last June, he was campaigned by the late Yoshio Matsumoto, one of Japan's most prominent owners.
Matsumoto, who ran Kishiro Corp., a manufacturer of marine engines, began enjoying ownership in 1975 and won 72 graded stakes, including 12 grade 1s at the Japan Racing Association. One of his most notable runners was Meisho Samson, who won the Satsuki Sho (G1T) and Japanese Derby (G1T), the first and second leg of the Japanese Triple Crown in 2006, and the Tenno Sho Spring (G1T) and Tenno Sho Autumn (G1T) in 2007.
Matsumoto seldom bought yearlings from major breeders, and almost all the horses he owned were bred by relatively small-scale breeders in the Urakawa area.
Meisho Hakkei, owned by Matsumoto, won a maiden race for 2-year-olds at Chukyo Racecourse last August, and it was the 2,000th win for Matsumoto at the Japan Racing Association. Matsumoto died Aug. 29 at age 87, due to pancreatic cancer, just six days after establishing the remarkable milestone.
His racing operation was taken over by his son, Yoshitaka Matsumoto. Although Yoshitaka had his own racing silks, he took over his father's silks as well, and Meisho Tabaru will carry the same silks Sunday as the ones he carried in the Takarazuka Kinen last year.
