Japan Cup

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For the road bicycle racing event, see Japan Cup (cycling). For the bowling event, see Round1 Japan Cup. For the association football event, see Emperor's Cup. For the association football international tournament, see Kirin Cup.
Japan Cup
Previous: 2025 Japan Cup
November 30, 2025 (2025-11-30)
Next: 2026 Japan Cup
November 29, 2026 (2026-11-29)
The Japan Cup Logo; a horse and jockey mid run on top of a globe wireframe. The words 'JAPAN CUP' are in front of the globe in bold black. Underneath the globe, the words 'TOKYO 2,400 Turf' are written in bold blue.
The finish of the 2017 race. The horse Admire Moon is about to pass the finish post, with horses Pop Rock and Meisho Samson close behind. The head of the horse Vodka can also just be seen on the left, with the rest of her out of frame.
ジャパンカップ (Japan Kappu)
Japan's most prestigious horse race
ClassGroup 1
LocationTokyo Racecourse
Fuchū, Tokyo, Japan
InauguratedNovember 22, 1981 (44 years ago) (1981-11-22)
Race typeThoroughbred
SponsorLongines
WebsiteJapan Cup - Racing Information
Race information
Distance2400 meters
(about 12 furlongs / 1+1⁄2 miles)
RecordCalandagan, 2:20.3
SurfaceTurf
TrackLeft-handed
Qualification3-year-olds & up, Thoroughbreds (safety factor: 18 horses; up to ten foreign-trained starters are allowed in the race)
Weight3-year-old 56 kg / 4-year-old & up 58 kg
Allowances
Purse¥ 1,080,000,000 (as of 2024)
  • 1st: ¥ 500,000,000
  • 2nd: ¥ 200,000,000
  • 3rd: ¥ 125,000,000
BonusesAdditional money awarded if winner won in qualified international races (see below) plus ¥ 3,500,000 to the winning owner

The Japan Cup (ジャパンカップ, Japan Kappu; JPN G-1) is a Group 1 horse race in Japan, held annually on the last Sunday of November, post time of 15:40 at Tokyo Racecourse in Fuchū, Tokyo. It is a flat race ran over a distance of 2400 meters (about 1+1⁄2 miles, or 12 furlongs) with a maximum of 18 horses.

First run in 1981, the Japan Cup was originally created by the Japanese Racing Association (JRA) in order for local racehorses to have the opportunity to compete against horses of an international caliber and to promote goodwill within the racing community worldwide. Similar to races such as the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, Melbourne Cup and the Breeders' Cup, the Japan Cup is an international invitational event, with invitations extended to top-performing horses age 3 and above from around the world, particularly those who have won or placed highly in other major Group 1 races in the year. The race is one of the world's richest, reaching a total prize purse of over one billion yen in 2023, with winners of the event frequently breaking national or international prize money records. It is often one of the most attended races of the year hosted by the JRA, regularly reaching 100,000 people in attendance.[2][3] It is also the middle leg of the informal "Autumn Triple Crown", a series consisting of the autumn Tenno Sho, the Japan Cup and the Arima Kinen; the JRA offers a large bonus to any horse that wins all three.

Despite a relatively short history compared to other horse races, the Japan Cup has established itself as an international contest with winners from all over the world, and is regularly ranked highly in the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA)'s annual "Top 100 Group 1 Races of the Year" compilation due to its high quality and depth of racers. In the early history of the event, the race was dominated by foreign horses, with 14 of the first 25 races' winners coming from abroad. However, in recent years the number of competing horses from abroad has significantly declined, and in the last twenty years only one horse from outside of Japan has won the race.

Course

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Aerial view of the Tokyo Racecourse taken in 2019, showing the outline of the course the Japan Cup takes place on.
Aerial view of the Tokyo Racecourse taken in 2019.

The Japan Cup is held at the Tokyo Racecourse, situated in the western Tokyo suburb of at Fuchū. At 2,400 metres long, the race is ran counter-clockwise around the Racecourse's oval turf track, which uses a blend of Noshiba grass and Italian ryegrass.[4] The Japan Cup uses Tokyo Racecourse's A-course configuration,[5] which has the track's fence rail in its innermost position. This configuration means the circumference measures 2,083m and the width of the race varies from 31m to 41m, offering racers ample room to maneuver and overtake other racers, as well as avoid being boxed in, in ways that are not always available in similarly length races.[6]

There are several undulations across the track, varying in size and length over the race's duration, with a sharp rise of 1.2m over 60m halfway through the race being one of the more challenging obstacles. The homestretch is one of the longest in Japanese racing at 525m, which often leads to dramatic late finishes. At 400m to the post, there is a sharp 2 meters of elevation gain over the next 120m, requiring the horses to conserve their stamina in the race to overcome this final hurdle. The final stretch after this is flat, allowing for the racers to focus entirely on one last spurt of speed towards the post.[5][7]

Due to the race's length and demanding finish, the race tends to favour strong closers who can handle the uphill run and quickly accelerate in the final straight. Despite the race starting in the homestretch about 300m before the winning post, beginning the race with a long 325m before the first corner[8] and theoretically minimising early positional advantages, analysis of the 2014-24 races shows that the horses that start near the inner fence are notably more likely to win the race.[9]

Purse and qualification

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Throughout its history, the Japan Cup has been repeatedly described as one of the world's richest races.[a] In the original 1981 race, the prize pool totaled over ¥123,000,000 (equivalent to ¥160,000,000 in 2019),[16] with a reported US$282,600 (equivalent to US$980,000 in 2024) earnings for winner Mairzy Doates.[17] The purse's size increased steadily over the years, with the prize pool nearly ¥250,000,000 (roughly US$3.61 million[18]) by 1992.[19] By 2023, the prize pool had reached over a billion yen.[20]

While the list of qualifying races varies slightly each year, typically foreign horses that win notable Group 1[b] races outside of Japan will be invited to partake in the Japan Cup, with the incentive of an additional prize if they place well.[22] Japanese horses undergo standard JRA selection based on previous performances and the amount of prize money they have won.[23][24] Those of them that partake in the race and have also performed well in specific JRA races in the year will also be eligible for bonuses.[25] For example, in 2025, the criteria was as follows:[6][26]

Bonus and invitation criteria for the 2025 Japan Cup
Criteria Races involved Bonus
Foreign based horse invited after winning one of the following
  • 1st place in Japan Cup: US$3,000,000
  • 2nd place: US$1,200,000
  • 3rd place: US$750,000
  • 4th place: US$450,000
  • 5th place: US$300,000
  • 6th or lower: US$200,000
Other invitational horses N/A US$100,000 regardless of placing
Horse wins any three of the following races in the same year
  • ¥200 million for Japanese-bred horse
  • ¥100 million for non-Japanese bred horse
Horse completes the year's Autumn Triple Crown
  • ¥300 million for Japanese-bred horse
  • ¥150 million for non-Japanese bred horse

Race history

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Origins and early years (1981–1988)

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From the race's conception, the motive behind the Japan Cup's creation was the JRA's desire to ensure the horses racing in Japan were up to par with the quality of international horses.[27][28] Prior to its creation, and even in the years after, options were limited in Japan for foreign horses, with the majority of races only allowing Japanese horses to compete, leaving Japan horses isolated from the outside world.[29] As such, the Japan Cup offered a unique opportunity to determine how Japan lined up against the rest of the world. The idea of "creating strong horses that can compete on the world stage" had been proposed by the JRA since at least the 1970s,[30][31] although efforts early in that decade to hold an international events collapsed because of disagreements between the JRA and other countries over the specific horses invited.[32] By the start of the 1980s, the JRA's relations with the main racing authorities in other countries had developed enough for the JRA to host their proposed international race.[33]

Screenshot from Global Impact: The Rise Of The Japanese Thoroughbred showing the end result of the 1981 Japan Cup - the winner, Mairzy Doates, can be seen passing the post, comfortably ahead of the best performing Japanese horse Gold Spencer
The finish of the inaugural 1981 Japan Cup, with Mairzy Doates (furthest right, pink cap) passing the post one length ahead of Frost King (nearest the rail, white cap). The best performing Japanese horse, Gold Spencer (yellow cap), can be seen some distance behind Mairzy Doates and Frost King.[c]

The inaugural running of the Japan Cup took place in 1981, with invites being sent to trainers in Japan, the United States, Canada and India. A horse from Turkey, Dersim, was also invited to attend, but was injured shortly after arriving in Japan and couldn't race.[35] The original lineup of international horses was at the time deemed nothing special. The most prestigious horse of the group was The Very One, a horse that, while having won twelve graded stakes races in 1978 and 1979, was now six years old and nearing the end of her career. On the other hand, the Japanese horses were locally considered extremely strong, featuring the top three placing racers in the year's recent Autumn Tenno Sho[36] as part of a wider side described at the time as an "all star cast".[37]

However, the race was won by the American mare Mairzy Doates, ridden by Cash Asmussen, who finished a length ahead of Canadian-trained Frost King. The country's best performance was Gold Spencer placing fifth.[16] The disparity in the two sides' performance came as a major surprise to the JRA officials, who had anticipated that one of their horses would secure the victory, and the race has been credited as a turning point in Japan's efforts to seriously compete at an international level in horse racing.[38][39][40] When writing about the Japan Cup's events, historian Ryoji Motomura noted the depth of the initial disappointment: "Those who watched that race must have sighed in deep regret, thinking that it would be another 20 years before a Japanese horse won the Japan Cup, something that would happen in the 21st century."[41]

Following the race, Canadian jockeys Lloyd Duffy and Gary Stahlbaum, riders of Frost King and last-place finisher Mr. Macho respectively, were briefly reported missing, leading to a search that attracted media coverage in Canada.[42]

In the Japan Cup's second year the original entry restrictions were eased, allowing broader international participation from Europe and Oceania. However, the race was once again won by an American horse. Half Iced, the last international horse to enter the race,[43] narrowly defeated French fillies All Along and April Run, with the Irish mare Stanerra in fourth. Like last time, the best performing Japanese horse, Hikari Duel, placed fifth.[44]

Stanerra returned the next year after a successful European season, having recently won the Group 2 Prince of Wales's Stakes and Group 1 Joe McGrath Memorial Stakes, and won the Cup by a head over Japanese-trained Kyoei Promise, with France’s Esprit Du Nord a close third.[45] At the time, Stanerra's victory was viewed as an example of the growing trend in the 1980s of European mares matching the racing performance of stallions.[46] Her victory has also been credited with strengthening the Republic of Ireland's diplomatic relations with Japan; since 1990, the winner of the Japan Cup is traditionally presented with the Ambassador of Ireland Prize by the Irish Government.[47]

1984 was the first year Japanese horse races received grading, and the Japan Cup was officially classified as an International Group 1 race.[48][7] The race itself marked the first ever showdown between two Japanese Triple Crown winners, Mr. C. B. and the undefeated Symboli Rudolf. The two horses had won their Triple Crowns a year apart, the first two to do so in twenty years after Shinzan achieving the accolade in 1963. This at the time led to much discussion by Japanese horseracing fans over which of the two horses was superior, with an expectation that one of the two horses would be the first Japanese horse to win the event in the "Triple Crown Showdown."[49] However, it was the lesser-fancied Katsuragi Ace who claimed victory, defeating British-trained Bedtime by 1+1⁄2 lengths, with Symboli Rudolf narrowly behind in third and Mr C. B. trailing in tenth.[50][51] Japan achieved a second victory the next year, with Symboli Rudolf triumphing over Japanese-trained Rocky Tiger.[52] This year also marked the first time a New-Zealand horse placed in the top three,[53] with The Filbert placing a length behind Rocky Tiger.[52]

In 1986, Jupiter Island, trained by Clive Brittain and ridden by Pat Eddery, became the first British-trained horse to win the Japan Cup, narrowly defeating fellow British runner Allez Milord.[54] Unusually for the event's history up until that point, the result was only confirmed after an inquiry by racecourse stewards following an objection by Allez Milord's rider Greville Starkey, who alleged the two horses had collided 60 meters from the post.[55] Jupiter Island's victory more than doubled the previous prize money the horse had accumulated in his previous forty starts.[56] At seven years old, Jupiter Island remains the oldest horse to win the Cup.[53]

The French-trained Le Glorieux, trained by Robert Collet and ridden by Alain Lequeux, captured the 1987 edition,[57] while Pay the Butler, trained by Robert J. Frankel and ridden by Chris McCarron, secured the United States' third victory in the race.[58] Having previously only won a single major race, the Group 2 Red Smith Handicap ran six months prior, Pay the Butler's win in 1988 was regarded as an upset over the year's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Tony Bin and local favorites Oguri Cap and Tamamo Cross.[59][60]

A decade of global competition (1989–1997)

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The 1989 race was narrowly won by New Zealand six-year-old mare Horlicks, beating Oguri Cap by a neck. In doing so, she set a new world record time for 2400 meters[10][61] and became Australia and New Zealand's highest stakes winner.[62] Horlicks' win marked the beginning of a decade of several countries vying for supremacy in the Japan Cup, with no single nation remaining on top for long. In 1990, Better Loosen Up became the first Australian-trained winner, prevailing in a close finish over France’s Ode and Britain’s Cacoethes.[63] In 1991, the United States achieved its fourth victory in the Japan Cup through Golden Pheasant. The horse, trained by Charlie Whittingham, was the rare example of a horse jointly owned by two parties (Los Angeles Kings ice hockey team owner Bruce McNall and NHL superstar Wayne Gretzky), and has been credited for revitalising interest in the event in America.[64]

For the next three years, Japanese-trained horses triumphed in the event, although in each event an international horse placed second. In 1992, Tokai Teio emerged victorious,[65] followed by Legacy World in 1993[66] and Marvelous Crown in 1994.[67] The 1993 race also saw the rare instance in the Japan Cup's history of a fine being handed out after the race; Kotashaan's jockey, Kent Desormeaux, was fined $460 (equivalent to $1,000 in 2024) after mistaking the 100 meter mark for the finish post and easing his horse. Desormeaux and Legacy World's jockey Hiroshi Kawachi disagreed on the mistakes impact on the race's final results at the event's news conference afterwards.[18][68]

Despite bookmakers expecting a fourth straight Japanese win through Hishi Amazon,[69][70] in 1995 the Japan Cup was ultimately won for the first time by a German-trained horse, Lando. Lando's victory, which his jockey Michael Roberts has stated is his greatest memory, [71] was a great breakthrough for the German cohort of entrants, who had previously seen multiple attempts fall short in the event and with no German horse placing particularly high in previous races. The race also marked the first time any Japanese horse failed to place in the top five, with Narita Brian finishing sixth 1+3⁄4 lengths behind the American horse Awad.[72]

The mid-1990s also saw notable success for British trainer Michael Stoute, who captured back-to-back victories in the Japan Cup; in 1996 Singspiel narrowly defeated his rivals by a nose,[73] becoming Britain's leading prize money earner,[74] while in 1997 Pilsudski claimed victory by a neck in his final career start, making Japan his fifth country he won a G1 race in.[75] Singspiel's jockey, Frankie Dettori, was originally scheduled to ride Pilsudski as well, which would have made him the event's first repeat jockey-winner. However, Dettori was replaced a week prior by Michael Kinane after receiving a riding ban due to numerous infractions that year. Dettori had to wait several years to secure his second Japan Cup victory.[76]

The rise of Japanese dominance and the origins of the Autumn Triple Crown (1998–2004)

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El Condor Pasa, winner the 1998 Japan Cup, at his retirement ceremony in November 1999. Some of the racecourse's staff can be seen nearby helping navigate him.
El Condor Pasa, the winner of the 1998 Japan Cup.

In the years that followed, there was a noticeable shift in the Japanese contingents performance. In 1998, the Japanese-trained American horse El Condor Pasa led a historic sweep for Japan, finishing ahead of fellow Japanese horses Air Groove and Special Week in the first-ever one-two-three in the race’s history for Japanese-based horses.[77] Special Week went to win the next year's race against a strong international field, including Indigenous from Hong Kong, who finished second, High-Rise from Emirati stable Godolphin in third, and 1999 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Montjeu, who placed fourth.[78] Special Week was ridden by Yutaka Take, remarking at the time it'd been a long time goal of his to win the event; Take went on to win the Japan Cup several times on multiple horses over the next three decades.[79]

In 2000, T. M. Opera O entered the Japan Cup unbeaten for the season and maintained his year-long record, defeating Meisho Doto by a neck and Fantastic Light a nose behind in third. With this win and prize money, T. M. Opera O became the highest-earning racehorse in world history at ¥1,216,477,000, overtaking the North American record held by Cigar and the previous Japanese record held by Special Week.[80] T. M. Opera O went go on to win the year's Arima Kinen race; having already won the year's Autumn Tenno Sho race as well, he was awarded an additional ¥200,000,000 by the JRA for winning the three races, an accomplishment popularly dubbed as completing the "Autumn Triple Crown." The same reward has been offered every year since to any horse that is able to win the trifecta of races.[81][1]

Japan's strong performances in the race continued in 2001, when Jungle Pocket, winner of the Tōkyō Yūshun, stormed home under Olivier Peslier to defeat T. M. Opera O by a neck. Japanese-trained horses filled the top five positions, with Golan, trained in Britain by Michael Stoute, the first foreign finisher in sixth.[82]

The Japan Cup was temporarily moved in 2002 to Nakayama Racecourse due to renovations at Tokyo Racecourse.The race was held on the right-handed outer loop course, switching the race's direction and reducing its distance to 2,200 m.[83] The year also marked Italy's best result in the race, with the Italian-trained Falbrav securing a narrow victory over the American-trained Sarafan, with Japanese runner Symboli Kris S finishing a close third. Falbrav was ridden by Frankie Dettori, making him the first jockey to win the event multiple times.[84]

The race returned to Tokyo the next year. Finishing nine lengths in front of That's The Plenty and Symboli Kris S, Tap Dance City went wire-to-wire to achieve the largest winning margin ever recorded in the race's history.[85] The 2004 edition saw Zenno Rob Roy, ridden by Olivier Peslier, led home another Japanese sweep of the podium, against a series of lackluster performances from the international racers.[13] Having already won in the year's Autumn Tenno Sho, Zenno Rob Roy went go on to triumph in the Arima Kinen the following month, becoming the second, and most recent, horse to achieve the Autumn Triple Crown.[81]

The beginning of the international win drought and homegrown legends (2005–2011)

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In 2005, British-trained Alkaased, ridden by Frankie Dettori, won the Japan Cup in a photo finish over Heart's Cry, with Zenno Rob Roy finishing third. The race set a new world record for the race's 2,400 meters at 2:22.1, surpassing the previous record set by Horlicks in 1989.[86][87]

In 2006, a few weeks after being disqualified from the year's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe after testing positive for ipratropium,[88] Deep Impact returned to racing in his country at the Japan Cup and secured victory in the penultimate race of his career.[89][90] He was later named Japanese Horse of the Year for the second consecutive year, in part due to his victory at the event.[91] A similar set of circumstances occurred the year later, when Admire Moon won the Japan Cup by a head over Pop Rock;[92] this was Admire Moon's final race before retiring, ending the horse's career on a high note and contributing to him being named Japanese Horse of the Year for 2007.[93][94]

Screen Hero was considered an outsider in the 2008 race, having competed in only four races that year following an 11 month hiatus due to a leg injury. Sent off at odds of 40/1, he defied expectations to win the race, finishing half a length ahead of Deep Sky.[95]

After finishing fourth in 2007 and third in 2008, the mare Vodka finally claimed victory in her third attempt at the Japan Cup in 2009, winning in a photo finish by a nose over the 2008 Kikuka Sho winner Oken Bruce Lee. Vodka’s final time of 2:22.4 ranked as the third-fastest in the race’s history, made her the first Japanese mare to win the event,[96] as well as making her the first mare worldwide to earn over $10 million in prize money in their career.[97]

The 2010 edition ended controversially.[14][98] Buena Vista, the race favorite, finished first past the post 2 lengths ahead of Rose Kingdom. However, following an inquiry Buena Vista was disqualified to second position, having been determined to have abruptly veered inward on the final straight and impeding Rose Kingdom's progress. This meant Rose Kingdom was declared the winner.[99][100] The disqualification was unpopular both within Japan and internationally due to Buena Vista's strong performance in the race, with the race's stewards being referred to as 'incompetent',[101] and led to the JRA to begin revising the rules around enquires to meet international horse racing standards.[100] Buena Vista would return in 2011 to claim the title outright.[14][98]

Record-setters and Triple Crown showdowns (2012–2020)

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Gentildonna crossing the finish line at the 2013 Japan Cup in first place, a nose ahead of the horse Denim and Ruby.
Gentildonna at the 2013 Japan Cup, becoming the first horse to win twice in the event.

In 2012, Orfevre, the 2011 Japanese Triple Crown winner, faced off against Gentildonna, the 2012 Fillies’ Triple Crown winner, in a closely contested race that ended with Gentildonna narrowly claiming victory. However, while Gentildonna crossed the finish line first, she made contact Orfevre in the final stretch. A stewards’ inquiry confirmed that interference had occurred but allowed the result to stand, issuing only a suspension to her jockey Yasunari Iwata.[102][101] Gentildonna was the first three-year-old filly to win the Japan Cup. Gentildonna returned next year to win the Japan Cup again, becoming the first horse to have won the Japan Cup twice.[103] In the 2014 Japan Cup Gentildonna attempted a third consecutive victory in her final race, but came fourth whilst Epiphaneia, who had entered the race at the relatively low odds of 15–1, claimed victory.[104]

The 2014 race was also the first race in the event's history to be sponsored,[105] after the JRA began searching for suitable sponsors the previous year following a gradual decade-long decline in turnover.[106] 2014 also saw the first yearly release of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities' "Top 100 Group 1 Races of the Year for 3yo's and upwards" report, an analysis of every Group 1 race's quality based on the IFHA's rating of the top-placing horses over the last three runs of the race.[107] The Japan Cup placed eighth in this initial report,[108] and since then has regularly placed in the top ten each year, including first in 2023.[109][110]

Shonan Pandora captured the 2015 edition, becoming the seventh mare to win the race.[111]

Kitasan Black, ridden by Yutaka Take, went wire-to-wire to comfortably win the 2016 race, with Sounds of Earth and Cheval Grand finishing second and third respectively 2+1⁄2 lengths behind Kitasan Black.[112] Cheval Grand returned the year after to claim victory, with Rey de Oro taking second and Kitasan Black finishing third in his final Japan Cup appearance. The win also secured the top position in the 2016 Longines World's Best Jockey Rankings for Hugh Bowman, who rode Cheval Grand.[113]

In 2018 Alkaased's course record was broken, when Almond Eye, ridden by Christophe Lemaire, clocked 2:20.6 on firm ground, finished 1+3⁄4 lengths ahead of Kiseki, with Suave Richard in third.[114] Her performance received great praise from commentators, including her being called one of the greatest horses both in Japan[115] and the world.[116]

Suave Richard crossing the finish line at the 2019 Japan Cup, winning the race, 3/4ths of a length ahead of Curren Bouquetd'or, who can also be seen in the picture.
Suave Richard crossing the finish line in first place at the 2019 Japan Cup

The 2019 Japan Cup was the first race in the event's history in which all of the entrants were domestic racers, with no international horses signing up for the event. It also acted as a memorial race for the 2006 winner Deep Impact, who had been euthanized in July earlier that year. Several runners, including runner-up Curren Bouquetd’or and third-placed Wagnerian, were progeny of the late Deep Impact.[117] Suave Richard, who instead was sired by Heart's Cry, secured victory, delivering a strong late run to win under British Champion Jockey Oisin Murphy.[118][119]

The 2020 Japan Cup had a significant amount of excitement prior to the event due to a very strong line up,[120] in particular featuring three Triple Crown winners; the 2018 Japanese Fillies Triple Crown winner Almond Eye, the undefeated 2020 Japanese Triple Crown winner Contrail, and the undefeated 2020 Japanese Fillies Triple Crown winner Daring Tact.[121] These three horses all placed in the top three, with Almond Eye in her final race triumphing in the Japan Cup once again by 1+1⁄4 lengths over Contrail and Daring Tact.[122][123]

Recent races and the end of the Japanese streak (2021–2025)

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Contrail avenged his loss from the previous year by winning the 2021 Japan Cup in what was his final race, finishing two lengths ahead of Authority.[124] Despite racing only three times previously in the year, Contrail had been the odds-on favourite due to his strong showing in races the year prior.[125] His victory at the Japan Cup contributed to him securing the 2021 JRA award for Best Older Colt or Horse.[126]

Despite only recently switching to racing on turf tracks, Vela Azul was the victor in the 2022 race, his first G1 title.[127][128] The horse had spent the majority of his previous races (16 out of 21) on dirt tracks, only making the switch to turf at the Awaji Tokubetsu event in March 2022, five races before the Japan Cup.[129] The favourite to win, Shahryar, placed second, and in the closing moments of the race was involved in an incident drifted left in the closing stages and significantly impeded Danon Beluga's progress. Following the race the JRA stewards judged this careless riding and banned Shahryar's rider, Cristian Demuro, from racing for four days.[130]

2023 was another year with a strong lineup. Several horses in the lineup had previously achieved impressive results, such as the year's Saudi Cup's winner Panthalassa and the seventh winner of the Japanese Triple Tiara, Liberty Island.[131] Equinox, having won his last five G1 races and at the time being rated the world’s highest rated horse by the IFHA,[132] entered the race as the odds-on favorite. Despite the quality of the competition, Equinox won convincingly, with his victory widely described by reporters and the race's commentators[133] as a commanding win for the horse.[134][135] The strength of Equinox's performance, combined with the overall depth of the field, led to two honors: Equinox was subsequently given the IFHA's "Longines World's Best Racehorse" award for 2023, and the Japan Cup itself was honoured as the "Longines World’s Best Horse Race" of the year.[136]

Running near the back of the racers for much of the race, Do Deuce surged forward in the race's final stretch to win the 2024 Japan Cup in his penultimate race, which resulted in him being awarded both the JRA Japanese Horse of the Year award and the JRA Award for Best Older Male Horse for 2024.[137] The victory also marked jockey Yutaka Take's record fifth win in the event's history.[138][139]

In an event that featured three jockeys getting dislodged from their horses,[140][141], the Irish born and French trained Calandagan had been the lone entrant from abroad in 2025. However, in the leadup to the event he was considered one of the best horses from overseas in recent years,[142] having previously won three G1 (The Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes and Champion Stakes) races in the year, being ranked at the top of the Longines World's Best Racehorses Rankings, and being awarded the title of Cartier Horse of the Year.[143] Calandagan lived up to his strong reputation, surging in the last 300 meters to beat Masquerade Ball by a head, breaking the world record for 2,400m on turf set by Almond Eye in the 2018 Japan Cup and marking the end of Japan's winning streak of 19 years.[144][145]

Decline in international participation and performance

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A graph showing the number of foreign horses participating in the Japan Cup from 1981-2024. While the number of participants is high for the first ten years, a sharp decline after the 2000s can be seen, with the overall line of best fit going from ~68% in 1981 to ~10% in 2024 (True numbers; 47% to 21%).
Participation of foreign horses in the Japan Cup (1981 - 2024), by total number and %.

Inbetween the American horse Alkaased's and the Irish horse Calandagan's victories in 2005 and 2025 respectively, only one other horse from outside Japan has placed in the top three; the British Ouija Board, who was third in 2006. All other horses in the top three in this twenty year period were born and trained in Japan, with the exception of the 2024 Cup's runner up Shin Emperor, who was born in France and brought over to Japan as a foal.[146] The number of international horses has also declined; while over half of the horses in the inaugural race were from abroad, by 2024 there would be only three.[147] In more extreme cases, the number of international racers was even lower; Iresine, a French horse, and Calandagan were the only international entries in 2023 and 2025 respectively, and no international horses competed in 2019. These circumstances has led to commentators raising concerns about the Japan Cup maintaining its prestige or describing it as having 'lost its way.'[148][149] However, it has also been argued that the homogeny of the Japan Cup's winners since the 2000s is nothing unique and is instead an example of the home-advantage trends seen in other international horse races.[150]

The decline in international participation and performance is often attributed to the rise in the overall strength of Japanese horses since the early 2000s.[148][151][152] Several factors contribute to this trend, with the most commonly cited reason being the great success of leading sires Sunday Silence and Northern Dancer, whose progeny from the 1990s onwards have consistently performed at a high level and produced numerous Group 1 winners.[153][154] Additionally, the JRA has focused on encouraging trainers breeding horses with international bloodlines to enhance their competitive edge,[155][156] as well as building facilities such as the Bloodhorse Training Center [jp] to facilitate further training and research.[34][157]

The increasingly busy international racing calendar may also be a contributing factor to the decline in the number of international participants. In the Japan Cup's first years, November was "a time when once a comfortable silence fell over flat racing".[56] However, since 1981, numerous high-profile worldwide competitions have been established in the winter months, such as the Breeders' Cup and the Hong Kong Vase. With similar levels of prestige and prize money, these races have given trainers a wider range of available international options to choose from,[74][158] and has led to suggestions that the Japan Cup should be moved to a less competitive time of the year.[149]

Concerns has also been raised about the logistical challenges involved with bringing foreign horses to Japan. The process, which involves lengthy amounts of travel and quarantine, can distress the horses involved, further making the idea of participating in a Japanese race unappealing to foreign racers.[159] In 2022, the JRA opened a new quarantine stable near Tokyo Racecourse to help solve this problem and make travel to Japan for the Japan Cup more enticing for trainers.[160][161] The issues surrounding horses traveling from abroad have been noted as a problem since the early years of the Japan Cup; the 1989 winner Horlicks needed the use of a dressing mirror to help distract her while in Japan to overcome her stress and loneliness after the long journey from New Zealand.[162][163]

Records

[edit]

Leading horse:[164]

Leading jockey:[164]

Leading trainers: [164]

Leading owner:[164]

Winners

[edit]
Winners of the Japan Cup
Year Winner (CB) Age Jockey Trainer Owner Time Top 5 Purse
1981  Mairzy Doates (USA) 5  Cash Asmussen (USA)  John Fulton (USA)  Arno Schefler (USA) 2:25.3 ¥123,500,000
1982  Half Iced (USA) 3  Don MacBeth (CAN)  Stanley M. Hough (USA)  Bertram R. Firestone (USA) 2:27.1 ¥134,000,000
1983  Stanerra (IRE) 5  Brian Rouse (GB)  Frank Dunne (IRE)  Frank Dunne (IRE) 2:27.6 ¥137,200,000
1984  Katsuragi Ace (JPN) 4  Katsuichi Nishiura (JPN)  Kazumi Domon (JPN)  Ichizo Node (JPN) 2:26.3 ¥142,500,000
1985  Symboli Rudolf (JPN) 4  Yukio Okabe (JPN)  Yuji Nohira (JPN)  Symboli Bokujo (JPN) 2:28.8 ¥148,800,000
1986  Jupiter Island (GB) 7  Pat Eddery (IRE)  Clive Brittain (GB)  Marquess of Tavistock (GB) 2:25.0 ¥152,000,000
1987  Le Glorieux (GB) 3  Alain Lequeux (FRA)  Robert Collet (FRA)  Sieglinde Wolf (GER) 2:24.9 ¥161,500,000
1988  Pay the Butler (USA) 4  Chris McCarron (USA)  Robert J. Frankel (USA)  Edmund A. Gann (USA) 2:25.5 ¥180,500,000
1989  Horlicks (NZL) 6  Lance O'Sullivan (NZL)  Dave O'Sullivan (NZL)  Graham de Gruchy (NZL) 2:22.2 ¥195,300,000
1990  Better Loosen Up (AUS) 5  Michael Clarke (AUS)  David Hayes (AUS)  Gabe Farrah, et al. (AUS) 2:23.2 ¥210,000,000
1991  Golden Pheasant (USA) 5  Gary Stevens (USA)  Charles Whittingham (USA)  Bruce McNall (USA)[1] 2:24.7 ¥228,000,000
1992  Tokai Teio (JPN) 4  Yukio Okabe (JPN)  Shoichi Matsumoto (JPN)  Masanori Uchimura (JPN) 2:24.6 ¥248,000,000
1993  Legacy World (JPN) 4  Hiroshi Kawachi (JPN)  Hideyuki Mori (JPN)  Horse Tajima Co. (JPN) 2:24.4 ¥248,000,000
1994  Marvelous Crown (JPN) 4  Katsumi Minai (JPN)  Makoto Osawa (JPN)  Sadao Sasahara (JPN) 2:23.6 ¥248,000,000
1995  Lando (GER) 5  Michael Roberts (SAF)  Heinz Jentzsch (GER)  Gestüt Haus Ittlingen (GER) 2:24.6 ¥251,200,000
1996  Singspiel (IRE) 4  Frankie Dettori (ITA)  Michael Stoute (GB)  Sheikh Mohammed (UAE) 2:23.8 ¥251,200,000
1997  Pilsudski (IRE) 5  Michael Kinane (IRE)  Michael Stoute (GB)  Lord Weinstock (GB) 2:25.8 ¥251,200,000
1998  El Condor Pasa (USA) 3  Masayoshi Ebina (JPN)  Yoshitaka Ninomiya (JPN)  Takashi Watanabe (JPN) 2:25.9 ¥251,200,000
1999  Special Week (JPN) 4  Yutaka Take (JPN)  Toshiaki Shirai (JPN)  Hiroyoshi Usuda (JPN) 2:25.5 ¥251,200,000
2000  T. M. Opera O (JPN) 4  Ryuji Wada (JPN)  Ichizo Iwamoto (JPN)  Masatsugu Takezono (JPN) 2:26.1 ¥476,000,000
2001  Jungle Pocket (JPN) 3  Olivier Peslier (FRA)  Sakae Watanabe (JPN)  Yomoji Saito (JPN) 2:23.8 ¥476,000,000
2002  Falbrav (IRE)[2] 4  Frankie Dettori (ITA)  Luciano d'Auria (ITA)  Scuderia Rencati (ITA) 2:12.2 ¥476,000,000
2003  Tap Dance City (USA) 6  Tetsuzo Sato (JPN)  Shozo Sasaki (JPN)  Yushun Horse Syndicate (JPN) 2:28.7 ¥476,000,000
2004  Zenno Rob Roy (JPN) 4  Olivier Peslier (FRA)  Kazuo Fujisawa (JPN)  Shinobu Oosako (JPN) 2:24.2 ¥476,000,000
2005  Alkaased (USA) 5  Frankie Dettori (ITA)  Luca Cumani (GB)  Michael Charlton (GB) 2:22.1 ¥476,000,000
2006  Deep Impact (JPN) 4  Yutaka Take (JPN)  Yasuo Ikee (JPN)  Kaneko Makoto Holdings Co. (JPN) 2:25.1 ¥476,000,000
2007  Admire Moon (JPN) 4  Yasunari Iwata (JPN)  Hiroyoshi Matsuda (JPN)  Darley Japan Farm Co. Ltd. (JPN) 2:24.7 ¥476,000,000
2008  Screen Hero (JPN) 4  Mirco Demuro (ITA)  Yuichi Shikato (JPN)  Teruya Yoshida (JPN) 2:25.5 ¥476,000,000
2009  Vodka (JPN) 5  Christophe Lemaire (FRA)  Katsuhiko Sumii (JPN)  Yuzo Tanimizu (JPN) 2:22.4 ¥481,520,000
2010  Rose Kingdom (JPN)[3] 3  Yutaka Take (JPN)  Kojiro Hashiguchi (JPN)  Sunday Racing (JPN) 2:25.2 ¥481,400,000
2011  Buena Vista (JPN) 5  Yasunari Iwata (JPN)  Hiroyoshi Matsuda (JPN)  Sunday Racing (JPN) 2:24.2 ¥480,920,000
2012  Gentildonna (JPN) 3  Yasunari Iwata (JPN)  Sei Ishizaka (JPN)  Sunday Racing (JPN) 2:23.1 ¥481,100,000
2013  Gentildonna (JPN) 4  Ryan Moore (GB)  Sei Ishizaka (JPN)  Sunday Racing (JPN) 2:26.1 ¥481,400,000
2014  Epiphaneia (JPN) 4  Christophe Soumillon (BEL)  Katsuhiko Sumii (JPN)  U Carrot Farm (JPN) 2:23.1 ¥481,460,000
2015  Shonan Pandora (JPN) 4  Kenichi Ikezoe (JPN)  Tomokazu Takano (JPN)  Tetsuhide Kunimoto (JPN) 2:24.7 ¥575,400,000
2016  Kitasan Black (JPN) 4  Yutaka Take (JPN)  Hisashi Shimizu (JPN)  Ono Shoji (JPN) 2:25.8 ¥575,340,000
2017  Cheval Grand (JPN) 5  Hugh Bowman (AUS)  Yasuo Tomomichi (JPN)  Kazuhiro Sasaki (JPN) 2:23.7 ¥575,220,000
2018  Almond Eye (JPN) 3  Christophe Lemaire (FRA)  Sakae Kunieda (JPN)  Silk Racing (JPN) 2:20.6 ¥577,344,000
2019  Suave Richard (JPN) 5  Oisin Murphy (IRE)  Yasushi Shono (JPN)  NICKS Co, Ltd (JPN) 2:25.9 ¥574,560,000
2020  Almond Eye (JPN) 5  Christophe Lemaire (FRA)  Sakae Kunieda (JPN)  Silk Racing (JPN) 2:23.0 ¥574,620,000
2021  Contrail (JPN) 4  Yuichi Fukunaga (JPN)  Yoshito Yahagi (JPN)  Shinji Maeda (JPN) 2:24.7 ¥575,460,000
2022  Vela Azul (JPN) 5  Ryan Moore (GB)  Kunihiko Watanabe (JPN)  U Carrot Farm (JPN) 2:23.7 ¥765,580,000
2023  Equinox (JPN) 4  Christophe Lemaire (FRA)  Tetsuya Kimura (JPN)  Silk Racing (JPN) 2:21.8 ¥960,520,000
2024  Do Deuce (JPN) 5  Yutaka Take (JPN)  Yasuo Tomomichi (JPN)  Kieffers Co. Ltd. (JPN) 2:25.5 ¥959,260,000
2025  Calandagan (IRE) 4  Mickael Barzalona (FRA)  Francis-Henri Graffard (FRA)  Aga Khan Studs SCEA (FRA) 2:20.3 ¥960,400,000

1 With  Wayne Gretzky (CAN) as a minority stake holder.[64]
2 The 2002 race took place at Nakayama Racecourse over a distance of 2,200 metres.
3 Rose Kingdom finished second to Buena Vista but was promoted as a result of a disqualification.

Winners by nationality

[edit]

Horse

Nation Foaled Trained Owned
 Australia (AUS) 1 1 1
 France (FRA) 0 2 1
 Germany (GER) 1 1 2
 Great Britain (GB) 2 4 3
 Ireland (IRE) 5 1 1
 Italy (ITA) 0 1 1
 Japan (JPN) 28 30 30
 New Zealand (NZL) 1 1 1
 United Arab Emirates (UAE) 0 0 1
 United States (USA) 7 4 4

Jockey

Nation No.
 Australia (AUS) 2
 Belgium (BEL) 1
 Canada (CAN) 1
 France (FRA) 8
 Great Britain (GB) 3
 Ireland (IRE) 3
 Italy (ITA) 4
 Japan (JPN) 18
 New Zealand (NZL) 1
 South Africa (SAF) 1
 United States (USA) 3

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Amongst other years; 1989,[10] 1990,[11] 1994,[12] 2004,[13] 2011,[14] 2021.[15]
  2. ^ An international grading standard regulated by the IFHA that denotes a race as having major international importance and where the partaking racers are expected to be of a very high standard.[21]
  3. ^ Screenshot is from the Sky Racing documentary, Global Impact: The Rise Of The Japanese Thoroughbred.[34]

References

[edit]

Full race results

[edit]

Article references

[edit]
  1. ^ a b 同一年度に本会が定める競走に優勝した馬に対する褒賞金交付基準 [Prize money award criteria for horses that win races designated by the Society in the same year] (PDF) (in Japanese). Japan Racing Association. 2025-01-01. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2025-09-18. Retrieved 2025-10-05.
  2. ^ Marquardt, Lucas (2014-03-12). "Japan Cup Recap". Thoroughbred Daily News |. Archived from the original on 2025-10-07. Retrieved 2025-09-21.
  3. ^ "The 43rd Running of The Japan Cup in association with LONGINES, Press Information" (PDF) (Press release). The Japan Racing Association. November 2023. p. 6. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2025-07-25.
  4. ^ "The Philosophy for JRA Track" (PDF) (Press release). Japan Racing Association. p. 3. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2025-08-14. Retrieved 2025-09-22.
  5. ^ a b "Tokyo|Course Details|Horse Racing in Japan". Horse Racing in Japan. Archived from the original on 2025-06-18. Retrieved 2025-09-22.
  6. ^ a b "Japan Cup 2025". Horse Racing in Japan. Archived from the original on 2025-10-07. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
  7. ^ a b 今週の注目レース:ジャパンカップ（G1） [This week's featured race: The Japan Cup (G1)]. Japan Racing Association (in Japanese). 2024-11-24. Archived from the original on 2024-11-18. Retrieved 2025-10-12.
  8. ^ 【360° interactive video】Tokyo Racecourse Turf 2400meters (Interactive video). Japan Racing Association. 2021-11-21. Archived from the original on 2025-10-07.
  9. ^ "Japan Cup (G1) - Data Analysis". Horse Racing In Japan. 2024-11-18. Archived from the original on 2025-05-14. Retrieved 2025-09-22.
  10. ^ a b "HORSE RACING ROUNDUP : Horlicks Breaks Hawkster Mark in Japan". Los Angeles Times. 27 November 1989. Archived from the original on 2025-10-09. Retrieved 2025-09-28.
  11. ^ "Japan Cup entrants". The Canberra Times. Australian Community Media. Trove. 1990-11-11. p. 15. Archived from the original on 2025-11-09. Retrieved 2025-09-28. The winner of the [1990] 2400m turf race will take out the world's second-highest prize money — $1.1 million from a total purse of $2,564,000.
  12. ^ "All Attention on Japan Cup". New Sunday Times. 1994-11-03. p. 25. Archived from the original on 2025-10-07. Retrieved 2025-09-28. ... the world's horse racing fans are turning their attention to the US$4.03 million (RM 10.27 million) Japan Cup, the richest in the world.
  13. ^ a b Shuback, Alan (2004-11-28). "Zenno Rob Roy triumphs in Japan Cup". ESPN.com. Archived from the original on 2025-09-19. Retrieved 2025-09-29.
  14. ^ a b c "Racing: Buena Vista keeps the trophy this time". The New Zealand Herald. 2011-11-28. Archived from the original on 2025-10-10. Retrieved 2025-09-20.
  15. ^ Willoughby, James (2021-11-26). "Japan Cup: Contrail looks easily the best, but there are many unanswered questions". Thoroughbred Racing Commentary. Archived from the original on 2025-10-27. Retrieved 2025-09-28. A total of 18 candidates are due to line up for the 2021 Japan Cup at Tokyo, the joint richest race in Japan (alongside next month's Arima Kinen) and as such one of the richest contests in the world.
  16. ^ a b "1st Running of the Japan Cup, November, 22 1981" (PDF). Horse Racing in Japan. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2025-10-09. Retrieved 2025-09-20.
  17. ^ "Asmussen cashes in Japan Cup". Syracuse Herald Journal. 1981-11-23. p. 26. Mairsy Doates... earned $282,600 Sunday by winning the $537,000 Japan Cup, the first international horse race in Tokyo
  18. ^ a b "Jockey's error costly in Japan Cup". The Joblin Globe. Associated Press. 1993-11-29. p. 9.
  19. ^ "12th Running of the Japan Cup, November, 29 1992" (PDF). Horse Racing in Japan. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2025-10-06. Retrieved 2025-09-13.
  20. ^ "Japan Cup 2023". The Japan Association for International Horse Racing. 2023-12-11. Archived from the original on 2023-12-11.
  21. ^ "An Introduction: The History of the Pattern". International Federation of Horseracing Authorities. 2023-12-31. Archived from the original on 2025-02-01. Retrieved 2025-10-13.
  22. ^ "Prize Money & Bonuses – Japan Cup – Racing Information". Horse Racing in Japan. Archived from the original on 2009-01-24. Retrieved 2008-10-26.
  23. ^ GIレースの出走馬決定方法 [How horses are selected to run in G1 races] (PDF). Japan Racing Association (in Japanese). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2025-04-05. Retrieved 2025-10-26.
  24. ^ GIレース出走馬決定順一覧（特別登録） [Order of Horse Selection for GI Races (Special Registration)]. Japan Racing Association (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2025-04-04. Retrieved 2025-10-26.
  25. ^ Goda, Naohiro (2024-12-09). "Do Deuce Will Aim to Defend Title in Arima Kinen". BloodHorse. Archived from the original on 2025-01-22. Retrieved 2025-09-28. Do Deuce will try to become the fifth back-to-back winner of the Arima Kinen and earn a bonus of ¥200,000,000, (US$1.32 million), which is available to a horse who sweeps the Tenno Sho Autumn, Japan Cup, and Arima Kinen in a single season.
  26. ^ "Major changes to JRA racing schedule and graded stakes races for 2025 season". netkeiba. 2025-01-22. Archived from the original on 2025-10-13. Retrieved 2025-09-28. Starting this year, the bonus for the Spring and Autumn Triple Crown will be increased to 300 million JPY for Japanese-bred horses and 150 million JPY for foreign-bred horses.
  27. ^ Webber, Adrian (2023-11-24). "Domestic horses look to continue home dominance". The Japan Times. Archived from the original on 2025-10-07. Retrieved 2025-10-05. First run in 1981 as a slightly tentative attempt to see how Japanese horses would measure up against their overseas counterparts, the race that was also introduced to further enhance the quality of bloodstock in Japan has never looked back.
  28. ^ Tazawa, Satoshi (2021-01-08). 「アーモンドアイの出現が必然となるまでの1981-2020日本競馬史」（上） ["The History of Japanese Horse Racing from 1981 to 2020: The Inevitable Appearance of Almond Eye" (Part 1)] (in Japanese). nippon. Archived from the original on 2025-10-07. Retrieved 2025-10-05. 最初のキーワードは「ジャパンカップ」。強い馬づくりを合言葉にはじまった国際招待レースは、1981年の第1回からして衝撃的だった。自国でも二線級の外国勢を相手に、日本の大将格が赤子の手をひねられるかのような惨敗を喫したのである。 [The international invitational race, which began with the motto of creating strong horses, was a shocking event from the very beginning, starting in 1981.]
  29. ^ Helm, Leslie (1992-06-16). "Market Focus : Japan Keeps Eye on Horse Racing Prize : With big money at stake, a very tight rein is held on foreign-born horses. U.S. breeders want that changed". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 2025-10-07. Retrieved 2025-10-05. Here's the rub. In an effort to nurture a domestic horse-breeding and racing business, Japan has barred foreign-born horses from the Nippon Derby and all but a few hundred of the 28,000 horse races held in Japan each year. And even those select few must be reared and trained in Japan--or their race options are down to two per year.
  30. ^ 今週の注目レース（レースについて：ジャパンカップ） [This week's featured races (Race information: Japan Cup)]. Japan Racing Assocation (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2015-11-17. Retrieved 2016-11-21. 1970年代後半、「世界に通用する強い馬作り」が提唱され、日本でも国際競走を開催し、外国から強豪馬を招待して我が国のサラブレッドと競わせようという趣旨により1981年に創設されたのが本競走で、11月下旬の東京競馬場・ [In the late 1970s, the idea of "creating strong horses that can compete on the world stage" was advocated, and [the Japan Cup] was established in 1981 with the aim of holding an international race in Japan, inviting strong horses from abroad to compete against our country's thoroughbreds.]
  31. ^ 「レーシングプログラム」（日本中央競馬会） ["Racing Program" (Japan Racing Association)] (Press release) (in Japanese). Japan Racing Association. 2006-11-26.
  32. ^ 優駿 [Yushun] (in Japanese). Vol. Nov. 1970. Chūō Keiba PR Center. p. 49.
  33. ^ Buckley, Roger (2010). "'Competitors with the English sporting men'. Civilization, Enlightenment and Horse Racing: Anglo-Japanese Relations, 1860–2010". In Cortazzi, Hugh (ed.). Britain and Japan: Biographical Portraits. Vol. VII. Global Oriental. p. 561. ISBN 978-1-906876-26-5.
  34. ^ a b Donegan, Peter (narrator); Glanville, Jon (writer); Court, John (editor) (2017-04-28). Global Impact: The Rise Of The Japanese Thoroughbred (documentary). Sky Racing.
  35. ^ 歴史・沿革 [History of Tokyo Racecourse]. 一般社団法人 東京馬主協会 [Tokyo Horse Owners Association] (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2025-10-07. Retrieved 2025-09-28. そうした状況のなか、第一回のレースに出走するために日本の地を踏んだ外国馬は８頭。このうち、トルコのデルシムが来日後に故障を発症したため、最終的にはアメリカ、カナダ、インドからの計7頭（ヨーロッパの馬が招待の対象に加えられたのは第二回以降）がゲートの中に収まります。 [Under these circumstances, eight foreign horses set foot on Japanese soil to compete in the first race. Of these, Dersim from Turkey developed an injury after arriving in Japan, so in the end, a total of seven horses from the United States, Canada, and India (European horses were only invited from the second race onwards) made it through the gates.]
  36. ^ 競走成績 - 第84回 天皇賞 [Race Results - The 84th Tenno Sho]. Japan Racing Association (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2023-10-29. Retrieved 2025-10-03. 1. ホウヨウボーイ2. モンテプリンス 3. ゴールドスペンサー [1. Hoyo Boy 2. Monte Prince 3. Gold Spencer]
  37. ^ 歴史・沿革 [History of Tokyo Racecourse]. 一般社団法人 東京馬主協会 [Tokyo Horse Owners Association] (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2025-10-07. Retrieved 2025-09-28. 全米最強牝馬という触れ込みのザベリワンを除けばほかの外国馬に特筆するほどの大物は見当たらず、対してこれを迎え撃つ日本馬は「オールスター・キャスト」と称されたほどの強豪揃いで [With the exception of The Very One, who was touted as the strongest mare in the United States, there were no other big names worth mentioning among the foreign horses, while the Japanese horses competing against them were a strong lineup that was dubbed an "all-star cast".]
  38. ^ Yamamoto, Tomoyuki (2018-11-25). 韓国馬が地元G1で日本馬にボロ負けする理由 [Why Korean horses lose to Japanese horses in local G1s]. 東洋経済オンライン [Toyo Keizai Weekly] (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2025-10-09. Retrieved 2025-10-05. 第1回はアメリカの二流牝馬メアジードーツにコースレコードを1秒更新され、日本の競馬関係者は「永遠に勝てないのではないか」と強い衝撃を受けた。 [The first race saw the course record broken by a second-rate American mare, Mairzy Doates, and Japanese horse racing officials were shocked, thinking that they might never be able to win.]
  39. ^ 【ジャパンC】第1回は日本のトップホースらがGI未勝利馬の外国馬に完敗 武豊騎手「衝撃を受けた。外国馬が強かったので」 [[Japan Cup] In the first race, top Japanese horses were completely defeated by foreign horses that had not yet won a GI race. Jockey Yutaka Take said, "I was shocked. The foreign horses were so strong."]. ライブドアニュース (in Japanese). Livedoor. 2024-11-22. Archived from the original on 2025-10-09. Retrieved 2025-10-05. Yutaka Take:「外国の騎手は全然違うスタイルで乗っていて、衝撃を受けた。外国の馬が強かったので、『（日本の強い馬と一緒に走ると）こんな感じになるんだ』と思いましたよ」 [Yutaka Take: "The foreign jockeys rode in a completely different style, which shocked me. The foreign horses were so strong, I thought, 'So this is what it's like (riding alongside strong Japanese horses)'"]
  40. ^ 歴史・沿革 [History of Tokyo Racecourse]. 一般社団法人 東京馬主協会 [Tokyo Horse Owners Association] (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2025-10-07. Retrieved 2025-10-05. しかしこの衝撃的な完敗をきっかけに日本の競馬界では"強い馬づくり"に本腰を入れて取り組む機運が一気に高まり、以降の日本馬は急速に力をつけていきます。第一回のレース後には「日本の人馬は今世紀中にこのレースを勝てるのだろうか？」 [However, this shocking defeat sparked a sudden surge in momentum in the Japanese horse racing world to get serious about "creating strong horses", and Japanese horses have rapidly grown in strength ever since. After the first race, there were even whispers of pessimism, such as "Will Japanese horses be able to win this race in this century?"]
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35°39′46.8″N 139°29′6″E / 35.663000°N 139.48500°E / 35.663000; 139.48500