Horse racing in Japan
Japan is an Island country in East Asia. In Japan, horseracing is organized by two different associations, one is the Japan Racing Association (JRA) and the other is National Association of Racing (NRA). They are responsible for the promotion of this sport, as well as to keep its laws and regulations up to date. Japan arranges 21,000 horse races a year which includes flat racing, jump racing (races over hurdles), and Ban'ei Racing (called Draft Racing).
Japan's top stakes races are run in the spring and autumn. The major horse races in Japan include the Japan Cup, Nakayama Grand Jump, Tokyo Yushun, Satsuki Sho, Kikuka Sho, Tenno Sho and Takarazuka Kinen. Let us have a look at the three Races out of these, in detail.
The Japan Cup is the country's most prominent race with a total distance of 2,400 m (about 1 1/2 mile). It is run at the Tokyo Racecourse every November, on the grass surface. The prize money for Japan Cup is US$5.4 million, which makes it the richest turf race in the world.
The Nakayama Grand Jump is Japan's top jump race. It is held on every April at Nakayama Racecourse. The distinction of this race and racecourse is that it is run over a distance of 4,250 metre followed by a twisted path on the inside portion of the racing ovals. This makes Nakayama Grand Jump different from all other countries conducting horse races. The race carries prize money of US$1.4 million.
The third race is the Tokyo Yushun is a flat race, which for thoroughbred horses above the age of three years. It is also called the Japanese Derby, which is run over a distance of 2,400 metres at the Tokyo Racecourse in late May or early June. It was first run in 1932. Like the American Triple Crown racing trend, Tokyo Yushun is also the second leg of the Japanese Triple Crown. The other two legs for the Japanese Triple Crown are the Satsuki Sho and the Kikuka Sho. The top jockey in Japan is Yutaka Take, who is also a multiple champion. He regularly rides the Japanese horses in races around the world. Yutaka Take was the Japan Racing Association’s two-time horse of the year (2005–06).
We will now see the racecourses in Japan. The Japan Racing Association is responsible for the horseracing event in ten major racecourses in the metropolitan areas. Meanwhile the National Association of Racing is responsible for various local horseracing events in Japan.
There are thirty racetracks in Japan. Ten of these tracks hold the top races in Japan. Moreover, these are known as "central tracks”. Races at these ten tracks are conducted by the Japan Racing Association (JRA). The remaining twenty tracks run under the authority of National Association of Racing (NAR) and the Municipal racing authorities operate these.
One premier racecourse in Japan is the Tokyo Racecourse. The tack is located in Tokyo, which was built in 1933. It has 13,750 seats and a capacity of 223,000 spectators. This is the Japan Racing Association's largest racecourse. In addition, there is a view of Mount.Fuji to the southwest. Many famous races are run here including the Japan Cup, Japan Cup Dirt, Japanese Derby (tokyo yushun), and the Yasuda Kinen.
Kyoto Racecourse is another premier racecourse in Japan, which was built in1924. Major races held on the track include Tenno Sho, the Kikuka Sho, the Mile Championship, the Queen Elizabeth II Commemorative Cup and the Shuka Sho. The third main racecourse in Japan is Niigata Racecourse. It is located in Niigata City alongside the sea. Niigata Racecourse was completely renovated in 2001. Major races conducted on this track include the Sekiya Kinen, the Niigata Kinen, the Niigata Daishoten, the Ibis Summer Dash, the Niigata Nisai Stakes, and the Niigata Jump Stakes.
Other than these prominent races, some international races are also conducted by Japan. These races are as follows: February Stakes (dirt) , Takamatsunomiya Kinen, Oka Sho, Satsuki Sho, Tenno Sho (Spring), NHK Mile Cup (3-year-olds), Victoria Mile (fillies and mares), Yushun Himba (3-year-old fillies), Tokyo Yushun (3-year-olds), Yasuda Kinen, Takarazuka Kinen, Sprinters Stakes, Shuka Sho (3-year-old fillies), Kikuka Sho (3-year-olds), Mile Championship, Japan Cup Dirt (invitational dirt), Japan Cup (invitational), Hanshin Juvenile Fillies (2-year-old fillies) and Arima Kinen (Grand Prix). These races are run in spring and fall.
Japan also conducts the domestic races, which are run at the national level. Races that fall under this category are as follows: Kawasaki Kinen (dirt), Kashiwa Kinen (dirt), Teio sho (dirt), Japan Dirt Derby (3-year-old, dirt), Mile Championship Nambu Hai (dirt), Japan Breeding farm's Cup Sprint (dirt), Japan Breeding farm's Cup Classic (dirt), Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun (dirt, 2-year-olds), Tokyo Daishoten (dirt)
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