Japan Cup facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Japan Cup

Grade 1 race
ジャパンカップ (Japan Kappu) Japan's most prestigious horse race
Location	Tokyo Racecourse Fuchū, Tokyo, Japan
Inaugurated	1981
Race type	Thoroughbred
Website	Japan Cup - Racing Information
Race information
Distance	2400 meters (About 12 furlongs / 1+1⁄2 miles)
Surface	Turf
Track	Left-handed
Qualification	3-y-o & Up, Thoroughbreds (safety factor: 18 horses; up to ten foreign-trained starters are allowed in the race)
Weight	3-y-o 56 kg \ 4-y-o & up 58kg Allowances 2 kg for fillies and mares 2 kg for S. Hemisphere 3-y-o
Purse	¥ 1,085,000,000 (as of 2023) 1st: ¥ 500,000,000
Bonuses	Additional money awarded if winner won in qualified international races (see below) plus ¥3,500,000 to the winning owner Winner of Tenno Sho (Autumn), Japan Cup, Arima Kinen Domestic: ¥ 200,000,000 International: ¥ 100,000,000

The Japan Cup (ジャパンカップ, Japan Kappu, JPN G-1) is one of the most important horse races in Japan. It happens every year on the last Sunday of November. The race takes place at Tokyo Racecourse in Fuchu, Tokyo. Horses run 2400 meters (about 1.5 miles) on a grass track. Up to 18 horses can compete in this exciting event.

The Japan Cup is known for its huge prize money. With over ¥1 billion (about US$8.3 million), it is one of the richest races in the world. It's an invitational race, meaning only certain horses are asked to compete. This helps bring together top horses from all over the world. Winners have come from Japan, North America, Europe, and Australia. The Japan Cup is a major event, like the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and the Melbourne Cup.

Prize Money: How Much Do Winners Get?

The Japan Cup offers a massive amount of prize money. In 2008, it became the second richest turf (grass) horse race globally. This was due to changes in the value of the Japanese yen.

Here is how the prize money is shared for the 2023 race:

• Total prize money: JPN ¥1,085,000,000 (about US$8.3 million)
• 1st place: JPN ¥500,000,000 (about US$3.8 million)
• 2nd place: JPN ¥200,000,000 (about US$1.5 million)
• 3rd place: JPN ¥130,000,000 (about US$992,000)
• 4th place: JPN ¥75,000,000 (about US$572,000)
• 5th place: JPN ¥50,000,000 (about US$381,000)

Extra Rewards for Top Horses

There are also special bonuses for horses that win the Japan Cup. These bonuses are often given to horses that have also won other big international races. For example, if a foreign horse wins certain major races and then places high in the Japan Cup, they get extra prize money.

Japanese horses can also earn bonuses. If a horse wins the Tenno Sho (Autumn), Japan Cup, and Arima Kinen in the same year, they receive a huge "Triple Crown" bonus. This bonus is ¥200,000,000 for Japanese-bred horses. It is ¥100,000,000 for horses bred outside Japan.

Race History: Famous Moments and Winners

The Japan Cup started in 1981. At first, only horses from Japan, the US, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and India could enter. The very first winner was an American mare named Mairzy Doates. She was trained by John Fulton.

A year later, in 1982, the rules changed. The race became open to the best horses from anywhere in the world. This made it a truly international event. Another American horse, Half Iced, won in 1982.

In 1983, an Irish mare named Stanerra won. She was a very strong and brave horse. She had already won big races in Europe that year.

The Japan Cup became an official International Grade 1 race in 1984. This meant it was recognized as one of the top races globally. That year, a Japanese horse named Katsuragi Ace won for the first time. This was a big moment for Japanese racing.

International and Japanese Champions

Over the years, many famous horses have won the Japan Cup. In 1986, Jupiter Island became the first British horse to win. French and American horses also continued to win in the late 1980s.

The years 1989 and 1990 saw winners from the Southern Hemisphere. Horlicks from New Zealand won in 1989. She set a world record time for the 2400-meter distance. The next year, Better Loosen Up from Australia won. These wins helped show how good horses from these countries were.

In the 1990s, Japanese horses started to dominate. Tokai Teio (1992), Legacy World (1993), and Marvelous Crown (1994) all won for Japan. In 1995, a German horse named Lando finally won the race.

British trainer Michael Stoute had two wins in a row with Singspiel (1996) and Pilsudski (1997). Both were very talented international horses.

Japanese horses then won again for several years. These included El Condor Pasa (1998), Special Week (1999), and T M Opera O (2000). In 1998, Japanese horses took the top three spots for the first time.

In 2002, the race was held at Nakayama Racecourse because Tokyo Racecourse was being fixed. The distance was a bit shorter. An Italian horse named Falbrav won that year.

The race returned to Tokyo in 2003. Tap Dance City won by a huge nine lengths. Japanese horses continued to win for several more years, including Zenno Rob Roy (2004) and Deep Impact (2006).

Exciting Finishes and Record Breakers

The 2005 race was incredibly close. Alkaased won by just a nose in a photo finish. He also broke the world record for the fastest 2400-meter race.

In 2009, the mare Vodka won by a nose in another thrilling finish. She became one of the richest racehorses in Japan.

The 2010 race had some controversy. Buena Vista crossed the finish line first but was moved to second place. This was because she slightly interfered with another horse. However, Buena Vista came back to win the Japan Cup in 2011.

In 2012, there was a big showdown between two "Triple Crown" winners. Gentildonna, a three-year-old filly, won a very close race. She became the first three-year-old filly to win the Japan Cup. She then made history again in 2013 by winning the race for a second time. This made her the only horse to win the Japan Cup twice!

In 2018, the amazing filly Almond Eye won the Japan Cup. She set a new track record of 2:20.60, which was much faster than the old record.

The 2020 Japan Cup was a very special race. Three "Triple Crown" winners competed against each other. Two of them had never been beaten before! Almond Eye won the race for her second time. Contrail finished second, and Daring Tact was third. This race was Almond Eye's last before she retired.

Winners

The 2002 race took place at Nakayama Racecourse over a distance of 2,200 metres. Rose Kingdom finished 2nd to subsequent Japanese Horse of the Year Buena Vista but was promoted as a result of a disqualification.

Fun Facts About the Japan Cup

The Japan Cup is even featured in the horse simulation game Derby Owners Club.

Images for kids

• 

  The Japan Cup trophy

• 

  A horse race at Tokyo Racecourse

See also

• Horse racing in Japan
• List of Japanese flat horse races
• Japan Cup Dirt