Tōkyō Yūshun
 |
| Grade 1 race | |
| Location | Tokyo Racecourse, Fuchū, Tokyo |
|---|---|
| Inaugurated | 1932 |
| Race type | Thoroughbred Flat racing |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 2400 meters |
| Surface | Turf |
| Track | Left-handed |
| Qualification | 3-y-o, Colts & Fillies |
| Weight | Colt 57 kg, Filly 55 kg |
| Purse | ¥ 380,000,000 (as of 2015) 1st: ¥ 200,000,000 |
The Tokyo Yūshun (東京優駿), also called as the Japanese Derby (日本ダービー, Nippon Dābii) is a Grade 1 flat horse race in Japan for three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies run over a distance of 2,400 metres (approximately 1 mile 4 furlongs) at the Tokyo Racecourse, Fuchū, Tokyo in late May or early June.
It was first run in 1932 and is the Japanese equivalent of the English Epsom Derby. It is the second leg of the Japanese Triple Crown, preceded by the Satsuki Shō (the Japanese equivalent of the English 2,000 Guineas) in mid-late April and followed by the Kikuka Shō (the Japanese equivalent of the English St. Leger Stakes) in mid-late October.
Since 2010, the Tokyo Yūshun (along with several other JRA Japanese domestic Grade 1 races, including the other Japanese classics such as the Satsuki Shō and the Kikuka Shō) is open to international competition due to Japan's inclusion in the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities' ICS Part I category, in which all graded black-type races in the JRA calendar are open to international competition. Races prior to 2001 (along with the other Japanese classics) were only limited to Japanese-bred horses. Since 2001, foreign-bred horses are allowed, but until 2010 this race (and the other classics) were only limited to Japanese-trained horses. The current rule allows fielding at most seven entries either not bred/trained in Japan.[citation needed]
Step races
| Race name | Grade | Racecourse | Distance | Priority-entry-rights to Derby | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Satsuki Shō | GI | Nakayama | Turf 2000m | Yes (top 4) |
| 2 | Aoba Shō | GII | Tokyo | Turf 2400m | Yes (top 2) |
| 3 | Principal Stakes | Open | Tokyo | Turf 2000m | Yes (winner) |
| 4 | Kyoto Shimbun Hai | GII | Kyoto | Turf 2200m | No (in normal case) |
| 5 | NHK Mile Cup | GI | Tokyo | Turf 1600m | No |
Notes
1.If horses from National Association of Racing won any 3-year old JRA Grade 2 or 3 races before the Derby, they will be eligible for entering the Japanese Derby if ranked high enough in Prize money. Priority-entry-rights cannot be applied to them, should they finished in such position in such races, extra entry right will be given out to Kyoto Shimbun Hai (at most of two).
The Satsuki Shō, the Aoba Shō and the Principal Stakes are the official Trial races of Japanese Derby. The top four finishers in the Satsuki Shō, the top two finishers in the Aoba Shō and the winner of the Principal Stakes will guarantee a place in the field for the Derby, regardless of prize money. Overall, there are seven automatic qualifying spots in the Derby; the other 11 entries are "at-large" horses determined by prize money earned prior to racing in the Derby. The Kyoto Shimbun Hai is officially considered a step race even does not normally give entry rights. The NHK Mile Cup, the only non-Triple Crown three-year-old GI horse race, is not an official step race, but has gained importance in recent years as horses such as Tanino Gimlet (2002), King Kamehameha (2004, won) and Deep Sky (2008, won) participated in that race and would eventually win the Derby.[citation needed]
Winners since 1994
Earlier winners
- 1932 - Wakataka
- 1933 - Kabutoyama
- 1934 - Fray Mor
- 1935 - Governor
- 1936 - Tokumasa
- 1937 - Hisatomo
- 1938 - Sugenuma
- 1939 - Kumohata
- 1940 - Ieryu
- 1941 - St Lite
- 1942 - Minami Homare
- 1943 - Kurifuji
- 1944 - Kaiso
- 1945 - No race
- 1946 - No race
- 1947 - Matsu Midori
- 1948 - Miharu O
- 1949 - Tachikaze
- 1950 - Kumono Hana
- 1951 - Tokino Minoru
- 1952 - Kurino Hana
- 1953 - Bostonian
- 1954 - Golden Wave
- 1955 - Otokitsu
- 1956 - Hakuchikara
- 1957 - Hikaru Meiji
- 1958 - Daigo Homare
- 1959 - Komatsu Hikari
- 1960 - Kodama
- 1961 - Hakusho
- 1962 - Fair Win
- 1963 - Meizui
- 1964 - Shinzan
- 1965 - Keystone
- 1966 - Teito O
- 1967 - Asa Denko
- 1968 - Tanino Harromore
- 1969 - Daishin Volgard
- 1970 - Tanino Moutiers
- 1971 - Hikaru Imai
- 1972 - Long Ace
- 1973 - Take Hope
- 1974 - Colonel Lancer
- 1975 - Kaburaya O
- 1976 - Climb Kaiser
- 1977 - Lucky Ruler
- 1978 - Sakura Shori
- 1979 - Katsurano Haiseiko
- 1980 - Opec Horse
- 1981 - Katsu Top Ace
- 1982 - Bamboo Atlas
- 1983 - Mr. C.B.
- 1984 - Symboli Rudolf
- 1985 - Sirius Symboli
- 1986 - Dyna Gulliver
- 1987 - Merry Nice
- 1988 - Sakura Chiyono O
- 1989 - Winner's Circle
- 1990 - Ines Fujin
- 1991 - Tokai Teio
- 1992 - Mihono Bourbon
- 1993 - Winning Ticket