Champions Cup (horse race)

Horse race

Champions Cup
チャンピオンズカップ

2022 Champions Cup winner Jun Light Bolt

Class| Grade 1
Location| Chukyo Racecourse, Toyoake, Aichi
Inaugurated| 2000 (as the Japan Cup Dirt)
Race type| Thoroughbred
Website| japanracing.jp
Race information
Distance| 1,800 meters (About 9 furlongs)
Surface| Dirt
Track| Left-handed
Qualification| 3-y-o & Up
Weight| 3-y-o colts & geldings 56 kg
4-y-o & up horses & geldings 58 kg
Allowance : 2 kg fillies & mares
Purse| ¥ 259,200,000 (as of 2024)
1st: ¥ 120,000,000
2nd: ¥ 48,000,000
3rd: ¥ 30,000,000
Bonuses| Winning horse owner will receive a ¥3,000,000 bonus.

The Champions Cup (JPN G-1, formerly the Japan Cup Dirt until 2013) is a horse race for thoroughbreds aged three and above contested in Japan in early December. Organized by Japan Racing Association, it is run at a distance of 1,800 meters at Chukyo Racecourse. In recent years, the race has followed the Japan Cup on the Japanese racing calendar.

## Race information

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* Racecourse: Chukyo Racecourse
* Distance: 1,800 meters (About 9. furlongs), Dirt, Right-handed
* Qualification to run: 3-y-o & Up
* Weight: 3-y-o colts & geldings 56 kg
* 3-y-o fillies 54 kg
* 4-y-o & up horses & geldings 58 kg
* 4-y-o & up mares 56 kg
* Safety Factor: 16 (There will be a maximum of 8 foreign-trained starters)

## 2008 changes

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The race was moved from Tokyo Racecourse to Hanshin Racecourse in 2008. The Japan Cup Dirt had been overshadowed by its turf counterpart (the Japan Cup) in recent years, because turf racing in Japan typically remains more popular and attracts better horses. Attendance for the 2007 Japan Cup Dirt was 56,052, while the attendance for the turf race the following day was 103,545.[1]

With the move to Hanshin, the Japan Cup Dirt was shortened from its original distance of 2,100 meters (about 10+1⁄2 furlongs) to 1,800 meters (about 9 furlongs). Now run one week after the Japan Cup, the Japan Cup Dirt shares the weekend with the "World Super Jockeys Series" featuring jockeys from around the world.

## 2014 changes

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The Japan Cup Dirt was moved to Chukyo Racecourse in 2014 and renamed the Champions Cup. According to the Japan Racing Association, the decision to make changes to the race was because of a lack of international participation.[2] The new Champions Cup race will be run left-handed, as opposed to the right turns run since the race moved from Tokyo to Hanshin in 2008. The purse of the race will be reduced to ¥94 million - compared to ¥130 million for the 2013 running - and it will no longer be an invitational race. The 2014 running is scheduled for Sunday, December 7.[3]

## Purse

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(For the 2007 running)[4]

Total JPN ¥277,900,000 (U.S$. 2,416,000)

* 1st JPN ¥130,000,000 (U.S$. 1,103,000)
* 2nd JPN ¥52,000,000 (U.S$. 452,000)
* 3rd JPN ¥33,000,000 (U.S$. 286,000)
* 4th JPN ¥20,000,000 (U.S$. 173,000)
* 5th JPN ¥13,000,000 (U.S$. 113,000)

Like counterpart Japan Cup, as being one of the 4 GI races in Japan Autumn International Series since 2008, a bonus is added to the top 3 if they are not trained in Japan, and raced in one of the following races and finished likewise in same year. If multiple bonus applies, only the highest one counts.

Preparatory Event to Japan Cup Dirt  | Qualification  | Japan Cup Bonus(JPN ¥)

|
|

Dubai World Cup
Breeders' Cup Classic
Kentucky Derby | Current Year Winner  | Winner:100,000,000
1st runner-up:40,000,000
2nd runner-up:25,000,000
Current Year Runner-Up  | Winner:40,000,000
1st runner-up:16,000,000
2nd runner-up:10,000,000
Santa Anita Handicap
Metropolitan Handicap
Stephen Foster Handicap
Hollywood Gold Cup
Whitney Handicap
Pacific Classic Stakes
Jockey Club Gold Cup
Woodward Stakes
Preakness Stakes
Belmont Stakes
Travers Stakes | Current Year Winner  | Winner:70,000,000
1st runner-up:28,000,000
2nd runner-up:18,000,000

## Winners

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Kurofune wins the 2001 Japan Cup Dirt Hokko Tarumae, the winner of the 2014 edition Le Vent Se Leve wins the 2018 edition as a 3-year-old Year
| Winner
| Age
| Jockey
| Trainer
| Owner
| Time

|
|
|
|
|
|

2000  | Wing Arrow | 5  | Yukio Okabe | Katsumi Minai | Minoru Ikeda | 2:07.2
2001  | Kurofune | 3  | Yutaka Take  | Kunihide Matsuda | Makoto Kaneko | 2:05.9
2002  | Eagle Café | 5  | Frankie Dettori | Futoshi Kojima | Kiyoshi Nishikawa | 1:52.2
2003  | Fleetstreet Dancer | 5  | Jon Court | Doug O'Neill | Lee & Ty Leatherman  | 2:09.2
2004  | Time Paradox | 6  | Yutaka Take  | Hiroyoshi Matsuda | Shadai Racehorse Co.  | 2:08.7
2005  | Kane Hekili | 3  | Yutaka Take  | Katsuhiko Sumii | Makoto Kaneko | 2:08.0
2006  | Alondite | 3  | Hiroki Goto | Sei Ishizaka | Carrot Farm Co.  | 2:08.5
2007  | Vermilion | 5  | Yutaka Take  | Sei Ishizaka  | Sunday Racing Co. Ltd. | 2:06.7
2008  | Kane Hekili | 6  | Christophe Lemaire | Katsuhiko Sumii | Makoto Kaneko | 1:49.2
2009  | Espoir City | 4  | Tetsuzo Sato | Akio Adachi | Yushun Horse | 1:49.9
2010  | Transcend | 4  | Shinji Fujita  | Yasuda Takayuki | Koji Maeda  | 1:48.9
2011  | Transcend  | 5  | Shinji Fujita  | Yasuda Takayuki  | Koji Maeda  | 1:50.6
2012  | Nihonpiro Ours | 5  | Manabu Sakai | Yuki Ohashi | Hyakutaro Kobayashi | 1:48.8
2013  | Belshazzar  | 5  | Christophe Lemaire  | Kunihide Matsuda  | Shadai Race Horse Co. | 1:50.4
2014  | Hokko Tarumae  | 5  | Hideaki Miyuki | Katsuichi Nishiura  | Michiaki Yabe  | 1:51.0
2015  | Sambista  | 5  | Mirco Demuro | Katsuhiko Sumii  | K Hidaka Breeders Union  | 1:50.4
2016  | Sound True  | 6  | Takuya Ono | Noboru Takagi  | Hiroshi Yamada  | 1:50.1
2017  | Gold Dream  | 4  | Ryan Moore | Osamu Hirata  | Katsumi Yoshida  | 1:50.1
2018  | Le Vent Se Leve  | 3  | Mirco Demuro  | Kiyoshi Hagiwara  | G1 Racing Co. Ltd.  | 1:50.1
2019  | Chrysoberyl  | 3  | Yuga Kawada | Hidetaka Otonashi  | U Carrot Farm  | 1:48.5
2020  | Chuwa Wizard  | 5  | Keita Tosaki | Ryuji Okubo  | Shinobu Nakanishi  | 1:49.3
2021  | T O Keynes  | 4  | Kohei Matsuyama  | Daisuke Takayanagi  | Tomoya Ozasa  | 1:49.7
2022  | Jun Light Bolt  | 5  | Yukito Ishikawa  | Yasuo Tomomichi | Junji Kawai  | 1:51.9
2023  | Lemon Pop | 5  | Ryusei Sakai | Hiroyasu Tanaka  | Godolphin | 1:50.6
2024  | Lemon Pop  | 6  | Ryusei Sakai  | Hiroyasu Tanaka  | Godolphin  | 1:50.1

* 2000, 2001, 2003–2007: Tokyo Racecourse, 2,100 meters, counter-clockwise (left-handed)
* 2002: Nakayama Racecourse, 1,800 meters, clockwise (right-handed)
* 2008–2013: Hanshin Racecourse, 1,800 meters, clockwise
* 2014–present (scheduled): Chukyo Racecourse, 1,800 meters, counter-clockwise

## See also

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* Horse racing in Japan
* List of Japanese flat horse races

## References

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* Netkeiba:[5][6]
* 2000 en, 2001 en, 2002 en, 2003 en, 2004 en, 2005 en, 2006 en, 2007 en, 2008 en, 2009 en, 2010 en, 2011 en, 2012 en, 2013 en, 2014 en, 2015 en, 2016 en, 2017 en, 2018 en, 2019 en, 2020 en, 2021 en, 2022 en, 2023 en, 2024 en

* Racing Post:
* 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
* 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
* 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024

1. ^ Paulick, Ray (2007-11-25). "Paulick: Japan Cup wrapup". NTRA.com. Archived from the original on November 28, 2007. Retrieved 2007-12-10.
2. ^ Wright, Howard (November 22, 2013). "Hanshin to stage Japan Cup Dirt for last time". Racing Post. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved November 29, 2013.
3. ^ "List of JRA Graded Races 2014". japanracing.jp. Japan Racing Association. Retrieved November 29, 2013.
4. ^ Japan Cup Dirt 2007 The Japan Association for International Horse Racing. Accessed April 24, 2007
5. ^ "チャンピオンズC". Netkeiba.
6. ^ "Champions Cup". Netkeiba.

## External links

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* Horse Racing in Japan - Japan Racing Association

* v
* t
* e

List of Japanese Grade I horse races

Japan Racing Association (JRA) GI Races
(International GI)|

* February Stakes (dirt)
* Takamatsunomiya Kinen
* Ōsaka Hai
* Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas; 3-year-old fillies)
* Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas; 3-year-olds)
* Tenno Sho (Spring)
* NHK Mile Cup (3-year-olds)
* Victoria Mile (fillies and mares)
* Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks; 3-year-old fillies)
* Tokyo Yūshun (Japanese Derby; 3-year-olds)
* Yasuda Kinen
* Takarazuka Kinen
* Sprinters Stakes
* Shūka Sho (3-year-old fillies)
* Kikuka Shō (Japanese St. Leger; 3-year-olds)
* Tenno Sho (Autumn)
* Queen Elizabeth II Cup (fillies and mares)
* Mile Championship
* Japan Cup (invitational)
* Champions Cup (dirt)
* Hanshin Juvenile Fillies (2-year-old fillies)
* Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes (2-year-olds)
* Arima Kinen (Grand Prix)
* Hopeful Stakes (2-year-olds)

National Association of Racing (NAR) GI Races
(international GI, dirt)|

* Tokyo Daishōten

National Association of Racing (NAR) JpnI Races
(Domestic GI, dirt)|

* Kawasaki Kinen
* Haneda Hai (3-year-old)
* Kashiwa Kinen
* Tokyo Derby (3-year-old)
* Sakitama Hai
* Teio sho
* Japan Dirt Classic (3-year-old)
* Mile Championship Nambu Hai
* Japan Breeding Farms' Cup (Sprint \- Ladies' Classic [fillies and mares] - Classic)
* Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun (2-year-olds)

JRA Steeplechase Races (J-GI races)|

* Nakayama Grand Jump (international)
* Nakayama Daishogai (international)

Domestic Grade I Equivalent Ban'ei Races|

* Ban'ei Kinen (Ban'ei, Obihiro)

See also|

* Japan Racing Association
* National Association of Racing
* Horse racing in Japan

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