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Arima Kinen

Japan | FEATURE RACE GUIDE

History

REGALEIRA winning the Arima Kinen at Nakayama in Japan.
REGALEIRA winning the Arima Kinen at Nakayama in Japan. Picture: Japan Racing Association

The Arima Kinen is a Grade 1 race run under Weight For Age conditions for open class stayers at Nakayama racecourse conducted by the Japan Racing Association.

The Arima Kinen is run over 2500m. It was first run in 1956 and was won by Meiji Hikari.

Originally only open to Japanese horses, in 2000 a Japan Cup winner was allowed and then in 2007, when it attained international Group 1 status, more overseas horses are allowed to run.

The Arima Kinen was worth JPY1,090,000,000 in 2025.

Nakayama is a right handed course with the 2500m start entering the home running.

The way the field is determined is the vast majority are voted on by fans and then the remainder are from prizemoney earned from the next nominated horses.

Regarding the vote leaders, since 1985 eleven times that horse has gone on to win the race with Efforia the most recent.

Six horses have won two Arima Kinens with the most famous of late being Orfevre (2011 & 2013).

You won't see a more impressive winner than the 5L romp by Lys Gracieux at her last run coming off her 2019 Cox Plate victory.

Equinox has been a global star including his big win in this race in 2022.

Three year olds have a tremendous record with 13 winners in the last 30 years, but 8 of the last 15.

Yasutoshi Ikee has won 4 runnings as trainer in the last 16 years. Yutaka Take joined Kenichi Ikezoe with 4 winners as a rider. Take's span of winners were 33 years apart.

Notable winners of the Arima Kinen include Do Deuce (2023), Equinox (2022), Chrono Genesis (2020), Lys Gracieux (2019), Kitasan Black (2017), Gentildonna (2014), Orfevre (2011/2013), Deep Impact (2006), Heart's Cry (2005), Zenno Rob Roy (2004), Symboli Kris S (2002/2003), T M Opera O (2000), Grass Wonder (1998/1999), Tokai Teio (1993), Oguri Cap (1988/1990), Symboli Rudolf (1984/1985) and Speed Symboli (1969/1970).

The 2024 Arima Kinen was won by Regaleira from Shahryar and Danon Decile.


Racing and Sports

Previous Arima Kinen Winners

Date Horse Jockey WT Trainer BP
MUSEUM MILE (JPN) 3C
LEONTES (JPN) - MUSEUM HILL (JPN) HEART'S CRY (JPN)
CRISTIAN DEMURO 56.0 DAISUKE TAKAYANAGI 4
REGALEIRA (JPN) 3F
SUAVE RICHARD (JPN) - ROCA (JPN) HARBINGER (GB)
K TOSAKI 54.0 TETSUYA KIMURA 8
DO DEUCE (JPN) 4H
HEART'S CRY (JPN) - DUST AND DIAMONDS (USA) VINDICATION (USA)
YUTAKA TAKE 58.0 Y TOMOMICHI 5
EQUINOX (JPN) 3C
KITASAN BLACK (JPN) - CHATEAU BLANCHE (JPN) KING HALO (JPN)
C P LEMAIRE 55.0 TETSUYA KIMURA 9
EFFORIA (JPN) 3C
EPIPHANEIA (JPN) - KATIES HEART (JPN) HEART'S CRY (JPN)
TAKESHI YOKOYAMA 55.0 Y SHIKATO 10
CHRONO GENESIS (JPN) 4F
BAGO (FR) - CHRONOLOGIST (JPN) KUROFUNE (USA)
YUICHI KITAMURA 55.0 TAKASHI SAITO 9
LYS GRACIEUX (JPN) 5M
HEART'S CRY (JPN) - LILISIDE (FR) AMERICAN POST (GB)
DAMIAN LANE 55.0 Y YAHAGI 6
BLAST ONEPIECE (JPN) 3C
HARBINGER (GB) - TSURUMARU ONEPIECE (JPN) KING KAMEHAMEHA (JPN)
K IKEZOE 55.0 MASAHIRO OTAKE 8
KITASAN BLACK (JPN) 5H
BLACK TIDE (JPN) - SUGAR HEART (JPN) SAKURA BAKUSHIN O (JPN)
YUTAKA TAKE 57.0 H SHIMIZU 2
SATONO DIAMOND (JPN) 3C
DEEP IMPACT (JPN) - MALPENSA (ARG) ORPEN (USA)
C P LEMAIRE 55.0 Y IKEE 11
GOLD ACTOR (JPN) 4H
SCREEN HERO (JPN) - HEILONG XING (JPN) KYOWA ALYSHEBA (USA)
HAYATO YOSHIDA 57.0 TADASHIGE NAKAGAWA 7
GENTILDONNA (JPN) 5M
DEEP IMPACT (JPN) - DONNA BLINI (GB) BERTOLINI (USA)
K TOSAKI 55.0 S ISHIZAKA 4
ORFEVRE (JPN) 5H
STAY GOLD (JPN) - ORIENTAL ART (JPN) MEJIRO MCQUEEN (JPN)
K IKEZOE 57.0 Y IKEE 6
GOLD SHIP (JPN) 3C
STAY GOLD (JPN) - POINT FLAG (JPN) MEJIRO MCQUEEN (JPN)
H UCHIDA 55.0 N SUGAI 13
ORFEVRE (JPN) 3C
STAY GOLD (JPN) - ORIENTAL ART (JPN) MEJIRO MCQUEEN (JPN)
K IKEZOE 55.0 Y IKEE 9
VICTOIRE PISA (JPN) 3F
NEO UNIVERSE (JPN) - WHITEWATER AFFAIR (GB) MACHIAVELLIAN (USA)
M DEMURO 55.0 KATSUHIKO SUMII 1
DREAM JOURNEY (JPN) 5H
STAY GOLD (JPN) - ORIENTAL ART (JPN) MEJIRO MCQUEEN (JPN)
K IKEZOE 57.0 Y IKEE 9
DAIWA SCARLET (JPN) 4M
AGNES TACHYON (JPN) - SCARLET BOUQUET (JPN) NORTHERN TASTE (CAN)
KATSUMI ANDO 55.0 K MATSUDA 13
MATSURIDA GOGH (JPN) 4H
SUNDAY SILENCE (USA) - PAPER RAIN (USA) BEL BOLIDE (USA)
M EBINA 57.0 SAKAE KUNIEDA 3
DEEP IMPACT (JPN) 4H
SUNDAY SILENCE (USA) - WIND IN HER HAIR (IRE) ALZAO (USA)
YUTAKA TAKE 57.0 YASUO IKEE 4
HEART'S CRY (JPN) 4H
SUNDAY SILENCE (USA) - IRISH DANCE (JPN) TONY BIN (IRE)
C P LEMAIRE 57.0 K HASHIGUCHI 10
ZENNO ROB ROY (JPN) 4H
SUNDAY SILENCE (USA) - ROAMIN RACHEL (USA) MINING (USA)
O PESLIER 57.0 K FUJISAWA 1
SYMBOLI KRIS S (USA) 4H
KRIS S (USA) - TEE KAY (USA) GOLD MERIDIAN (USA)
O PESLIER 57.0 K FUJISAWA 12
SYMBOLI KRIS S (USA) 3C
KRIS S (USA) - TEE KAY (USA) GOLD MERIDIAN (USA)
O PESLIER 55.0 K FUJISAWA 1

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