The is a Grade 2 (GII) flat horse race in Japan.

Background The American Jockey Club Cup is a Grade II Thoroughbred flat race in Japan open to horses aged four years and older. It is held annually in late January at Nakayama Racecourse over a distance of 2,200 meters on turf (outer course). The race is run under weight-for-age conditions: 56 kg for 4-year-olds, 57 kg for 5-year-olds and up, with fillies and mares receiving a 2 kg allowance. Additional weight penalties apply based on recent graded stakes performances.

Eligibility includes JRA-trained horses, up to two certified regional (NAR) horses, and foreign-trained horses with priority entry. The first-place prize in 2026 was ¥62 million. The trophy is officially known as the American Jockey Club Prize.

History The American Jockey Club Cup was inaugurated on January 5, 1960, at Nakayama Racecourse as a 2,000-meter handicap race for horses aged five and older, created to commemorate the post–World War II friendship between Japan and the United States, following a gift of the winner’s cup from the New York Jockey Club.

In 1961, the race was restructured: it swapped scheduling dates with the Kinpai (now the Nakayama Kimpai), changed from handicap to weight-for-age conditions, and extended to 2,600 meters. Over the next two decades, the race saw multiple venue and distance changes, alternating between Nakayama and Tokyo Racecourses and ranging from 2,400 to 2,600 meters. In 1984, coinciding with the introduction of Japan’s official grading system, the race was designated Grade II and permanently settled at Nakayama over 2,200 meters, though that year’s edition was exceptionally run on dirt (1,800m) due to heavy snowfall.

The race gradually opened to international participation: foreign-bred horses were allowed from 1972, foreign-trained horses from 2006, and regional (NAR) horses from 2020. Following Japan’s elevation to “Part I” status in the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities, the race received international Grade II recognition in 2009. Over the years, the field size has gradually increased, expanding from 16 to 18 runners.

Past winners YearWinnerAgeLength (in m)JockeyTrainerOwnerTime1960Onward Bell4T2000Takegoro EbinaToshio NihonyanagiJunzo Kashiyama2:04.91961Yashima First4T2600Takayoshi YasudaTokichi OgataShohei Kobayashi2:43.61962Takamagahara5T2600Takemi KagaKizo KonishiTaro Hirai2:43.31963Korehisa4T2600Shigekatsu MoriyasuTokichi OgataYasushi Chigira2:42.41964Suzu Top Run5T2600Yoshio NohiraSuenosuke MoriYoshio Komurasaki2:46.81965Asahoko5T2600Takemi KagaTomiyoshi FujimotoEiichi Tezuka2:42.51966Haku Zuiko5T2600Takayoshi YasudaTokichi OgataHiroshi Nishi2:42.01967Speed Symboli4T2500Yuji NohiraTomihisa NohiraTomohiro Wada2:37.31968Niu Onward4T2500Shigekatsu MoriyasuTokichi OgataJunzo Kashiyama2:39.01969Asaka O4T2500Takemi KagaHiroshi NakamuraGenji Asaka2:38.91970Speed Symboli7T2500Yuji NohiraTomihisa NohiraTomohiro Wada2:34.91971Akane Tenryu5T2500Toshihide MarumeTeruo HashimotoEiichi Sekino2:36.21972Mejiro Asama6T2400Masahiro IkegamiTakayoshi YasudaToyokichi Kitano2:28.41973Onward Guy5T2400Hayato MinodaSuenosuke MoriJunzo Kashiyama2:30.11974Take Hope4T2400Futoshi KojimaYukio InabaTake Kondo2:27.51975Strong Eight6T2400Hiroyuki NakajimaShinji OkuhiraHighland Ranch Ltd.2:31.91976White Fontaine6T2400Tsukasa TakahashiKatsuyuki OkuboKei Yoshihashi2:28.71977Green Grass4T2400Tomio YasudaTakao NakanoKichishiro Hanzawa2:26.31978Kashu Chikara5T2400Akemi DeguchiTamao YaguraGonzaburo Yoshida2:28.91979Sakura Shori4T2400Futoshi KojimaHikoyuki KubotaSakura Commerce Co. Ltd.2:29.01980Kanemikasa6T2500Seiji EbisawaAkimitsu NarumiyaIkuko Hatakeyama2:37.11981Hoyo Boy6T2500Kazuhiro KatoToshio NihonyanagiYoshiharu Furukawa2:37.51982Amber Shadai5T2500Kazuhiro KatoToshio NihonyanagiZenya Yoshida2:34.31983Amber Shadai6T2500Kazuhiro KatoToshio NihonyanagiZenya Yoshida2:35.41984Shuzan King5D1800Masamitsu TamuraYoyomatsu KajiKazuo Taira1:52.61985Sakura Gaisen5T2200Futoshi KojimaHikoyuki KubotaSakura Commerce Co. Ltd.2:14.41986Suda Hawk4T2200Seiki TabaraRyoji FuruyamaMatsuo Suda2:13.31987Miho Shinzan5T2200Masato ShibataTomojirō TanakaKanji Tsutsumi2:15.41988Kashima Wing5T2200Hitoshi MatobaYoshiji IizukaYasuo Matsuura2:13.41989Running Free6T2200Yasuo SugawaraKazuhiko HongoTaisuke Fujishima2:15.61990Sakura Hokuto O4T2200Futoshi KojimaKatsutaro SakaiSakura Commerce Co. Ltd.2:13.81991Mejiro Monterey5T2200Norihiro YokoyamaShinji OkuhiraMejiro Farm Ltd.2:13.81992Tosho Falcon6T2200Masato ShibataTsutomu NizekiTosho Sangyo Co. Ltd.2:12.81993White Stone6T2200Masato ShibataKunio TakamatsuHiroshi Ando2:15.01994Matikanetannhauser5T2200Yoshitomi ShibataYuji ItoMasuo Hosokawa2:14.11995Sakura Chitose O5T2200Futoshi KojimaKatsutaro SakaiSakura Commerce Co. Ltd.2:14.41996Kanetsu Cross5T2200Hitoshi MatobaMasahiro HoriiKanetsu Racehorse Co. Ltd.2:15.01997Rosen Kavalier4T2200Norihiro YokoyamaYasuhiro SuzukiShadai Race Horse Ltd.2:14.91998Mejiro Bright4T2200Hiroshi KawachiHidekazu AsamiMejiro Farm Ltd.2:15.31999Special Week4T2200Olivier PeslierToshiaki ShiraiHiroyoshi Usuda2:16.82000Matikane Kinnohosi4T2200Shinji FujitaKazuo FujisawaMasuo Hosokawa2:13.42001American Boss6T2200Teruo EdaFuyuki TagoAbiru Real Estate Co. Ltd.2:13.82002Fusaichi Run Heart5T2200Teruo EdaMichifumi KonoFusao Sekiguchi2:13.72003Magnaten7T2200Olivier PeslierKazuo FujisawaTakao Komai2:12.32004Dantsu Judge5T2200Shinji FujitaKenji YamauchiTetsuji Yamamoto2:15.52005Kraftwerk5T2200Norihiro YokoyamaYoshiyuki GotoSunday Racing Ltd.2:11.42006Silk Famous7T2200Yoshitomi ShibataIppo SameshimaSilk Ltd.2:13.22007Matsurida Gogh4T2200Norihiro YokoyamaSakae KuniedaFumie Takahashi2:12.82008Air Shady7T2200Hiroki GotoMasanori ItoLucky Field Co. Ltd.2:13.62009Never Bouchon6T2200Norihiro YokoyamaMasanori ItoTH Co. Ltd.2:13.92010Never Bouchon7T2200Norihiro YokoyamaMasanori ItoTH Co. Ltd.2:12.62011Tosen Jordan5T2200Hiroyuki UchidaYasutoshi IkeeTakaya Shimakawa2:14.22012Rulership5T2200Yuichi FukunagaKatsuhiko SumiiSunday Racing Ltd.2:17.32013Danon Ballade5T2200Fran BerryYasutoshi IkeeDanox Co. Ltd.2:13.12014Verde Green6T2200Hironobu TanabeIkuo AizawaMitsumasa Saito2:14.02015Courir Kaiser6T2200Hironobu TanabeIkuo AizawaShuji Yokoyama2:13.62016Decipher7T2200Yutaka TakeFutoshi KojimaMohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum2:12.02017Tanta Alegria5T2200Masayoshi EbinaSakae KuniedaG1 Racing Co. Ltd.2:11.92018Danburite4T2200Mirco DemuroHidetaka OtonashiSunday Racing Ltd.2:13.32019Sciacchetra6T2200Shu IshibashiKatsuhiko SumiiKaneko Makoto Holdings Co. Ltd.2:13.72020Blast Onepiece5T2200Yuga KawadaMasahiro OtakeSilk Racing Ltd.2:15.02021Aristoteles4T2200Christophe LemaireHidetaka OtonashiHideko Kondo2:17.92022King Of Koji6T2200Norihiro YokoyamaShogo YasudaKazuhiro Masuda2:12.72023North Bridge5T2200Yasunari IwataTakeshi OkumuraNoboru Iyama2:13.52024Chuck Nate6T2200Rachel KingNoriyuki HoriKaneko Makoto Holdings Co. Ltd.2:16.62025Danon Decile4T2200Keita TosakiShogo YasudaDanox Co. Ltd.2:12.12026Shohei4T2200Yuga KawadaYasuo TomomichiTatsue Ishikawa2:10.8

See also Horse racing in Japan List of Japanese flat horse races

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