The is a Grade 3 (GIII) flat horse race in Japan.

Namesake The race was named in honor of Shinzan, Japan’s second Triple Crown winner (1964), who also won the Tenno Sho (Autumn) and Arima Kinen in 1965, earning the title “Five-Crown Horse.”

Background The Shinzan Kinen is a Grade III Thoroughbred race in Japan open to 3-year-old horses of either sex. It is held annually in early January at Kyoto Racecourse over a distance of 1,600 meters on turf (outer course). Eligible entrants include JRA-trained horses, up to two certified NAR (local) horses, and foreign-trained horses with priority entry. The race is run under weight-for-age conditions: colts and geldings carry 57 kg, while fillies receive a 2 kg allowance (55 kg). The first-place prize in 2026 is ¥41 million. The race is officially titled the “Nikkan Sports Sho Shinzan Kinen”, sponsored by Nikkan Sports Nishi-Nihon (Osaka-based), and the winner receives the Nikkan Sports Newspaper Prize.

History The Shinzan Kinen was inaugurated on January 15, 1967, as a 4-year-old (now 3-year-old) restricted stakes race to commemorate the legendary horse Shinzan. Although the Chukyo Owners’ Association, where Shinzan’s owner, Kosaku Hashimoto, was a member, had lobbied for the race to be held at Chukyo Racecourse, the JRA chose Kyoto, leading instead to the creation of the Chukyo Daishoten as a compromise.https://jra.jp/keiba/program/2024/pdf/jusyo_kansai.pdf#page=1 The race has been held almost exclusively at Kyoto over 1,600m since its inception, with only a few exceptions: it was run at Hanshin in 1980 and 1994, and temporarily relocated to Chukyo from 2021 to 2023 and again in 2025 due to Kyoto Racecourse renovations and Hanshin stand refurbishment.

It was elevated to Grade III status in 1984 under JRA’s grading system. International participation expanded gradually: foreign-bred horses were allowed from 1995, NAR horses from 1996, and foreign-trained horses from 2009, when it became an international GIII event with up to 9 foreign runners permitted. In 2024, the race formally adopted fixed weight-for-age (57 kg / 55 kg), replacing earlier variable systems.

Although several descendants of Shinzan have competed, including Shinzan Homare (1967), Shingun (1971), and Reigning Land (2015), none have ever won the race named in his honor.

Past winners YearWinnerAgeLength (in m)JockeyTrainerOwnerTime1967Taigyo3T1600Kunihiko TakeHeizo TakeYoshio Nakayama1:39.01968Hikari O3T1600Masazo RyokeYoshio TanakaIchisaburo Matsumoto1:41.01969Fine Happy3T1600Yoshinori YanadaJuubee TsuboHisahiro Yoshida1:38.81970High Prince3T1600Shigetada TakahashiIsamu SatoKazunori Yoshimine1:36.91971Fi Dor3T1600Yoshito MatsumotoBungo TakedaObara Kikue1:42.31972Shinmoedake3T1600Norihito FujiokaIsao TanoueMitsuyoshi Kubo1:38.51973Dicta Boy3T1600Masami ShibataTadashi FuseShigeo Imai1:38.81974Naniwa Light3T1600Eiji ShimizuMitsuo OginoAya Nishida1:37.01975Erimo George3T1600Yoichi FukunagaMasaaki OkuboShinichi Yamamoto1:38.41976Bambton Shade3T1600Toshifumi KuboShuji ItoShozo Higuchi1:39.31977Tenzan Sakura3T1600Hiroshi KawachiYoshiharu MatsunagaSaburo Hirano1:38.11978Lovely Tosho3T1600Hideo KoyauchiTameo ToyamaTosho Sangyo Co. Ltd.1:37.01979Teruno Eight3T1600Akihiro IidaHisao ShimizuTeruhiko Nakamura1:37.21980Noto Diver3T1600Tadashi KayoShuji KitahashiNoto1:38.41981Hirono Wakakoma3T1600Hiroshi KawachiShuji ItoYuko Ito1:35.81982Silk Tenzan O3T1600Kiyoaki ItoShuji ItoShinichi Nakayama1:36.81983Mejiro Mont Cenis3T1600Eiji ShimizuMasaaki OkuboMejiro Shoji Co. Ltd.1:36.71984Kitayama Zakura3T1600Sadahiro KojimaTameo ToyamaTatsuya Fujimoto1:36.31985Life Tateyama3T1600Shigetoshi SaruhashiIsao YasudaYukio Tsuji1:37.51986Fresh Voice3T1600Shigeo KoshojiNaoyuki SakaiKazuo Enjo1:37.31987Yamanin Arden3T1600Nobuyuki TajimaYasuo IkeeKoji Doi1:38.41988Rugger Black3T1600Yoshiyuki MuramotoMasaaki OkuboKeiji Okumura1:37.21989Foundry Popo3T1600Katsuichi NishiuraTatsuo NatsumuraTomio Mito1:37.41990Nichido Thunder3T1600Hiroshi MasuiToshiaki ShiraiToshio Yamada1:36.01991Milford Slew3T1600Hiroshi KawachiKotaro TanakaKiyoshi Noritake1:35.71992Mayano Petrews3T1600Seiki TabaraMasahiro SakaguchiYu Tadokoro1:35.81993Amber Lion3T1600Hidetaka TadokoroYukiharu ShikatoRibot Co. Ltd.1:35.91994Kokuo Namura3T1600Hiroyuki UemuraAkihiko NomuraNobushige Namura1:36.81995Meisho Tesoro3T1600Katsuhito UegomoriKaoru HoshikawaYoshio Matsumoto1:34.51996Generalist3T1600Mikio MatsunagaShoji YamamotoMaeko Farm Ltd.1:34.51997Seeking the Pearl3T1600Yutaka TakeShozo SasakiTomoko Uenaka1:34.61998Dantsu Sirius3T1600Hirofumi ShiiKenji YamauchiTetsuji Yamamoto1:36.81999Fusaichi Airedale3T1600Yutaka TakeKunihide MatsudaFusao Sekiguchi1:34.62000Daitaku Riva3T1600Ryo TakahashiKojiro HashiguchiTaiyo Farm Ltd.1:35.42001Derby Regno3T1600Hideaki MiyukiShigetada TakahashiDerby Co. Ltd.1:35.42002Tanino Gimlet3T1600Yutaka TakeKunihide MatsudaYuzo Tanimizu1:34.82003Silent Deal3T1600Yutaka TakeYasuo IkeeMakoto Kaneko1:34.82004Great Journey3T1600Yutaka TakeYasuo IkeeNorth Hills Management Ltd.1:35.42005Peer Gynt3T1600Yutaka TakeKojiro HashiguchiSunday Racing Ltd.1:35.72006Go Go Kirishima3T1600Mamoru IshibashiYasuo UmedaShinichiro Nishimura1:34.42007Admire Aura3T1600Yasunari IwataHiroyoshi MatsudaRiichi Kondo1:35.12008Dream Signal3T1600Yasunari IwataMasato NishizonoSaison Race Horse Co. Ltd.1:35.42009Antonio Barows3T1600Koichi TsunodaHiroshi TakedaHiroji Inokuma1:35.32010Garbo3T1600Kenichi IkezoeHidekatsu ShimizuKazuyoshi Ishikawa1:34.32011Red Davis3T1600Suguru HamanakaHidetaka OtonashiTokyo Horse Racing Co. Ltd.1:34.02012Gentildonna3T1600Christophe LemaireSei IshizakaSunday Racing Ltd.1:34.32013A Shin Top3T1600Suguru HamanakaMasato NishizonoEishindo Co. Ltd.1:34.32014Mikki Isle3T1600Suguru HamanakaHidetaka OtonashiMizuki Noda1:33.82015Guanciale3T1600Yutaka TakeYoshihito KidateToshihiro Matsumoto1:34.82016Logi Cry3T1600Suguru HamanakaNaosuke SugaiMasaaki Kumeda1:34.12017Kyohei3T1600Ryo TakakuraHiroshi MiyamotoTakao Seya1:37.62018Almond Eye3T1600Keita TosakiSakae KuniedaSilk Racing Ltd.1:37.12019Val d'Isere3T1600Yuichi KitamuraKunihiko WatanabeG1 Racing Co. Ltd.1:35.72020Sanctuaire3T1600Christophe LemaireKazuo FujisawaCarrot Farm Ltd.1:35.92021Pixie Knight3T1600Yuichi FukunagaHidetaka OtonashiSilk Racing Ltd.1:33.32022Matenro Orion3T1600Norihiro YokoyamaMitsuku KonChiyono Terada1:34.12023Light Quantum3T1600Yutaka TakeKoshiro TakeShadai Race Horse Ltd.1:33.72024Noble Roger3T1600Yuga KawadaTatsuya YoshiokaNormandy Thoroughbred Racing Co. Ltd.1:34.52025Lila Emblem3T1600Suguru HamanakaKoshiro TakeG Riviere Racing Co. Ltd.1:34.62026Thunderstruck3T1600Thore Hammer-HansenTetsuya KimuraCarrot Farm Ltd.1:33.4 The Runnings from 2021 to 2023 were held at Chukyo Racecourse due to construction at Kyoto Racecourse.The 2025 running was held at Chukyo Racecourse due to construction at Hanshin Racecourse.

Gallerie

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

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