The is a Grade 3 (GIII) flat horse race in Japan.
Background The Nakayama Kimpai is a Grade III Thoroughbred handicap race in Japan, open to horses aged four years and older. It is held annually on January 5 (or the nearest available date) at Nakayama Racecourse over a distance of 2,000 meters on turf (inner course). Eligible entrants must have raced at least once and cannot be unraced or maiden horses. The field includes JRA-trained horses, up to two certified NAR (local) horses, and foreign-trained horses with priority entry. As a handicap race, weights are assigned based on each horse's past performance to ensure competitive balance. The first-place prize in 2026 is ¥43 million.
The race is officially titled the “Nikkan Sports Sho Nakayama Kimpai”, sponsored by Nikkan Sports newspaper (Tokyo headquarters), and the winner receives the Nikkan Sports Newspaper Prize.
History The Nakayama Kimpai was first run on January 20, 1952, as the “Kin Hai” (金杯) for horses aged five and older (equivalent to four-year-olds under current standards) over 2,600 meters on turf at Nakayama Racecourse. From 1954 to 1960, it was briefly run under weight-for-age (別定) conditions, but reverted to handicap thereafter. In 1961, the race underwent a change: it swapped distance and timing with the newly created American Jockey Club Cup, shortening to 2,000 meters and moving to early January, becoming Japan's traditional opening graded stakes race of the New Year.
From 1966 to 1995, a separate “Kin Hai” was also held at Kyoto Racecourse (now the Kyoto Kimpai). To distinguish the two, the Nakayama version was officially renamed “Nikkan Sports Sho Nakayama Kimpai” in 1996. The race was designated Grade III in 1984 with the introduction of JRA's grading system. International participation expanded gradually: foreign-bred horses were allowed from 1994, foreign-trained horses from 2006 (initially 4 runners, later 8 in 2007 and 9 in 2015), and NAR horses from 2020. The venue has seen occasional changes due to external factors: it was held at Tokyo (1970–1979, 1996, 2002) and even Fukushima in 1972 due to equine influenza and labor strikes. Since 1980, however, it has been permanently set at Nakayama.
The race is affectionately known among fans by the pun: “Ichinen no kei wa Kinpai ni ari” (“The year’s plan lies in the Kimpai”), echoing the New Year proverb.
Past winners YearWinnerAgeLength (in m)JockeyTrainerOwnerTime1952Sachifusa4T2600Takegoro EbinaTomiyoshi FujimotoTohoku Farm Co. Ltd.2:46.21953Asatomo4T2600Ryoji FuruyamaYoichiro MochizukiEiichi Tezuka2:47.21954Gaisei4T2600Takayoshi YasudaTokichi OgataToshiaki Iwasaki2:53.41955Hakuryu5T2600Takayoshi YasudaTokichi OgataHiroshi Nishi2:45.21956Kuri Chikara6T2600Hiroaki MoriyasuTokichi OgataTomoji Kuribayashi2:57.21957Homa Lemon4T2600Isao YamamotoTokichi OgataMasaichi Nagata2:44.11958Onward There4T2600Yoshio NohiraToshio NihonyanagiJunzo Kashiyama2:53.41959Tosa O4T2600Yuji NohiraKichisaburo MatsuyamaGizo Mizomoto2:47.31960Kane Chikara4T2600Hiroaki MoriyasuShotaro AbeYoshiaki Kanesashi2:48.11961Yamanin More4T2000Katsuhiko FujimotoTomiyoshi FujimotoKoji Doi2:05.81962Onslaught4T2000Yamaoka KenHiroshi NakamuraMasashi Araki2:03.31963Kanetsu Seki4T2000Takeo ItoKinzo KubotaMasaki Shimizu2:03.41964Toast5T2000Takayoshi YasudaOgata FujiyoshiMasaichi Nagata2:04.11965Asahoko5T2000Takemi KagaTomiyoshi FujimotoEiichi Tezuka2:04.21966Yamadori5T2000Hiroaki MoriyasuMorisuenosukeYutaro Shimizu2:03.81967Higashi Thonella O5T2000Takeo ItoKinzo KubotaSeigoro Sakamoto2:06.11968Onward Hill5T2000Mitsuo MakinoHiroshi NakamuraJunzo Kashiyama2:04.81969Hakusetsu4T2000Yukio OkabeHideo TakahashiKatsugoro Nakamura2:04.41970Sweet Flag6T2000Yuji NohiraShozo NohiraTomohiro Wada2:03.81971Kojo5D2100Masato YoshinagaKichisaburo MatsuyamaMorihiro Sato2:12.01972Koyo4T2000Masao KawakamiTakeichi KawakamiKinji Sato2:01.61973Kuri Iwai4T2000Hiroyuki GoharaKatsuyuki OkuboTomoji Kuribayashi2:04.81974Ina Boreas5T2000Jin MiyataSueyoshi OkuboTakato Inatomi2:01.41975Western Dash4T2000Masanori ItoOgata FujiyoshiNishikawa Shoji Co. Ltd.2:03.11976Eyeful5T2000Yasuo SugawaraYoshio NakazumiYoshiaki Fujimoto2:03.11977Harbor Young5T2000Yukio OkabeHideo InabaHarbor Co. Ltd.2:02.01978Shimano Katsuharu5D2100Futoshi KojimaRyoji FuruyamaKatsuji Takahashi2:09.71979C.B. Cross4T2000Masato YoshinagaKichisaburo MatsuyamaChigira Bokujo2:00.61980Yoshinosky4T2000Hitoshi MatobaSeisuke SatoMisako Yoshizawa2:08.41981Droppo Lord4T2000Eiji NakanoShizuo ArakiShuzo Takimura2:02.01982Eighty Tosho4T2000Hiroyuki NakajimaShinji OkudairaTosho Sangyo Co. Ltd.2:04.41983Yorozu Happiness4T2000Masanori ItoMitsuhiro OgataIKT Owners Co. Ltd.2:02.21984Dokan Yashima4T2000Eizaburo OtsukaTojiro TanakaArai Kogyo Co. Ltd.2:01.81985Suzu Parade4T2000Masamitsu TamuraRokuro TomitaYoshio Komurasaki2:00.41986Kushiro King4T2000Yukio OkabeTakayoshi NakanoAkira Abe2:01.61987Tochino Nishiki5T2000Seiji EbiwawaHironori KuritaMitsuo Soutome2:02.61988Iron Ciro6T2000Hayato MinataSuenosuke MoriMasayuki Nishiyama2:01.91989Nishino Mirror5T2000Yoshinori MutoMasahiro SatoMasayuki Nishiyama2:00.71990Mejiro Monterey4T2000Norihiro YokoyamaShinji OkudairaMejiro Farm Ltd.2:00.41991Carib Song5T2000Masato ShibataShuho KatoOgibushi Ranch Racing Club Co. Ltd.2:00.41992Tosho Falco6T2000Masato ShibataShinsekiryokuTosho Sangyo Co. Ltd.1:59.61993Sekitai Ryu O4T2000Katsuharu TanakaToshifumi FujiwaraShingen Tourism Co. Ltd.2:00.51994Hidaka Hayato7T2000Eizaburo OtsukaHiroaki MoriyasuSeiho Shokusan Co. Ltd.2:00.71995Sakura Laurel4T2000Futoshi KojimaKatsutaro SakaiShoretsu Zen2:00.51996Best Tie Up4T2000Norihiro YokoyamaYasuhisa MatsuyamaTeruya Yoshida1:59.31997Best Tie Up5T2000Yukio OkabeYasuhisa MatsuyamaTeruya Yoshida2:01.51998Gourmet Frontier6T2000Yukio OkabeKiyotaka TanakaMasayoshi Ishii2:01.41999Silent Hunter6T2000Yutaka YoshidaYokichi OkuboHiroyoshi Usuda2:00.82000Jo Big Bang5T2000Kazuhiro YamadaMasanao TsuboKeiko Ueda2:01.42001Charisma Sun Opera4T2000Eiji NakadateHiroki SakiyamaToshiyuki Kuroyanagi2:01.22002Big Gold4T2000Yoshitomi ShibataTadashi NakaoBig Co. Ltd.1:59.02003Toho Shiden6T2000Katsuharu TanakaKiyotaka TanakaToho Bussan Co. Ltd.2:00.02004Asaka Defeat6T2000Eiji NakadateAkio TsurudomeYoshio Asakawa1:59.22005Craft Work5T2000Norihiro YokoyamaYohiyuki GotoSunday Racing Ltd.1:59.02006Vita Rosa6T2000Yuichi ShibayamaKojiro HahiguchiSunday Racing Ltd.1:59.42007Shadow Gate5T2000Katsuharu TanakaYukihiro KatoTomokazu Iizuka2:02.42008Admire Fuji6T2000Yuga KawadaMitsuru HashidaRiichi Kondo2:00.72009Admire Fuji7T2000Yuga KawadaMitsuru HashidaRiichi Kondo1:58.52010Axion7T2000Shinji FujitaYohitaka NinomiyaTohru Nakata2:00.82011Cosmo Phantom4T2000Masami MatsuokaToru MiyaBig Red Farm Ltd.1:59.82012Federalist5T2000Masayoshi EbinaTsuyoshi TanakaShadai Race Horse Ltd.1:59.42013Touch Me Not7T2000Norihiro YokoyamaIsamu ShibasakiTeruya Yoshida1:59.82014Ocean Blue6T2000Fran BerryYasutoshi IkeeAoshiba Shoji Co. Ltd.2:00.12015Lovely Day5T2000Fran BerryYasutoshi IkeeKaneko Masato Holdings Co. Ltd.1:57.82016Yamakatsu Ace4T2000Kenichi IkezoeKaneo IkezoeKazuo Yamada2:01.22017Tsukuba Azuma O6T2000Yutaka YoshidaMitsuhiro OgataShoji Hagiwara2:00.62018Seda Brillantes4T2000Keita TosakiTakahisa TezukaSilk Racing Ltd.1:59.82019Win Bright5T2000Masami MatsuokaYoshihiro HatakeyamaWin Co. Ltd.1:59.22020Triomphe6T2000Mirco DemuroNaosuke SugaiKuwata Farm Co. Ltd.1:59.52021Hishi Iguazu5T2000Kohei MatsuyamaNoriyuki HoriMasahide Abe2:00.92022Red Galant7T2000Arata SaitoTakayuki YasudaTokyo Horse Racing Co. Ltd.2:00.12023Lagulf4T2000Keita TosakiYoshitada MunakataTakashi Muraki2:00.22024Licancabur5T2000Akihide TsumuraKatsunori TanakaLa Mer Co. Ltd.1:58.92025Al Naseem6T2000Yusuke FujiokaShinsuke HashiguchiLion Race Horse Co. Ltd.1:58.12026Kalamatianos4T2000Akihide TsumuraTakeshi OkumuraSunday Racing Co. Ltd.2:00.3
See also Horse racing in Japan List of Japanese flat horse races
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