The is a Grade 3 (GIII) flat horse race in Japan.
Background The Keisei Hai is a Grade III Thoroughbred race in Japan open to 3-year-old horses of either sex. It is held annually in mid-January 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. The race is run under weight-for-age conditions: colts and geldings carry 57 kg, while fillies carry 55 kg. The first-place prize in 2026 was ¥41 million.
The race is officially titled the “Keisei Hai”, named after its sponsor, Keisei Electric Railway, which operates the Keisei Main Line serving Nakayama Racecourse. The winner receives the Keisei Electric Railway Co., Ltd. Prize. The race is particularly valued as a preparatory step for the Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas), the first race of Japan’s Triple Crown, which takes place in April over the same 2,000-meter distance at Nakayama.
History The Keisei Hai was inaugurated on January 15, 1961, as a 4-year-old (now 3-year-old) restricted stakes race over 1,600 meters on turf (outer course) at Nakayama Racecourse. In 1999, as part of a JRA-wide restructuring of 3-year-old race distances, the event was extended to 2,000 meters and moved to the inner turf course, aligning it with the Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas). The race was designated Grade III in 1984 with the introduction of JRA’s official grading system.
International participation expanded gradually: foreign-bred horses were allowed from 1984, NAR horses from 1996, and foreign-trained horses from 2009, when it became an international GIII event, initially with 8 foreign runners, later increased to 9 in 2015. Due to external factors, the race has occasionally been relocated: it was held at Tokyo Racecourse from 1970 to 1978 and again in 1996 and 2002, primarily due to scheduling adjustments. The 1972 edition was postponed to March due to an outbreak of equine influenza.
In 2024, the race formally adopted fixed weight-for-age (57/55 kg), standardizing conditions for all entrants.
Past winners YearWinnerAgeLength (in m)JockeyTrainerOwnerTime1961Monte Carlo3T1600Seisuke SatoShiro AkiyamaKihachi Mouri1:40.61962O Hayabusa3T1600Katsuhiko FujimotoTomiyoshi FujimotoMasahiko Kasagi1:39.81963Kane no Hikaru3T1600Takemi KagaShotaro AbeYoshiaki Kanesashi1:37.51964Tokino Parade3T1600Yoshio NohiraKazuo TanakaSuzuichi Iguchi1:40.51965Mejiro Mangetsu3T1600Takemi KagaShotaro AbeToyokichi Kitano1:38.51966Speed Symboli3T1600Akira TsudaTomihisa NohiraTomohiro Wada1:40.21967Hougetsu O3T1600Takehisa KagaSueji YamaokaYoshizo Shimazu1:39.31968Light World3T1600Hiroshi HiguchiSuetaro MitsuiGengo Okubo1:39.61969Gallop3T1600Yuji NohiraShiro AkayamaNobuko Enomoto1:39.21970Arrow Express3T1600Masato ShibataSanta TakamatsuHidekazu Date1:37.11971Yashima Raiden3T1600Masanori ItoTokichi OgataShohei Kobayashi1:38.11972Hide Hayate3T1600Yoichi FukunagaShuji ItoHideo Ito1:35.81973Kamino Tesio3T1600Takemi KagaHideo TakahashiMasayasu Hotehama1:37.21974Western Dash3T1600Masanori ItoTokichi OgataNishikawa Shoji Co. Ltd.1:36.91975Tesco Gabby3T1600Yasuo SugawaraYoshio NakazumiTadao Nagashima1:37.51976Climb Kaiser3T1600Takehisa KagaYoshiaki SatoMito Co. Ltd.1:36.41977Hishi Speed3T1600Futoshi KojimaYoshio TakagiMasanobu Abe1:36.71978Take Den3T1600Yukio OkabeTakaaki MotoishiDenichi Takeichi1:37.11979First Ammon3T1600Masato YoshinagaKichisaburo MatsuyamaIchi Sugaura1:37.31980Harbour Shade3T1600Isao ShimadaTsuguyoshi SasakiHarbor Co. Ltd.1:42.11981Tenmon3T1600Isao ShimadaYukio InabaHachie Hara1:36.81982Aswan3T1600Masato YoshinagaKichisaburo MatsuyamaZenya Yoshida1:36.71983Blue Durban3T1600Hiroaki SugiuraToshio NihonyanagiTokusuke Fukushima1:37.71984Hatsuno Amoi3T1600Yasutomo SugawaraYoshio NakamuraHatsutaro Nakagawa1:36.21985Sakura Sunny O3T1600Futoshi KojimaKatsutaro SakaiSakura Commerce Co. Ltd.1:35.61986Dyna Fairy3T1600Sueo MasuzawaYasuhiro SuzukiShadai Race Horse Ltd.1:35.11987Super Phantom3T1600Masato ShibataMitsugu NakamuraMasahiro Hiranoi1:35.71988Tosho Mario3T1600Masato ShibataShinji OkuhiraTosho Sangyo Co. Ltd.1:35.41989Speak Reason3T1600Tomio YasudaMitsuhiro OgataMitsuru Takezaki1:36.31990No More Speedy3T1600Tomio YasudaYasuhisa MatsuyamaTeruya Yoshida1:35.21991Dynamite Daddy3T1600Sueo MasuzawaYasuhiro SuzukiSeiichi Ikeya1:34.81992A.P. Jet3T1600Hitoshi MatobaTakaaki MotoishiDelmar Club Co. Ltd.1:35.21993Osumi Point3T1600Hiroki HashimotoToshiaki ShiraiHidenori Yamaji1:35.81994Biko Pegasus3T1600Hitoshi MatobaTsugio YanagidaLegend Ltd.1:33.91995Mighty Force3T1600Mikio MatsunagaKeiji KatoDiners Club Japan Co. Ltd.1:35.11996Sakura Speed O3T1600Futoshi KojimaKatsutaro SakaiSakura Commerce Co. Ltd.1:34.61997Speed World3T1600Hitoshi MatobaKazuo KonishiIchikawa Real Estate Co. Ltd.1:36.31998Mandarin Star3T1600Yoshitomi ShibataKeiji TakachiiEiichiro Okawa1:36.81999Osumi Bright3T2000Masayoshi EbinaTadashi NakaoHidenori Yamaji2:01.52000Meiner Vintage3T2000Yoshitomi ShibataShozo SasakiThoroughbred Club Ruffian Co. Ltd.2:04.02001Born King3T2000David HarrisonKunihide MatsudaMakoto Kaneko2:03.22002 (dh)Yamamin Seraphim3T2000Koshiro TakeTaira FurukawaTurf Sport Ltd.2:00.4Roman Empire3Masayoshi EbinaHidekazu AsamiHajime Doi2003Suzuka Dream3T2000Masayoshi EbinaMitsuru HashidaKeiji Nagai2:01.72004Focal Point3T2000Norihiro YokoyamaMichifumi KonoShadai Race Horse Ltd.1:59.22005Admire Japan3T2000Norihiro YokoyamaHiroyoshi MatsudaRiichi Kondo2:07.42006Jalisco Light3T2000Hiroshi KitamuraKazuo FujisawaKazumi Yoshida2:03.22007Sun Zeppelin3T2000Masami MatsuokaMakoto SaitoNobuyuki Kato2:01.62008Meiner Charles3T2000Masami MatsuokaRyuichi InabaThoroughbred Club Ruffian Co. Ltd.2:02.92009Early Robusto3T2000Yuichi FukunagaMasaru HondaMishima Bokujo2:02.72010Eishin Flash3T2000Norihiro YokoyamaHideaki FujiwaraToyomitsu Hirai2:03.62011Fateful War3T2000Katsuhara TanakaShinichi ItoShadai Race Horse Ltd.2:00.92012Best Deal3T2000Norihiro YokoyamaSakae KuniedaShadai Race Horse Ltd.2:00.62013Fame Game3T2000Fran BerryYoshitada MunakataSunday Racing Co. Ltd.2:02.32014Pray and Real3T2000Daichi ShibataHiroaki KawazuShigeyuki Okada2:01.12015Beruf3T2000Yuga KawadaYasutoshi IkeeSunday Racing Co. Ltd.2:02.32016Prophet3T2000Shane FoleyYasutoshi IkeeCarrot Racing Co. Ltd.2:01.42017Komano Impulse3T2000Hironobu TanabeMasatatsu KikukawaYoshinobu Hasegawa2:02.52018Generale Uno3T2000Hironobu TanabeEiichi YanoG Riviere Racing Co. Ltd.2:01.22019Last Draft3T2000Christophe LemaireHirofumi TodaSunday Racing Co. Ltd.2:01.22020Crystal Black3T2000Yutaka YoshidaFumimasa TakahashiIsamu Okada2:02.12021Gratias3T2000Christophe LemaireYukihiro KatoThree H Racing2:03.12022Onyankopon3T2000Akira SugawaraShigeyuki KojimaKunio Tabara2:01.32023Sol Oriens3T2000Takeshi YokoyamaTakahisa TezukaShadai Race Horse Ltd.2:02.22024Danon Decile3T2000Norihiro YokoyamaShogo YasudaDanox Co. Ltd.2:00.52025Nishino Agent3T2000Akihide TsumuraNaoto ChibaShigeyuki Nishiyama1:59.92026Green Energy3T2000Keita TosakiYuki UeharaTakafumi Suzue1:59.3
See also Horse racing in Japan List of Japanese flat horse races
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