The is a Grade 2 (GII) flat horse race in Japan.
Namesake The race is named after Procyon, the brightest star in the constellation Canis Minor and part of the “Winter Triangle” asterism alongside Sirius and Betelgeuse.
Background The Procyon Stakes is a Grade II dirt Thoroughbred race in Japan open to horses aged four years and older. It is held annually in late January at Kyoto Racecourse over a distance of 1,800 meters on dirt. 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 (excluding maidens and unraced horses), up to four certified regional (NAR) horses, and foreign-trained horses with priority entry. The first-place prize in 2026 was ¥55 million. The winner receives the "Local Racing National Association Chairman’s Prize" and earns automatic priority entry into the February Stakes (G1).
History The Procyon Stakes was inaugurated on April 13, 1996, at Hanshin Racecourse over 1,400 meters on dirt as part of the Japan Racing Association’s (JRA) initiative to develop a dedicated dirt stakes program. Originally restricted to horses aged five and older (equivalent to four-year-olds under current international age standards), it allowed up to five NAR horses and permitted foreign-bred entries from the outset.
In 2000, the race shifted from spring (April) to summer (June–July), and the age condition was lowered to four years and older. Following Japan’s adoption of international age standards in 2001, the eligibility was briefly listed as “3-year-olds and up,” though this effectively remained four-year-olds in practice. The race became an international event in 2005, allowing up to four foreign-trained horses; this quota later expanded to eight in 2007 after Japan’s elevation to IFHA Part I status.
The venue changed several times due to infrastructure projects: it moved to Kyoto in 2006, then permanently to Chukyo Racecourse in 2012, where it remained through 2023, except for temporary relocations during track renovations (e.g., to Kokura in 2021, 2022, and 2024 due to Hanshin stand refurbishment). In 2025, the race underwent a major transformation: it was upgraded to GII, moved to January, extended to 1,800 meters, and repositioned as a direct prep for the February Stakes, effectively swapping roles and scheduling with the former Tokai Stakes. In 2026, it relocated to Kyoto again.
Past winners YearWinnerAgeLength (in m)JockeyTrainerOwnerTime1996Namura Kakuo5D1400Hiroyuki UemuraAkihiko NomuraNobushige Namura1:23.61997Battle Line4D1400Yutaka TakeHirosuke MatsudaShadai Race Horse Co. Ltd.1:22.91998Tempai5D1400Norihiro YokoyamaNobuharu FukushimaEmiko Kurita1:22.71999Tayasu K Point4D1400Kazuhiro KatoKiyohiro TadokoroAtsushi Nakamura1:23.22000Gold Tiara4D1400Yutaka TakeKunihide MatsudaKazuko Yoshida1:21.92001Broad Appeal7D1400Kent DesormeauxKunihide MatsudaMakoto Kaneko1:22.92002Sterling Rose5D1400Yuichi FukunagaShuji KitahashiKyoei Co. Ltd.1:22.92003Sterling Rose6D1400Yuichi FukunagaShuji KitahashiKyoei Co. Ltd.1:23.02004Nihon Pillow Cert6D1400Futoshi KomakiTetsuya MenoHyakutaro Kobayashi1:22.32005Blue Concorde5D1400Hideaki MiyukiToshiyuki HattoriOgibushi Racing Club Co. Ltd.1:21.92006Meisho Battler6D1400Tetsuzo SatoShigetada TakahashiYoshio Matsumoto1:22.02007Wild Wonder5D1400Masayoshi EbinaTakashi KubotaTsunefumi Kusama1:22.72008Vaincre Tateyama6D1400Kotaro AkagiIsao YasudaYukio Tsuji1:22.02009Lanzarote6D1400Yutaka TakeYasutoshi IkeeCarrot Farm Co. Ltd.1:22.72010Keiai Gerbera4D1400Yasunari IwataOsamu HirataKeiai Prosthetic Materials Sales Co. Ltd.1:21.82011Silk Fortune5D1400Kota FujiokaNorio FujisawaSilk Racing Co. Ltd.1:22.12012Toshi Candy6D1400Manabu SakaiShoichi TemmaKanae Kamimura1:22.62013Admire Royal6D1400Hirofumi ShiiMitsuru HashidaRiichi Kondo1:21.92014Best Warrior4D1400Keita TosakiSei IshizakaYukio Baba1:22.62015Best Warrior5D1400Yuichi FukunagaSei IshizakaYukio Baba1:22.52016Nobo Baccara4D1400Mirco DemuroShoichi TemmaLS.M Co. Ltd.1:22.12017King's Guard6D1400Yusuke FujiokaRyo TerashimaNisshin Farm Ltd.1:22.92018Matera Sky4D1400Yutaka TakeHideyuki MoriTsuyoshi Ono1:20.32019Arctos4D1400Hironobu TanabeToru KuritaKoichiro Ono1:21.22020Sunrise Nova6D1400Fuma MatsuwakaHidetaka OtonashiTakao Matsuoka1:21.82021Meisho Kazusa4D1700Kohei MatsuyamaAkio AdachiYoshio Matsumoto1:40.92022Gempachi Lucifer6D1700Yuga KawadaShozo SasakiTakeshi Hirano1:43.72023Don Frankie4D1400Kenichi IkezoeTakashi SaitoMakoto Hayano1:23.02024Yamanin Ours4D1700Yutaka TakeTakashi SaitoHajime Doi1:42.72025Sunday Funday5D1800Katsuma SameshimaHidetaka OtonashiYoshizawa Holdings Co. Ltd.1:50.62026Lord Couronne5D1800Kazuo YokoyamaHirofumi ShiiLord Horse Club Co. Ltd.1:51.0
See also Horse racing in Japan List of Japanese flat horse races
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