1. Kikuka Sho Latest News
2. Kikuka Sho 2024 Entries Horse
3. Kikuka Sho race overview
4. Racecourse Feature
5. Kikuka Sho Past Winners

Kikuka Sho Latest News

Kikuka Sho 2024 Entries Horse

2024 JAPANESE DERBY (G1) winner Danon Decile, 2024 ST.LITE KINEN (G2) winner Urban Chic etc are scheduled to run.

＊Please check the entries, Field, result, and other data against JRA official data.

Kikuka Sho race overview

The Kikuka Sho is a G1 horse race organized by the Japan Racing Association (JRA) for 3- year-old colts and fillies, with geldings not permitted to participate. Modeled after the St. Leger in England, it was established in 1938 and is the final leg of Japan's Classic Triple Crown. The Kikuka Sho is run over 3000 meters, and while the Satsuki Sho is said to crown "the fastest horse" and the Japanese Derby "the luckiest horse," the Kikuka Sho is known as the race where "the strongest horse wins."

Since 1995, horses from the National Association of Racing have been eligible to compete, and foreign-bred horses have been allowed since 2001. In 2010, it was further opened to international entries. Priority entry is given to the top 3 finishers in the G2 St Lite Kinen and G2 Kobe Shimbun Hai of the same year.

Racecourse Feature

The Kikuka Sho is run over a course used for both this race and the Manyo Stakes, requiring horses to cover a lap and a half of the outer track. The race starts midway up a hill before the third corner, with 208 meters to the first turn. Horses must navigate six corners in total, making inside positioning advantageous. The course also features a 4.3-meter elevation change between the third and fourth corners, which horses encounter twice during the race. This demands both stamina and the ability to settle in the field. The final stretch is 404 meters long when run on the "A" course.

Kikuka Sho Past Winners

KIKUKA SHO Feature

Latest information on the Kikuka Sho (G1).