Bluebird Cup


The Bluebird Cup is a domestic grade III flat horse race in Japan.

Background

The Bluebird Cup is a JpnIII stakes race in Japan’s NAR system, organized by the Chiba Prefecture Racing Association and held at Funabashi Racecourse. Since 2024, it is run annually in mid-January over 1,800 meters on dirt, exclusively for 3-year-old Thoroughbreds. The race serves as an official trial for the Haneda Hai, with the winning locally trained horse earning priority entry into the race.
Eligibility includes both NAR-selected and JRA-selected horses, with up to four JRA-trained runners permitted. Weight is set at 56 kg. Additional weight penalties apply based on prior earnings: JRA horses with over ¥5 million in prize money, or NAR horses with over ¥12 million, carry an extra 1 kg. The first-place prize in 2026 is ¥24 million. The race’s official title is the “Nikkan Gendai Sho Bluebird Cup”, named after the newspaper Nikkan Gendai, which provides the winner’s trophy. Multiple subsidiary prizes are awarded, including honors from the JRA Chairman, the National Association of Racing, and regional breeding associations.

History

The Bluebird Cup was first run on February 15, 1956, as a restricted race for 4-year-old Arabian-bred horses, a common format in early Japanese racing. It remained an Arabian-only event in 1997. A change occurred in 1998, when the race was opened to Thoroughbreds under an “All-Comer” format. From 1999 onward, it became Thoroughbred-exclusive. The race maintained graded status until 2005, after which it was downgraded to a non-graded special race from 2006 to 2016. In 2017, it was elevated to quasi-graded status. During this period, it also served as a trial for the Tokyo Bay Cup, granting top finishers priority entry.
A major restructuring came in 2024, as part of Japan’s nationwide dirt racing system reform. The Bluebird Cup was reinstated as a formal Dirt Grade race, designated JpnIII, and repositioned as a key prep for the Haneda Hai. The distance was extended from 1,600m to 1,800m, aligning it with modern dirt classic standards. Despite the long hiatus from graded status, the race retained its original numbering, thus the 2024 edition was officially the 50th Bluebird Cup.

Past winners

Netkeiba

Source:
  • ,,