Kyōto Kinen
The Kyōto Kinen is a Grade II race in Japan that is open to international horses. It is held in mid-February at Kyoto Racecourse in Kyoto, Japan.
The race was first run in 1942. It was not run from 1944 to 1947 due to World War II. Initially, the race was run over 3,500 metres and the present race is run over 2,200 metres.
Kyōto Kinen has been rated as a Grade II race since 1984 and was opened for foreign-trained horses at that time, although foreign horses did not run the race until recently.
It is a popular prep race for the Spring Tenno Sho. Takeshiba O, Ten Point, Biwa Hayahide and T. M. Opera O are horses that won both the Kyōto Kinen and the Tenno Sho. Some horses run this race before going to Dubai. In 2007, Admire Moon won this race and the Dubai Duty Free.
Weight
56 kg for four-year-olds, 57 kg for five-year-olds and above.Allowances:
- 2 kg for fillies / mares
- 1 kg for southern hemisphere bred four-year-olds
- If a graded stakes race has been won within a year:
- * 2 kg for a grade 1 win
- * 1 kg for a grade 2 win
- If a graded stakes race has been won for more than a year:
- * 1 kg for a grade1 win
Autumn part
Initially, Kyōto Kinen was held twice a year in spring and autumn. The autumn race was abolished 1984 when Japanese domestic race grading was started.Before the autumn part was abolished, some horses ran both races and five horses won both. Notably, Final Score and Sky Leader won both races in the same year.
Results and records
Most wins by a horse
Most wins by a jockey
- 5 – Yutaka Take
Most wins by a trainer
- 5 – Hiroyoshi Matsuda
Most wins by an owner
- 3 – Sunday Racing
Record winning time
- 2:11.5 Lovely Day
- 2:10.4 Loves Only You
List of recent winners
The 2021, 2022 and 2023 runnings took place at Hanshin while Kyoto was closed for renovation.Previous Winners
- 1942 - Marues
- 1943 - Hayatake
- 1944 - no race
- 1945 - no race
- 1946 - no race
- 1947 - no race
- 1948 - Matsu Midori
- 1949 - Hamakaze
- 1950 - Nishitatsupu
- 1951 - Owens
- 1952 - Sachihomare
- 1953 - Kiyo Strong
- 1954 - Final Score
- 1955 - Sekaiichi
- 1956 - Sekai O
- 1957 - Takakura O
- 1958 - Rising Winner
- 1959 - Iriyu
- 1960 - Fusari Yu
- 1961 - Tygon O
- 1962 - Marni Roll
- 1963 - Motoichi
- 1964 - Ryu Forel
- 1965 - Young Hero
- 1966 - Hatsurai O
- 1967 - Yamaniryu
- 1968 - Nihon Pillow Homare
- 1969 - Takeshiba O
- 1970 - Yokozuna
- 1971 - Continental
- 1972 - Shunsaku Ryu
- 1973 - Hamano Parade
- 1974 - Skyleader
- 1975 - Tanino Chikara
- 1976 - Nara Sanzan
- 1977 - Ten Point
- 1978 - Elimo George
- 1979 - Koichi Saburo
- 1980 - Agnes Lady
- 1981 - Robinson City
- 1982 - Arena O
- 1983 - Masahiko Boy
- 1984 - Kyoei Ascent
- 1985 - Mejiro Thomas
- 1986 - Suda Hawk
- 1987 - Shin Chest
- 1988 - Kashima Wing
- 1989 - Dyna Carpenter
- 1990 - Nice Nice Nice
- 1991 - Prince Shin
- 1992 - Osumi Roch
- 1993 - Paris Harley
- 1994 - Biwa Hayahide
- 1995 - Wako Chikako
- 1996 - T.M. Jumbo
- 1997 - Yutosei
- 1998 - Midnight Bet
- 1999 - Emocion