The Arima Kinen (有馬記念) is a

Grade I In the United Kingdom, a listed building is a structure of particular architectural or historic interest deserving of special protection. Such buildings are placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, H ...

flat

horse race Horse racing is an equestrian performance activity, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its bas ...

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

open to

Thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a list of horse breeds, horse breed developed for Thoroughbred racing, horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thorough ...

s three-years-old and above and the world's largest betting horserace. It is run in late December each year, over a distance of 2,500 metres (approximately 1 mile and furlongs) at

Nakayama Racecourse was built in 1990 in Funabashi, Chiba, Japan, for horse racing Horse racing is an equestrian performance activity, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for c ...

. It is one of the two "All-Star" races in Japanese horse racing; the other is the

Takarazuka Kinen The Takarazuka Kinen (宝塚記念) is a Grade I flat horse race in Japan for Thoroughbreds aged three and over a distance of 2,200 metres (approximately miles) at Hanshin Racecourse (阪神競馬場) in late June. It is one of the two "All-Sta ...

in late June. The event was first run in 1956, and was initially titled the ''Nakayama Grand Prix'' (中山グランプリ). The following year it was renamed in memory of Yoriyasu Arima (1884–1957), the founder of the race. The distance was originally set at 2,600 metres, and shortened to the present length, 2,500 metres, in 1966. The majority of the runners (10 out of 16) in the field are selected by a vote from racing fans, which must be a

Japan Racing Association The Japan Racing Association () is a public company established in Japan under a law to operate Chūō Keiba (中央競馬 Central horse racing) and to manage racecourses, betting facilities, and horse-training facilities in the country. It was ...

horse. If any horse among the top 10 decided not to participate in the race, the void will be filled with next available horse until 10 available runners are filled. The remainder of 6 (including

National Association of Racing The National Association of Racing ( ''Chiho Keiba Zenkoku Kyokai'', or NAR) is the authority for horse races operated by local governments in Japan (Prefectures, cities A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has ...

(NAR) and foreign-based horses) are determined by the amount of prize money won. Until 1999 the Arima Kinen was open to Japanese trained horses only. However, the

introduced a new condition in 2000 which allowed for the participation of a foreign trained horse, if it had won that year's

Japan Cup The is one of the most prestigious horse races in Japan. It is contested on the last Sunday of November, post time of 15:40 at Tokyo Racecourse in Fuchu, Tokyo at a distance of 2400 meters (about miles) run under weight for age conditions with ...

(although no such eligible horse has participated in this race). The Arima Kinen was classed as a Domestic Grade I until 2006. It was then promoted to an International Grade I in 2007. Consequently, it is now possible for more foreign trained horses to compete in the race. The maximum number of these was set at four in 2007, and increased to six for the 2008 running.

Records

Speed record: * 2:29.5 –

Zenno Rob Roy (27 March 2000 – 2 September 2022) was a Japanese Thoroughbred racehorse and active sire. In a racing career which lasted from February 2003 until December 2005, he ran twenty times, winning seven races and being placed on ten further occasi ...

(2004) Most wins: * 2 – Speed Symboli (1969, 1970) * 2 – Symboli Rudolf (1984, 1985) * 2 – Oguri Cap (1988, 1990) * 2 – Grass Wonder (1998, 1999) * 2 –

Symboli Kris S Symboli Kris S (, foaled January 21, 1999 in the United States – December 8, 2020) was a Japanese Thoroughbred race horse and sire. He was voted Japanese Horse of the Year in 2002 and 2003. He was retired at the end of 2003 and was syndicat ...

(2002, 2003) * 2 -

Orfevre Orfevre (, foaled May 14, 2008) is a retired Japanese Thoroughbred racehorse and active breeding stallion. In 2011 he won the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing#Japan, Japanese Triple Crown and was voted Japanese Horse of the Year. In 2012 he ad ...

(2011, 2013) Most wins by a

jockey A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase (horse racing), steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used ...

: * 4 -

Kenichi Ikezoe Kenichi Ikezoe (, born July 23, 1979池添謙一
- TEAM GRIP(チームグリップ)、2015年12月6日閲覧) ...

(2009, 2011, 2013, 2018) * 4 -

Yutaka Take (born March 15, 1969, in Kyoto, Kyoto) is a Japanese jockey. Take made his riding debut in 1987 and currently holds seven all-time records in Japan. He has won at least one Grade 1 race for 23 straight years until 2010, and a graded stakes rac ...

(1990, 2006, 2017, 2023)

Winners since 1979

Vote leaders since 1984

In 2004 vote, Zenno Rob Roy was estimated to have received fewer votes than

Cosmo Bulk Cosmo may refer to: Business and media * Cosmopolitan (magazine), ''Cosmopolitan'' (magazine), a magazine for women, sometimes referred to as "Cosmo" * Cosmo (book), ''Cosmo'' (book), 2012 short story collection * Cosmo On-Line, a Brazilian ge ...

(Deduced from the official result of Internet vote). However, as Cosmo Bulk was not a Japan Racing Association horse (but belonged to Hokkaido Keiba from NAR) all votes cast for him were invalid.
Vodka was not allowed to participate in the 2009 race, as she was on a 1-month suspension due to nose bleeding in the

Earlier winners

* 1956 - Meiji Hikari * 1957 - Hakuchikara * 1958 - Onward There * 1959 - Garnet * 1960 - Star Roch * 1961 - Homareboshi * 1962 - Onslaught * 1963 - Ryu Forel * 1964 - Yamato Kyodai * 1965 - Shinzan * 1966 - Korehide * 1967 - Kabuto Ciro * 1968 - Ryuzuki * 1969 - Speed Symboli * 1970 - Speed Symboli * 1971 - Tomei * 1972 - Ishino Hikaru * 1973 - Strong Eight * 1974 - Tanino Chikara * 1975 - Ishino Arashi * 1976 - Tosho Boy * 1977 - Ten Point * 1978 - Kane Minobu

References

*Netkeiba: **, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , *

Racing Post ''Racing Post'' is a British daily horse racing, greyhound racing, and sports betting publisher published in print and digital formats. It is printed in tabloid format from Monday to Sunday. , it has an average daily circulation of 60,629 ...

: **, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
japanracing.jp
– ''"The 53rd Arima Kinen" (2008)''
pedigreequery.com
{{Authority control Open middle distance horse races Horse races in Japan Turf races in Japan

Records

Winners since 1979

Vote leaders since 1984

Earlier winners

See also

References