Tokyo Racecourse (東京競馬場, Tōkyō Keiba-jō) is located in Fuchū, Tokyo, Japan.[1] Built in 1933 for horse racing, it is considered the "racecourse of racecourses" in Japanese horseracing.[1] It has a capacity of 223,000, with seating for 13,750.[2]

Tokyo Racecourse
東京競馬場
Aerial Photo of the Tokyo Racecourse (2019)
LocationFuchū, Tokyo, Japan
Owned byJapan Racing Association
Date opened1933
Screened onTV Tokyo (Saturday)
Fuji Television (Sunday)
NHK (both General TV and BS-hi; select Sundays)
Green Channel
TVG Network (USA broadcasting)
Horse Racing TV (occasional USA broadcasting)
Course typeFlat, Steeplechase
Notable racesJapan Cup
Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby)
Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks)
Yasuda Kinen
Tenno Sho (Autumn)
February Stakes
NHK Mile Cup
Victoria Mile (G1)
Official website
Main grandstand at the Tokyo Racecourse
Turf Vision video screen

Tokyo Racecourse hosts numerous G1 (Grade 1) races, including the Japan Cup, Tokyo Yushun (the Japanese Derby) and the Yasuda Kinen, a part of the Asian Mile Challenge.[1]

Physical attributes

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Tokyo Race Course's grass course measures 2083m (1¼ miles + 234 feet) with two chutes (1800m and 2000m). Races can be run on the "A Course" rail setting (on the hedge), the "B Course" setting (rail out 3 meters), the "C Course" setting (rail out 6 meters), the "D Course" setting (rail out 9 meters) or the "E Course" setting (rail out 12 meters).[3]

The dirt course measures 1899 meters (1⅛ mile + 290 feet), with a 1600m chute.[3]

The jump course measures 1675 meters (1 mile + 215 feet).

There was a chute for 3200m races (used for the Tenno Sho Autumn races), but when the race was shortened to 2000m, the 3200m chute was useless and is not in use as of today.

The course was renovated in 2007 (started in 2000), adding the world's largest video screen and upgrading a grandstand, named the "Fuji View Stand", which in today is the main grandstand of the course. The "Memorial 60" grandstand was also added.

All races have a US style gate run distance of approximately 5 metres, before official timing begins.

The high-definition video screen measured 218 feet (66 m) wide by only 37 feet (11 m) high at 8,066 square feet (749.4 m2). In 2009 Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri took the world's largest title with an 84-foot (26 m) by 104-foot (32 m) is 8,736-square-foot (811.6 m2) screen.[4]

Transportation

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The racecourse is linked to Fuchūkeiba-seimommae Station by a footbridge.[note 1] Another footbridge connects the racecourse with the Fuchuhonmachi Station of JR East.[5]

Notable races

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Month Race Distance Age/Sex
Grade I
Feb. February Stakes Dirt 1600m 4yo +
May. NHK Mile Cup Turf 1600m 3yo c&f
May. Victoria Mile Turf 1600m 4yo + f
May. Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) Turf 2400m 3yo f
May./Jun. Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) Turf 2400m 3yo c&f
Jun. Yasuda Kinen Turf 1600m 3yo +
Oct./Nov. Tenno Sho (Autumn) Turf 2000m 3yo +
Nov. Japan Cup Turf 2400m 3yo +
Grade II
Apr. Flora Stakes (Oaks Trial) Turf 2000m 3yo f
Apr./May Aoba Sho (Derby Trial) Turf 2400m 3yo
May Keio Hai Spring Cup (Yasuda Kinen Trial) Turf 1400m 4yo +
May Meguro Kinen (Handicap) Turf 2500m 3yo +
Oct. Mainichi Okan (Tenno Sho Autumn Trial) Turf 1800m 3yo +
Oct. Fuchu Himba Stakes (Queen Elizabeth II Commemorative Cup Trial) Turf 1800m 3yo + f
Nov. Copa Republica Argentina (Handicap) Turf 2500m 3yo +
Nov. Keio Hai Nisai Stakes Turf 1400m 2yo
Grade III
Jan./Feb. Tokyo Shimbun Hai Turf 1600m 4yo +
Jan./Feb. Negishi Stakes (February Stakes Trial) Dirt 1400m 4yo +
Jan./Feb. Kyodo News Service Hai Turf 1800m 3yo
Feb. Diamond Stakes (Handicap) Turf 3400m 4yo +
Feb. Queen Cup Turf 1600m 3yo f
Jun. Epsom Cup Turf 1800m 3yo +
Oct. Fuji Stakes (Mile Championship Trial) Turf 1600m 3yo +
Oct./Nov. Musashino Stakes (Champions Cup Trial) Dirt 1600m 3yo +
Nov. Tokyo Sports Hai Nisai Stakes Turf 1800m 2yo
Nov. Artemis Stakes Turf 1600m 2yo f
Unlisted Races
Jan. Crocus Stakes Turf 1400m 3yo
J-Grade II (Steeplechase)
Jun. Tokyo High-Jump Turf 3300m 3yo +
J-Grade III (Steeplechase)
Oct. Tokyo Autumn Jump Turf 3300m 3yo +

Track records

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Source:レコードタイム表 (Record time table) -> 東京競馬場 (Tokyo Racecourse)

  • † Reference Time.
  • Last updated on November 4, 2023.

Turf course (2yo)

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Distance Time Racehorse Sex Weight Jockey Date Recorded
1400m 1:20.6 Corazon Beat Filly 55kg Takeshi Yokoyama November 4, 2023
1600m 1:32.7 Salios Colt 55kg Shuu Ishibashi October 5, 2019
1800m 1:44.5 Contrail Colt 55kg Ryan Moore November 16, 2019
2000m 1:58.5 With Grace Filly 54kg Christophe Lemaire November 28, 2021

Turf course (3yo+)

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Distance Time Racehorse Sex Weight Jockey Date Recorded
1400m 1:19.4 Tower of London Horse 4 56kg Damian Lane May 11, 2019
1600m 1:30.5 Normcore Mare 4 55kg Damian Lane May 12, 2019
1800m 1:44.1 Salios Horse 5 56kg Kohei Matsuyama October 9, 2022
2000m 1:55.2 Equinox Horse 4 58kg Christophe Lemaire October 29, 2023
2300m 2:18.4 Albilla Colt 3 56kg Christophe Lemaire April 24, 2021
2400m 2:20.6 Almond Eye Filly 3 53kg Christophe Lemaire November 25, 2018
2500m 2:28.2 Look Twice Horse 6 55kg Damian Lane May 26, 2019
3400m 3:29.1 Mixology Horse 4 56kg Atsuya Nishimura February 18, 2023

Dirt course (2yo)

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Distance Time Racehorse Sex Weight Jockey Date Recorded
1300m 1:17.4 Mr Melody Colt 55kg Keita Tosaki November 4, 2017
1400m 1:23.1 Yuwa Hurricane Colt 55kg Eiji Nakadate October 8, 2005
1600m 1:36.2 Le Vent Se Leve Colt 55kg Mirco Demuro October 14, 2017

Dirt course (3yo+)

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Distance Time Racehorse Sex Weight Jockey Date Recorded
1300m 1:16.1 Satono Fantasy Colt 3 56kg Keita Tosaki November 12, 2016
1400m 1:21.5 Nonkono Yume Gelding 6 58kg Hiroyuki Uchida January 28, 2018
1600m 1:33.5 Desierto Colt 3 54kg Keita Tosaki October 10, 2022
2100m 2:06.7 Vermilion Horse 5 57kg Yutaka Take November 24, 2007
2400m 2:28.6 Groovin' High Horse 4 56kg Katsuharu Tanaka February 18, 2007

Notes

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  1. ^ Fuchūkeiba (Fuchu Racecourse) is another name derived from Fuchu City, where the Tokyo Racecourse is located.

References

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  1. ^ a b c The Japan Association for International Horse Racing. "Racecourses (JRA): Tokyo Racecourse". Archived from the original on 2007-02-16. Retrieved 2007-02-26.
  2. ^ "Tokyo Racecourse Information". tokyoracecourse.com. Archived from the original on 31 August 2019. Retrieved 31 August 2022.
  3. ^ a b The Japan Association for International Horse Racing. "Tokyo Racecourse". Retrieved 7 December 2009.
  4. ^ Kansas City Royals to get 'world's largest' HD LED scoreboard – endgadeget.com – Retrieved May 18, 2009
  5. ^ "所在地・アクセス:東京競馬場 JRA". jra.jp. Japan Racing Association. Retrieved 2023-10-28.

35°39′46.8″N 139°29′6″E / 35.663000°N 139.48500°E / 35.663000; 139.48500