Tokyo Racecourse

Tokyo Racecourse
東京競馬場

Aerial Photo at the Tokyo Racecourse
Location Fuchū, Tokyo, Japan
Owned by Japan Racing Association
Date opened 1933
Screened on TV Tokyo (Saturday)
Fuji Television (Sunday)
NHK (both General TV and BS-hi; select Sundays)
TVG Network (USA broadcasting)
Horse Racing TV (occasional USA broadcasting)
Course type Flat, Steeplechase
Notable races Japan 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 (東京競馬場 Tōkyō Keiba-jō) is located in Fuchu, 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,[2] with seating for 13,750.

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

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. The HD 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 a 84-foot (26 m) by 104-foot (32 m) is 8,736-square-foot (811.6 m2) screen.[4]

Notable races

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. Unicorn Stakes Dirt 1600m 3yo
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
J-Grade II (Steeplechase)
Nov. Artemis Stakes Turf 1600m 2yo f
Nov. Icho Stakes Turf 1600m 2yo
J-Grade II (Steeplechase)
Jun. Tokyo High-Jump Turf 3300m 3yo +
J-Grade III (Steeplechase)
Oct. Tokyo Autumn Jump Turf 3300m 3yo +

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Tokyo Racecourse.
  1. 1 2 3 The Japan Association for International Horse Racing. "Racecourses (JRA): Tokyo Racecourse". Archived from the original on 2007-02-16. Retrieved 2007-02-26.
  2. http://www.worldstadiums.com/stadium_pictures/asia/japan/kanto/tokyo_racecourse.shtml
  3. 1 2 The Japan Association for International Horse Racing. "Tokyo Racecourse". Retrieved 7 December 09. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  4. Kansas City Royals to get 'world's largest' HD LED scoreboard – endgadeget.com – Retrieved May 18, 2009

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


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