Tōkyō Yūshun

Tōkyō Yūshun
The , also called the is a Grade 1 flat horse race in Japan for three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies run over a distance of 2,400 metres (approximately 1 mile 4 furlongs) at the Tokyo Racecourse, Fuchū, Tokyo in late May or early June.
It was first run in 1932 and is the Japanese equivalent of the English Epsom Derby. It is the second leg of the Japanese Triple Crown, preceded by the Satsuki Shō (the Japanese equivalent of the English 2,000 Guineas) in mid-late April and followed by the Kikuka Shō (the Japanese equivalent of the English St. Leger Stakes) in mid-late October.
Since 2010, the Tokyo Yūshun (along with several other JRA Japanese domestic Grade 1 races, including the other Japanese classics such as the Satsuki Shō and the Kikuka Shō) is open to international competition due to Japan's inclusion in the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities' ICS Part I category, in which all graded black-type races in the JRA calendar are open to international competition. Races prior to 2001 (along with the other Japanese classics) were only limited to Japanese-bred horses. Since 2001, foreign-bred horses are allowed, but until 2010 this race (and the other classics) were only limited to Japanese-trained horses. The current rule allows fielding at most seven entries either not bred/trained in Japan.
Step races
If horses from the National Association of Racing win any 3-year-old JRA Grade 2 or 3 races before the Derby, they will be eligible to enter the Japanese Derby if ranked high enough in prize money. Priority entry rights cannot be applied to them; should they finish in such position in such races, extra entry right will be given out to Kyoto Shimbun Hai (at most of two).
The Satsuki Shō, the Aoba Shō and the Principal Stakes are the official trial races for the Japanese Derby. The top five finishers in the Satsuki Shō, the top two finishers in the Aoba Shō and the winner of the Principal Stakes are guaranteed a place in the field for the Derby, regardless of prize money. Overall, there are seven automatic qualifying spots in the Derby; the other 10 entries are "at-large" horses determined by prize money earned prior to racing in the Derby. The Kyoto Shimbun Hai is officially considered a step race even though it does not normally give entry rights. The NHK Mile Cup, the only non-Triple Crown three-year-old GI horse race, is not an official step race, but has gained importance in recent years as horses such as Tanino Gimlet (2002), King Kamehameha (2004, won) and Deep Sky (2008, won) participated in that race and would eventually win the Derby.
Winners since 1990
Earlier winners
1932 - Wakataka
1933 - Kabutoyama
1934 - Fray Mor
1935 - Governor
1936 - Tokumasa
1937 - Hisatomo
1938 - Sugenuma
1939 - Kumohata
1940 - Ieryu
1941 - St Lite
1942 - Minami Homare
1943 - Kurifuji
1944 - Kaiso
1945 - No race
1946 - No race
1947 - Matsu Midori
1948 - Miharu O
1949 - Tachikaze
1950 - Kumono Hana
1951 - Tokino Minoru
1952 - Kurino Hana
1953 - Bostonian
1954 - Golden Wave
1955 - Otokitsu
1956 - Hakuchikara
1957 - Hikaru Meiji
1958 - Daigo Homare
1959 - Komatsu Hikari
1960 - Kodama
1961 - Hakusho
1962 - Fair Win
1963 - Meizui
1964 - Shinzan
1965 - Keystone
1966 - Teito O
1967 - Asa Denko
1968 - Tanino Harromore
1969 - Daishin Volgard
1970 - Tanino Moutiers
1971 - Hikaru Imai
1972 - Long Ace
1973 - Take Hope
1974 - Colonel Lancer
1975 - Kaburaya O
1976 - Climb Kaiser
1977 - Lucky Ruler
1978 - Sakura Shori
1979 - Katsurano Haiseiko
1980 - Opec Horse
1981 - Katsu Top Ace
1982 - Bamboo Atlas
1983 - Mr. C.B.
1984 - Symboli Rudolf
1985 - Sirius Symboli
1986 - Dyna Gulliver
1987 - Merry Nice
1988 - Sakura Chiyono O
1989 - Winner's Circle
See also
Horse racing in Japan
List of Japanese flat horse races
References
Racing Post:
,
Horse races in Japan
Turf races in Japan
Flat horse races for three-year-olds