2013 Japan Autumn International – Mile Championship

On the weekend prior to the Japan Cup at Tokyo, Kyoto Racecourse once again hosts the top-level racing, with the Mile Championship in its traditional spot amid the stunning fall foliage on the third weekend in November.

The second leg of the Japan Autumn International, the Mile Championship this year marks its 30th running.

Although open to foreign horses, this year’s edition is all-local. Tosen Ra and Danon Shark are the top-rated horses in the field, followed closely by Grand Prix Boss, Dark Shadow and Curren Black Hills.

Like its spring counterpart the Yasuda Kinen, the Mile Championship determines the top miler for the season.

Japan Racing on TwinSpires starts at 8pm ET/5pm PT this Saturday.

FREE Past Performances for the horses nominated to the Mile Championship

Field for the 2013 Group 1 Japan Racing Mile Championship

Post Horse Trainer Jockey Odds
1 Copano Richard(JPN) Toru Miya Suguru Hamanaka TBD
2 Sadamu Patek(JPN) Masato Nishizono Ryuji Wada TBD
3 Red Oval(JPN) Takayuki Yasuda Mirco Demuro TBD
4 Daiwa Maggiore(JPN) Yoshito Yahagi Masayoshi Ebina TBD
5 Tosen Ra(JPN) Hideaki Fujiwara Yutaka Take TBD
6 Garbo(JPN) Hidekatsu Shimizu Syu Ishibashi TBD
7 Sanrei Laser(JPN) Yoshitada Takahashi Kota Fujioka TBD
8 Curren Black Hill(JPN) Osamu Hirata Yasunari Iwata TBD
9 Danon Yoyo(JPN) Hidetaka Otonashi Hideaki Miyuki TBD
10 Donau Blue(JPN) Sei Ishizaka William Buick TBD
11 Sakura Gospel(JPN) Tomohito Ozeki Norihiro Yokoyama TBD
12 Clarente(JPN) Kojiro Hashiguchi Yuga Kawada TBD
13 Danon Shark(JPN) Ryuji Okubo Yuichi Fukunaga TBD
14 L’Ile d’Aval(JPN) Yasutoshi Ikee Mickael Barzalona TBD
15 Dark Shadow(JPN) Noriyuki Hori Ryan Moore TBD
16 Grand Prix Boss(JPN) Yoshito Yahagi Christophe Lemaire TBD
17 Meine Isabel(JPN) Takahiro Mizuno Masami Matsuoka TBD
18 Real Impact(JPN) Noriyuki Hori Keita Tosaki TBD

2013 Mile Championship Information

Date: Saturday, November 16
Where: Kyoto Racecourse, Japan
Distance: 1,600 meters, Turf (about 8 furlongs)
Conditions: 3yo & up, fillies & mares
Purse: about US$ 2,311,000

About the Mile Championship

The Mile Championship, for 3-year-olds and up, was founded in 1984 to help bolster the short distance program of the JRA, which for long had been built around longer events. The Mile Championship began accepting horses from overseas in 1998 — a maximum of nine are currently allowed — and received international Grade 1 status in 2004. This year, however, no horses from abroad will be competing.

A full field of 18 starts on the back stretch of the outer oval at the right-handed Kyoto track, which runs flat for close to 600 meters before turning upward. The course rises for four meters over 400 meters, then dips into the final turn before a flat straight that runs for more than 400 meters to the finish line.

A Shin Forward holds the race and course record of 1 minute 31.8 seconds set in 2010.

Past Winners of the Mile Championship

Year Winner Jockey 2nd 3rd
2012 Sadamu Patek (JPN) Y. Take Grand Prix Boss (JPN) Donau Blue (JPN)
2011  Eishin Apollon (USA) K. Ikezoe Fifth Petal (JPN) Sahpresa (FR)
2010 A Shin Forward (JPN) Y. Iwata Danon Yoyo (JPN) Gorski (JPN)
2009 Company(JPN) N. Yokoyama Meiner Falke (JPN) Sahpresa (FR)
2008 Blumenblatt(JPN) Yutaka Yoshida Super Hornet(JPN) Fine Grain(JPN)
2007 Daiwa Major(JPN) Katsumi Ando Super Hornet(JPN) Suzuka Phoenix(JPN)
2006 Daiwa Major(JPN) Katsumi Ando Dance in the Mood(JPN) Symboli Gran(IRE)
2005 Hat Trick(JPN) Olivier Peslier Daiwa Major(JPN) Daiwa Major(JPN)

About Kyoto Racecourse

The Mile Championship is run over 1600m on turf on a right-handed track. The race starts from the chute at the second turn, traveling flat for 400m to the third turn. The third turn, which is the remaining 800m to the finish, is the highest point of the track. From the backstretch to the third turn, horses travel uphill for 3.6m (0.9%) for 400m, and there is steep downhill of 3.2m (2.28%) for 140m leading to the fourth turn to the homestretch. The 403m homestretch is flat throughout.

kyoto racecourse

kyoto racecourse