11月 25, 2025
【2025JapanCup】European Challenger on Japan’s Fast Turf! Calandagan Enters the Japan Cup
Hello everyone! The autumn horse racing season is reaching its climax, and the year-end mood is finally setting in.
This time, we’ve summarized the Japan Cup (JC), which is often called the “symbol of international racing” in Japanese horse racing!
In this article, we’ll cover the following topics:
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Will this year’s champion be a three-year-old horse, or an older horse? Or will it be the world’s strongest horse, Calandagan?
Let’s dive in!
🌏 Features of the Japan Cup
The Japan Cup is an international Grade 1 turf race of 2400m held annually at Tokyo Racecourse in late November.
The main attraction is the “Japan’s strongest vs. the world’s best” showdown, with top contenders from all over the world gathering.
・Location: Tokyo Racecourse
・Distance: 2400m turf
・Eligibility: 3 years old and above, International G1
・Total Prize Money: ¥500 million for 1st place
One distinctive feature is that the race invites the world’s top horses.
Although fewer overseas horses participate in recent years, the race still holds immense value as a “world-class event.”
Speaking of Tokyo 2400m, the long straight immediately after the start reduces the influence of post positions.
It’s a course where true ability often directly translates to results—truly a “merit-based” race.
Also, the Japan Cup is harder to predict pace-wise than other races.
Some years see fast tracks, while others with more overseas entries tend to be slower, adding to the unpredictability.
🏆 History of the Japan Cup
The Japan Cup was established in 1981 to internationalize Japanese horse racing.
At the time, Japanese horses couldn’t compete with overseas horses, and in the early years, foreign horses dominated.
However, from the late 1990s to the 2000s, Japanese horses became stronger.
Especially during the era of famous horses like El Condor Pasa, T.M. Opera O, and Deep Impact, Japan produced world-class racehorses, raising the international status of the race even further.
In recent years, iconic moments include Almond Eye’s record-breaking win and Equinox’s overwhelming victory.
Both are remembered as “world-class horses winning the JC at a world-class level.”
In this way, the Japan Cup is also a stage that shows “how far Japanese horse racing has reached world standards.”
🎯 Positioning of the Japan Cup
The Japan Cup is the ultimate race in the autumn older horse middle-distance circuit and serves as the second leg of the Autumn Older Horse Triple Crown (Tenno Sho Autumn → JC → Arima Kinen).
While the Tenno Sho Autumn at 2000m is a “speed and acceleration battle,” the JC at 2400m is a “test of overall ability.”
The distance changes, and the required abilities shift accordingly.
・Tenno Sho Autumn … Speed × Acceleration
・Japan Cup … Stamina × Power × Endurance
・Arima Kinen … Toughness × Track Adaptability × Tactics
Among these, the Japan Cup is a stage where ability is most directly tested.
Additionally, its status as an International G1 and its large prize money attract the world’s top competitors.
Therefore, the Japan Cup is strongly positioned as the “decider of Japan’s strongest horse”.
Recent JC winners often enter the top ranks of the world rankings the following year.
🔥 Horses to Watch in 2025
Now, let’s take a look at the top contenders for this year’s Japan Cup!
① Croix du Nord – 3-year-old – Yuichi Kitamura
A star horse needing no introduction, representing the 3-year-old protagonists. Tokyo 2400m is the same stage where he won this year’s Japanese Derby.
It’s said that if other 3-year-olds win, their value rises even without winning yet.
The Japan Cup, which tests endurance, is the perfect stage for his abilities. Will any horse take the lead against this duo?
② Masquerade Ball – 3-year-old – C. Lemaire
The reigning Tenno Sho Autumn champion, Masquerade Ball, has a new jockey replacing Sakai. He hasn’t yet taken the lead against Croix du Nord, but it’s clear he has grown in strength. Can he make amends for his Derby disappointment on his preferred Tokyo middle-distance stage? This is his debut with a new rider.
③ Danon Desile – 4-year-old – Keita Tosaki
The 2024 Derby winner who always gives us something interesting every time he runs. Overseas-returned horses will be looking forward to facing a Japanese horse after nearly a year. His abilities are endorsed even by Justin Milano. The stage is set! His father’s timer hasn’t kicked in yet, making him an intriguing contender.
④ Shin Emperor – 4-year-old – Rusei Sakai
Both horse and rider aim for the very top of the world—nothing less.
He debuted last year on the main track, but his jockey became world No.1 first. Shin Emperor should have grown as well, aiming for his first G1 victory this year.
⑤ Brady Vague – 5-year-old – Jockey Marca
The only filly in the race, making a comeback. Her jockey Marca aims to become the best in the world. A fast-maturing daughter of Canario, she is known for her early bloom in 2023 Elizabeth Queen’s race. Her first 2400m is untested. Will she challenge the title and match Almond Eye’s 2020 feat?
⑥ Calandagan – 4-year-old – Jockey Barzalona
First, take a look at the next image.
Quoted from Netkeiba. This year, Calandagan is the only overseas entrant. His record is 13 starts, 7 wins 【7-5-1-0】. He is currently one of the strongest European horses. He has placed in every single one of his 13 races. If he wins, it will be the first foreign victory since Arcasset (UK) in 2005, a 19-year gap. In the next section, I’ll discuss how differences between overseas and Japanese racecourses might be a key point.
👀 Key Points for Race Projection
When predicting the Japan Cup, it is easier to keep the following points in mind:
- Pace is hard to read, but slow to average is typical
- Leaders rarely hold on to win
- Mid-field to back runners can still make a difference
- Horses with the fastest finishing speed tend to win
This year in particular, horses coming from behind are strongly favored.
With 2400m compared to the Tenno Sho Autumn, horses can save energy and make a big finishing move.
Let’s briefly touch on Calandagan, who has been winning based on sheer ability.
The Japan Cup was created with the slogan “producing world-class horses.” However, recent challenges by foreign horses may seem low-level, with none placing in the top 3 in 13 years. This is a misconception.
The reason is the difference in track conditions. As seen in the previous Calandagan image, his July 26, 2025, turf 2390m time was 2:29.74.
In contrast, Almond Eye’s time was 2:20.6, and Equinox’s was 2:21.8.
It’s natural to think there is something different between overseas horses and Japanese tracks. Of course, the level of Japanese horses has risen overall.
Overseas turf is softer and races demand stamina. Japanese racecourses, however, are faster. The quality of races differs fundamentally.
When prize money rises to ¥700–800 million, perhaps more overseas horses will challenge the JC.
🐎 Summary
The Japan Cup is not just a G1 race, but a benchmark for the international competitiveness of Japanese horse racing.
Historically, horses that win here are often remembered as legendary.
This year also gathers a strong field, making the “key contenders” more numerous than usual.
・Horses for which 2400m is ideal
・Horses that can finish strongly in Tokyo
・Horses capable of withstanding international G1 competition
・Horses in good form this year
Use these points as a reference for your predictions!
Next time, I’ll summarize the key data to watch for in the Japan Cup!
Stay tuned for the next article!
See you next time.
Yukiya