Horse Racing

Arima Kinen: Museum Mile Claims Half-Length Victory in the Race's 70th Running

With Cristian Demuro handling the reins, Museum Mile swung wide around the final two corners and unleashed a powerful late charge to earn the Arima Kinen win.

by
JRA News
December 28, 2025

Third favorite Museum Mile claimed his second G1 title by dominating the year-end Arima Kinen, aka the "All-Star" Grand Prix, on Sunday, December 28 at Nakayama Racecourse.

The son of Leontes had a pair of wins in his 2-year-old debut year. He also had a second-place finish in the Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes (G1, 1,600 meters).

In 2025, he kicked off his racing season with a fourth-place finish before capturing the Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas, G1, 2,000 meters) in April. Then he finished sixth in the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby, G1, 2,400 meters). His autumn campaign began with a graded win in the St Lite Kinen (G2, 2,200 meters) in September, followed by a 3/4-length second in the 2,000-meter G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn), his first start against older foes in early November.

On Sunday, trainer Daisuke Takayanagi claimed his fourth JRA G1 title following his win in the Satsuki Sho with the colt.

Italian jockey Cristian Demuro, who narrowly missed winning the 2024 Arima Kinen (finishing second with Shahryar by a nose), registered his seventh JRA G1 victory. Seven days earlier, he triumphed aboard Cavallerizzo in the Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes.

Museum Mile Showcases Speed with a Powerful Late Charge

A bit slow out of gate four, Museum Mile settled toward the rear, around 11th-12th from the front. The son of Leontes shadowed second pick Danon Decile (jockey Keita Tosaki's ride) for most of the trip. Then Museum Mile swung wide around the final two corners and unleashed a powerful late charge behind the second pick with a time-tied fastest last-three-furlong drive (34.6 seconds).

The 3-year-old dark bay passed his rivals one by one, outrunning the last two frontrunners — Danon Decile and then Cosmo Kuranda (Takeshi Yokoyama) — in the final strides to reach the wire a half-length in front to claim his Arima Kinen title. (Watch the race on the JRA's YouTube channel.)

"I'm really happy to win the race on the last day of racing of this year," Demuro said. "It was revenge from last year. Last year, Regaleira cut my dream and this year, I brought it back. I just followed Danon Decile all the way. He opened the way for us in the last stretch, and when we came outside, I knew we could beat him.

"The horse likes the Nakayama track, so it was a big advantage for us. I'm very happy to win the Arima Kinen on its 70th anniversary."

The 70th Running of the Arima Kinen

Coming into the race with a win, four runner-up finishes and a third-place finish out of eight starts at Nakayama, 12th choice Cosmo Kuranda chased the pace in second or third after briefly rallying for the lead early and took command at the top of the stretch. The Al Ain colt sustained the bid and maintained the lead. But he was denied by the winner just before the wire, finishing a half-length behind in second while holding off the rest of the field by a neck.

Posted second pick on Sunday, Danon Decile broke smoothly from gate nine and traveled wide in ninth. The 4-year-old son of Epiphaneia improved his position while sweeping wide around the final corners and produced an impressive burst of speed down the lane. Danon Decile was overtaken by the fast-closing Museum Mile in the last 50 meters and finished a neck behind Cosmo Kuranda in third.

Race favorite Regaleira (Christophe Lemaire) was forced to race toward the rear, around 14th, after a poor break. Meeting traffic entering the lane, the defending champion found a narrow opening between horses in the last 100 meters and exerted her strong late kick — the fastest last three furlongs, tied with the winner. But she was too late to catch the top three and finished half a length behind Danon Decile in fourth.

Sunrise Zipangu (Katsuma Sameshima) placed fifth in the 16-horse race.

Read the full report, including details on each of the Arima Kinen entrants, on JRA News.