Tenno Sho (Autumn) Preview: A Renowned Race and Rich with Tradition

On Sunday, November 2, top-level racing moves from Kyoto to Tokyo. It is the 2025 Tenno Sho (Autumn) and, together with the longer Tenno Sho (Spring), Sunday's race will mark the 172nd running. Its name translates to "Emperor's Prize" and, appropriately, it is often considered the most prestigious the Japan Racing Association offers. 

The race carries a hefty first prize of ¥300 million JPY (nearly $1.95 million USD) and a purse of ¥651 million ($4.2 million).

Nominations closed on October 19, with only 15 horses elected for the 18 spots. The race has not attracted a full gate since 2017. Its timing four weeks before the Japan Cup and the renowned difficulty of the Tokyo 2,000-meter course often make for smaller fields.

This turf event is open to 3-year-olds and up including geldings, and this year's field features seven Grade 1 winners. The Tenno Sho (Autumn) is often the place 3-year-olds meet older horses in a Grade 1 competition for the first time, and the field Sunday will feature two such colts ― Masquerade Ball and Museum Mile ― both expected to be among the fans' favorites. Four youngsters have won since the race opened to 3-year-olds in 1987 ― Bubble Gum Fellow in 1996, Symboli Kris S in 2002, Efforia in 2021 and Equinox in 2022.

Facts About the Tenno Sho (Autumn)

The Tokyo 2,000 meters starts in the pocket to the right of the grandstand and, only 100 meters later, the field turns into the backstretch, making the inner gates advantageous. No horse further out than No 9 has won the race in the past decade. However, a runner from a double-digit gate has finished in second place twice in the last 10 runnings, and three times in third place.

Over the past 10 runnings, the day's No 1 pick has won seven times and finished in second place once. Double-digit choices have only made the top 3 places twice over the last decade.

As for jockeys, Christophe Lemaire has ridden the winner in an incredible five of the last seven Tenno Sho (Autumn). Yutaka Take holds the record for wins amongst current riders, with seven wins of the race from his first in 1989 aboard Super Creek to 2024's win partnered with Do Deuce.

Equinox holds the race record of 1 minute, 55.2 seconds set in 2023.

The Tenno Sho (Autumn) is the 11th race on the Sunday card of 12 at Tokyo. Post time is 3:40 PM locally.

Here's a look at a number of the expected popular picks:

Masquerade Ball Carries Strong Credentials to the Tenno Sho

Masquerade Ball is one of the brightest stars from the JRA Miho Training Center in Ibaraki Prefecture in this year's lineup. He was third in the Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) and second in the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) only 0.1 seconds behind Croix du Nord. 

A son of 2015 Satsuki Sho and Japanese Derby winner Duramente, he has missed the top 3 spots only once in his six career starts. Masquerade Ball is known for his versatility and a mean turn of foot.

He has won two other races at Tokyo, both over 1,800 meters. This will be his first time, however, to compete against older horses and he is expected to be paired with Lemaire, who's on a double G1 winning streak in as many weeks. Lemaire will be riding Masquerade Ball for the first time in a race. 

The colt returns without a sharpener from the Derby in early June, but trainer Takahisa Tezuka has high hopes for him.

"He is moving better in morning work now than he used to and is more relaxed," Tezuka said. "There is no big change in him physically. Last week (October 23), Lemaire rode and got a reading on his quirks. He'll be competing this time against older horses but I think the distance suits him. With the difference in the assigned weight, and if he can access what he's got, I'm hopeful."

Museum Mile Brings Versatile Experience to Tokyo 

Another highly consistent and versatile 3-year-old colt, the Leontes-sired Museum Mile was runnerup in the Grade 1 Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes over 1,600 meters at Nakayama in December 2024. He then scored a 1-6 in the year's first two Classics, which saw him beat Croix du Nord by a length and a half in the Satsuki Sho. 

Based in Ritto, Shiga Prefecture, at the stable of Daisuke Takayanagi, who fielded last week's Kikuka Sho winner Energico, Sunday's race will only be Museum Mile's second time at Tokyo. But his record at Nakayama (two wins and a fourth) shows the trip east itself shouldn't pose any problems. Museum Mile was prepped with the Grade 2 Asahi Hai St Lite Kinen at Nakayama in mid-September and won by 3/4 length.

He is said to be showing improvement, and he will be gunning for his first win over a left-handed track. 

Cristian Demuro, who has scored a win and a second with Museum Mile at Kyoto, is the assigned jockey.

Meisho Tabaru Shows Impressive Form in Workouts

The 4-year-old Gold Ship-sired Meisho Tabaru returns directly from his win of the Grade 1 Takarazuka Kinen in June. He topped the 2,200-meter Takarazuka field by three lengths only two months after returning from a fifth-place finish in the Dubai Turf over 1,800 meters at Meydan. 

Meisho Tabaru has raced twice over left-handed track (both at Chukyo) thus far and won the Grade 2 Kobe Shimbun Hai over 2,200 meters last year. Though nominated for the 2024 Japanese Derby, the colt was scratched two days prior to the race due to a stone bruise. The distance here should be a plus for him, as his five career wins thus far have been claimed over 1,800-2,200 meters. 

Meisho Tabaru is looking good in morning work and turned in a fine time of 78.3 seconds over the Ritto woodchip course October 23. 

Take, who has been partnered with Meisho Tabaru for his most recent two starts, is pegged for the Tenno Sho ride.

Read the rest of this article about the Tenno Sho (Autumn) and the Japanese horses in contention on JRA News.

RELATED:

• Energico Triumphs in the 86th Running of the Kikuka Sho
• Yutaka Take Captures 7th Tenno Sho (Autumn) Title, Guiding Do Deuce to a Scintillating Victory

Author: JRA News