Yasuda Kinen Preview: The 75th Running of the Mile Turf Race

The Grade 1 Yasuda Kinen is one of the Japan Racing Association's top all-ages mile turf races in the first half of the year. This year, it will be held on Sunday, June 8 at Tokyo Racecourse. It brings the curtain down on a straight, five-week run of top-level races at the track. 

The Yasuda Kinen has long been one of the feature races of the late spring, following the Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) and the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby).

First run in 1951 as the Yasuda Sho, this will be the 75th running of the race, which honors the first JRA president, Izaemon Yasuda. It was originally a handicap race for 4-year-olds and up. Only since 2001 have 3-year-olds been eligible to run. In 1984, it became a Grade 1 contest, and then was established as an international race in 1993. 

Hong Kong's Romantic Warrior was an impressive winner of the race in 2024, but there will be no overseas challengers this time.

Information on the 2025 Yasuda Kinen

There are 19 nominations for the 75th Yasuda Kinen. And despite the absence of foreign runners, some of Japan's top milers ― and others with some versatility ― look set to do battle in the race. The field size is capped at 18 horses. Four-year-olds and up carry 58 kg, and despite a generous allowance of 4 kg for 3-year-olds, there are no 3-year-olds among the nominations this year. 

Just two first favorites have won in the last 10 years ― Romantic Warrior was the last one. Instead, the race has favored 4-year-olds in the past decade, with five of them winning. 

Record time for the race is held by Indy Champ, who won in 2019 in a time of 1 minute, 30.9 seconds. 

This year, the winner receives ¥180 million JPY (about $1.25 million USD), as well as an automatic entry to the Breeders' Cup in Del Mar, California, later in 2025.

Lead-up races have included the Grade 1 Osaka Hai, run at Hanshin in April, the Grade 2 Nakayama Kinen, run over 1,800 meters in March, and the Grade 2 Yomiuri Milers Cup, run at Kyoto in April. Some runners are also returning after races overseas.

The Yasuda Kinen is the 11th race on the Sunday card at Tokyo, with a post time of 3:40 PM.

Here is a look at some of the runners expected to be in the lineup:

Soul Rush Chasing Yasuda Kinen Glory

He might now be a 7-year-old, but beating Romantic Warrior at Dubai's Meydan Racecourse in April must surely be the highlight of Soul Rush's career, and he's not finished yet. Soul Rush has a good chance to add this week's Grade 1 to his CV, together with making it a first win at Tokyo, which up to now he hasn't managed. 

Seemingly getting better as he ages, assistant trainer Hiroshi Kanetake gave an update on the horse: "It was a great win last time when he beat Romantic Warrior. Since last autumn's Mile Championship, his results have been very good, so on his return to the stable this time, it feels like there's something special about him."

Kanetake then said, "His condition is good once again, and we still have some leeway with him. In a recent piece of work on the woodchip course, his final furlong time was 10.5 seconds." 

Jockey Suguru Hamanaka is scheduled to ride Soul Rush this time.

Sixpence Brings Impressive Credentials Into the Race

The 4-year-old colt by Kizuna is versatile when it comes to distance, and Sixpence has won five of his seven career starts. He was last seen finishing seventh in the Grade 1 Osaka Hai in April, when perhaps he didn't get the best of luck, as trainer Sakae Kunieda hinted at recently. 

"He was in good condition for his last race, and started well from a wide gate," Kunieda said. "But he didn't really get cover in the race, so it might just have been the difference. He came back to the stable on May 14, and things have been fine with him. There's no problem with his hooves now." 

Christophe Lemaire is booked to ride Sixpence on Sunday.

Jantar Mantar Set for His 1st Race of 2025

Jantar Mantar has won two Grade 1 races over a mile, including last year's NHK Mile Cup, so the Palace Malice-sired colt seems suited to the distance of Sunday's race. He had his worst-ever result last time out in Hong Kong in December 2024, and this will be his first run of 2025. 

"He finished 13th last time in the Hong Kong Mile, and we couldn't come up with a reason for that performance," trainer Tomokazu Takano said.

Takano added, "He had to miss the Fuji Stakes before that with a fever, and there was also some tiredness after his trip to Hong Kong. So in giving him plenty of time to get back to himself, the Yasuda Kinen became his next target in this first half of the year." 

Jockey Yuga Kawada will be hoping for a return to form for Jantar Mantar this week.

Read the rest of this article about the Yasuda Kinen and the Japanese horses in contention on JRA News.

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Author: JRA News