Japan Dirt Classic
The Japan Dirt Classic (ジャパンダートクラシック) is a Japanese Domestic Grade 1 flat horse race in Japan for three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies run over a distance of 2,000 metres (approximately 1 mile 2 furlongs) at the Oi Racecourse, Shinagawa, Tokyo in late July.
| Domestic Grade I (JpnI) race | |
Mick Fire and his jockey, Norifumi Mikamoto, winning the 2023 edition of the race | |
| Location | Oi Racecourse Shinagawa, Tokyo, Japan |
|---|---|
| Inaugurated | 1999 |
| Race type | Thoroughbred |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 2000 meters |
| Surface | Dirt |
| Track | Right-handed |
| Qualification | 3-year-old |
| Weight | Colt & Geldings 56 kg, Filly 54 kg |
| Purse | ¥ 102,000,000 (as of 2023) 1st: ¥ 60,000,000 2nd: ¥ 21,000,000 3rd: ¥ 12,000,000 |
It was first run in 1999 as Japan Dirt Derby and is the Japanese equivalent of the American Kentucky Derby. But this race is the last leg of triple crown of minami-kanto keiba (nankan keiba), while Kentucky Derby is the first one of American triple crown races.
The majority of winners comes from the Japan Racing Association (JRA), another Japan horse racing governing body. As JRA do not host any dirt Grade 1 race exclusively for 3-year-old horses. It is also the only 3-year-old Grade 1 race in Japan that Geldings can enter.
In June 2022, it was announced that from 2024 that it will become the third leg of the Japanese Triple Crown of Dirt along with Haneda Hai and Tokyo Derby. The name of the race will be changed to Japan Dirt Classic and the schedule will be moved to October. Geldings will no longer be able to enter and prize money for 1st place will be increased to ¥ 70,000,000.