The is a title awarded annually by the Japan Racing Association (JRA) to an outstanding horse of that category in Thoroughbred horse racing in Japan. Since 1987 the honor has been part of the JRA Awards.
Records Most successful horse (2 wins): Orfevre – 2012, 2013 Kitasan Black – 2016, 2017
Winners Year Horse Trainer Owner Age1987Nippo TeioKinzo KubotuYuichi Yamaichi41988Tamamo CrossIsami ObaraTamamo Inc.41989Inari OneKiyoshi SuzukiHiroki Hotehama51990Oguri CapTsutomu SetoguchiShunsuke Kondo51991Mejiro McQueenYasuo IkeeMejiro Shoji Co41992Mejiro PalmerMasaki OkuboMejiro Shoji Co51993Yamanin ZephyrYusuke KuritaHajime Doi51994Biwa HayahideMitsumasa HamadaBiwa Co., Ltd.41995Sakura Chitose OKatsutaro SakaiSakura Commerce51996Sakura LaurelKatsutaro SakaiSakura Commerce51997Marvelous SundayMakoto OsawaSadao Sasahara41998Taiki ShuttleKazuo FujisawaTaiki Farm41999El Condor PasaYoshitaka NinomiyaTakashi Watanabe42000T M Opera OIchizo IwamotoMasatsugu Takezono42001Agnes DigitalToshiaki ShiraiTakao Watanabe42002Manhattan CafeFutoshi KojimaKen Nishikawa42003Symboli Kris SKazuo FujisawaSymboli Stud42004Zenno Rob RoyKazuo FujisawaShinobu Osako42005Heart's CryKojiro HashiguchiShadai Race Horse Co42006Deep ImpactYasuo IkeeKaneko Makoto Holdings Co., Ltd.42007Admire MoonHiroyoshi MatsudaDarley Japan Farm Co., Ltd.42008Screen HeroYuichi ShikatoTeruya Yoshida42009Dream JourneyYasutoshi IkeeSunday Racing52010Nakayama FestaYoshitaka NinomiyaShinichi Izumi42011Victoire PisaKatsuhiko SumiiYoshimi Ichikawa42012OrfevreYasutoshi IkeeSunday Racing Co.42013OrfevreYasutoshi IkeeSunday Racing Co.52014Just A WayNaosuke SugaiAkatsuki Yamatoya52015Lovely DayYasutoshi IkeeMakoto Kaneko52016Kitasan BlackHisashi ShimizuOno Shoji42017Kitasan BlackHisashi ShimizuOno Shoji52018Rey de OroKazuo FujisawaU Carrot Farm42019Win BrightYoshihiro HatakeyamaWin Co. Ltd52020FierementTakahisa TezukaSunday Racing Co.52021ContrailYoshito YahagiShinji Maeda42022TitleholderToru KuritaHiroshi Yamada42023EquinoxTetsuya KimuraSilk Racing42024Do DeuceYasuo TomomichiKieffers Co. Ltd.52025Forever YoungYoshito YahagiSusumu Fujita4
References
Horse racing in Japan: JRA Awards