The is a domestic grade III (JpnIII) flat horse race in Japan.

Background The Bluebird Cup is a JpnIII (Dirt Grade) stakes race in Japan’s NAR (National Association of Racing) system, organized by the Chiba Prefecture Racing Association and held at Funabashi Racecourse. Since 2024, it is run annually in mid-January over 1,800 meters on dirt, exclusively for 3-year-old Thoroughbreds. The race serves as an official trial for the Haneda Hai, with the winning locally trained horse earning priority entry into the race.

Eligibility includes both NAR-selected and JRA-selected horses, with up to four JRA-trained runners permitted. Weight is set at 56 kg (54 kg for fillies). Additional weight penalties apply based on prior earnings: JRA horses with over ¥5 million in prize money, or NAR horses with over ¥12 million, carry an extra 1 kg. The first-place prize in 2026 is ¥24 million. The race’s official title is the “Nikkan Gendai Sho Bluebird Cup”, named after the newspaper Nikkan Gendai, which provides the winner’s trophy. Multiple subsidiary prizes are awarded, including honors from the JRA Chairman, the National Association of Racing, and regional breeding associations.

History The Bluebird Cup was first run on February 15, 1956, as a restricted race for 4-year-old (by East Asian age reckoning) Arabian-bred horses, a common format in early Japanese racing. It remained an Arabian-only event in 1997. A change occurred in 1998, when the race was opened to Thoroughbreds under an “All-Comer” format. From 1999 onward, it became Thoroughbred-exclusive. The race maintained graded status until 2005, after which it was downgraded to a non-graded special race from 2006 to 2016. In 2017, it was elevated to quasi-graded (jun-jusho) status. During this period (2006–2022), it also served as a trial for the Tokyo Bay Cup, granting top finishers priority entry.

A major restructuring came in 2024, as part of Japan’s nationwide dirt racing system reform. The Bluebird Cup was reinstated as a formal Dirt Grade race, designated JpnIII, and repositioned as a key prep for the Haneda Hai. The distance was extended from 1,600m to 1,800m, aligning it with modern dirt classic standards. Despite the long hiatus from graded status, the race retained its original numbering, thus the 2024 edition was officially the 50th Bluebird Cup.

Past winners YearWinnerAgeLength (in m)JockeyTrainerOwnerOrganizationTime1956Fureccha3D1600Motonobu TorikaiMotonobu TorikaiMatsuo HataKawasaki1:47.41957Ichikiyo Takara3D1600Akira TaniguchiGenso TaniguchiKinya KawamataFunabashi1:45.21958Moaner3D1600Shigeru SudaManji KimuraTsune OshitaFunabashi1:43.41959Asiantha3D1600Tokichi ArayamaKaiji SatakeShinpei ShiraiFunabashi1:46.31960Shimauta3D1600Mamoru KatsumataKinshu SatoTakako UedaKawasaki1:49.41961Daigo Wilson3D1600Takehisa SasakiShunkichi SuzukiShuichi SatoKawasaki1:45.31962Dai Ryu3D1600Yasuhiro FujitaSanji SekiguchiFusae AnzaiFunabashi1:44.11963Fukutomi Homare3D1600Masaru KobudeShoichi MoritaTadashi KobayashiOhi1:45.51964Adel Bauer3D1600Shigeru SudaShota YamamotoShuji MogiOhi1:43.51965Bingo3D1600Shigeru SudaToshie TanakaShigeru TokutakeOhi1:44.41966Hanano Kinen3D1600Tadao AtsumiMitsuo MoriyaToshie MoritaniOhi1:42.81967Hojitsu3D1600Tsuneo TakayanagiTatsuki MusashiYuzo KatoOhi1:43.51968Bio3D1600Norihiko MiyashitaHitoshi MiyashitaChube SuwaFunabashi1:42.71969Morisei Yuu3D1600Sakae MonoiHarumatsu YamashitaSeiichiro MoriyaOhi1:42.81970Speed Matsuku3D1600Norihiko MiyashitaMutsuo HamizukiKiichi YamamotoFunabashi1:42.91971Bourgeon3D1600Kenji UchiyamaMankichi KimuraTeru KimuraFunabashi1:43.3(No race in 1972 due to an outbreak of Equine influenza)1973Dalai Lama3D1600Kazuhiro TabetaKazuo KimuraKimura Farm Co. Ltd.Funabashi1:41.31974Miss Dairin3D1600Tsugio KakimotoIsamu SatoYoshikatsu YamagiwaFunabashi1:39.81975Hokuto Raiden3D1600Fujiro KogoKosuke HirashimaChube SuzukiFunabashi1:41.81976Marutoku Chidori3D1600Saburo TakahashiAkira KumazawaTokuharu YoshinoFunabashi1:40.51977Sodeno Boy3D1600Kazuya UshijimaTadashi ItoRii FukushiFunabashi1:42.61978Hachino Win3D1600Makoto MatsushiroShunosuke SenkiriNobuyasu KawadaFunabashi1:43.61979Saryu Musashi3D1600Takaharu KuwajimaHiroyuki TakamatsuKyuzo UshimaruFunabashi1:41.71980Ike Aretsu Po3D1600Ichiro WatanabeTetsuro MiyashitaToyoharu IkedaFunabashi1:41.71981Sanriki Yuu3D1600Shigeru HonmaKatsuhisa AdachiTaneaki TakahashiKawasaki1:42.51982Keiwei Homare3D1600Saburo TakahashiMasaru KobudeKeiji KamedaOhi1:41.51983Hayano Lancer3D1600Saburo TakahashiSanchiro FukushimaSuminori YoshinagaKawasaki1:42.61984Kaneyama Kazan3D1600Chiaki HoriMitsuyuki TomiwakiYoshikatsu YamagiwaOhi1:42.71985 (dh)Nomura Daio3D1600Saburo TakahashiHarumatsu YamashitaAkio NomuraOhi1:42.2Dark LuaMasami YoshidaNobuo MukaiSumiko MogushiUrawa1986Toyokura Teio3D1600Takashi IshizakiYozosuke IdezukuriToyokura Shoji Co. Ltd.Funabashi1:43.81987Hokuto Light O3D1600Shigeru HondaHisashi MatsudaHokuto Farm Co. Ltd.Kawasaki1:43.61988Otaru Homer3D1600Saburo TakahashiSakae MonoiRitsuko YonedaOhi1:42.91989Hokuto Emperor3D1600Takaharu KuwajimaMinoru GotoHokuto Farm Co. Ltd.Funabashi1:42.21990Mister Tomikawa3D1600Junichi YuasaToshikazu NakaiEiji FujimotoFunabashi1:44.31991Nyuto Mos3D1600Takashi SatoTatsuo HiroseShigemi KawasakiUrawa1:45.51992Hitachi Tozai3D1600Takehisa SasakiKatsuhisa AdachiMasatoshi KandaKawasaki1:44.91993Gate Walking3D1600Satoshi SaitoHayato SaitoKokichi KidoguchiFunabashi1:44.81994Grand Site3D1600Takaharu KuwajimaYasuo NiwaEiko UmezakiFunabashi1:43.51995Homare Shouhai3D1600Takashi IshizakiHiroshi DegawaAkitsugu ItoFunabashi1:44.11996Maruzen Mao3D1600Takeshi NozakiGoro OtaKiyomi TanakaKawasaki1:43.71997Maruzen Ichiban3D1600Takashi IshizakiShozo EbaraAkitsugu ItoFunabashi1:46.81998S.K. Tiger3D1600Yuki SatoTakatsugu HatanoSukenori ItoFunabashi1:42.31999Shinsei Raiden3D1600Takashi IshizakiMasayuki KawashimaTatsuhiko KimuraFunabashi1:42.72000Hinode Coating3D1600Takashi SatoMasayuki KawashimaAsabiru Real Estate Co. Ltd.Funabashi1:40.32001Tomiken Phantom3D1600Takashi IshizakiKatsushi DegawaTomiken Co. Ltd.Funabashi1:43.02002Back Gear3D1600Takashi IshizakiMasayuki KawashimaTatsuhiko KimuraFunabashi1:42.62003Nike a Delight3D1600Takashi IshizakiRyuichi DegawaSumi OnoFunabashi1:42.12004Tomiken Winner3D1600Seiji SagoMichihiko OkaharaTomiken Co. Ltd.Funabashi1:42.62005Time Ryan3D1600Takashi IshizakiMasatoshi KawashimaTatsuhiko KimuraFunabashi1:39.9(Special and quasi-graded race from 2006 to 2022)(No race in 2023)2024Ammothyella3D1800Ryusei SakaiMikio MatsunagaHiroo Race Co. Ltd.JRA1:55.92025Melchior3D1800Yuga KawadaMikio MatsunagaKatsumi YoshidaJRA1:53.32026Finger3D1800Keita TosakiHiroyasu TanakaM's RacingJRA1:55:4

See also Horse racing in Japan List of Japanese flat horse races

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