New Year, New Champions: Japan's 2026 Racing Season Kicks Off with Thrilling Golden Cup Victories!

As the new year begins, the 2026 horse racing season has made a spectacular start. Across both central and regional racing circuits, new star horses are emerging in graded races, and joyful news of 'first graded race victories' is being reported one after another.

Karamatianos Triumphs in Thrilling Nakayama Kinpai

The first central graded race of the new year held at Nakayama Racecourse, the Nakayama Kinpai (GIII), saw Karamatianos defy his 7th favorite odds to secure a dramatic victory. Partnered with jockey Akihide Tsumura, the horse won a fierce contest against the 1st favorite, Angora Black, by a mere 2 centimeters (a nose margin) at the finish line, marking his long-awaited first graded race win. This victory by the son of Rey de Oro was deeply moving for those involved, and jockey Tsumura expressed his ambition: 'Next time, I want to win the Kinpai on my birthday.' Grandia, the 4th favorite, finished in third place.

Kyoto Kinpai Sees Major Upset as Buena Onda Claims Victory

Meanwhile, the Kyoto Kinpai (GIII) also celebrated the emergence of a new hero. The 4th favorite, Buena Onda, won a close battle to clinch his first graded title. Jockey Yuga Kawada achieved his 21st consecutive year with a graded race victory. This race resulted in a major upset, with the Trifecta paying 1,096,640 yen, and a surprising third-place finish by Shonan Adeib, the 18th and lowest favorite. After the race, jockey Kawada commented, 'I want to commend him for winning so decisively,' praising Buena Onda's tenacious performance.

New Stars Shine in Regional Racing

In regional horse racing, news of 'first graded race victories' has also been frequent. In the Saga Wakakoma Sho, Davai Sucre claimed a graded title with an undefeated streak of four wins, with great expectations for future advancements. Additionally, Ryusei Unkai achieved his first graded victory in the Obihiro Tenma Sho, bringing a new dynamic to the regional racing scene.

Across both central and regional circuits, dramatic races have unfolded since the start of the new year, with numerous 'first graded race victories' recorded. We eagerly anticipate what achievements these new stars will bring to the upcoming racing season and look forward to witnessing their growth.

The context

The Kinpai (金杯), meaning 'Gold Cup,' refers to a pair of Graded III races—the Nakayama Kinpai and the Kyoto Kinpai—held annually on the first day of racing in the new year. These races mark the official start of the Japanese horse racing season and are highly anticipated. 'Graded races' (重賞レース) are the highest tier of competition in Japanese horse racing, similar to 'stakes races' or 'group races' in other countries, with GIII being one of the lower graded tiers but still significant. Japanese horse racing is divided into two main categories: Central Horse Racing (中央競馬 - JRA, Japan Racing Association), which is the most prominent, and Regional Horse Racing (地方競馬 - NAR, National Association of Racing), which consists of local circuits across the country. A 'first graded race victory' (重賞初制覇) is a significant milestone for any horse and its connections, often signaling a promising career. A 'nose margin' (鼻差) refers to the smallest possible winning margin, indicating an extremely close finish. A 'Trifecta' (3連単) is a type of wager where bettors must correctly predict the first three finishers in exact order.