Oi racecourse in Tokyo will stage a three-year-old dirt triple crown series from 2024, with a JPY 80,000,000 bonus for a horse that wins all three races, according to reporting by Sports Nippon cited in Japanese Wikipedia's article on dirt graded races1.
The series is part of a wider restructuring of Japan's dirt racing program. In November 2022, the Japan Racing Association (JRA), the National Association of Racing (NAR), the national association of public racing organizers and regional race organizers announced a program called "All-Japan dirt racing system development," built on three pillars: building a system centered on a three-year-old dirt triple crown, developing two- and three-year-old dirt sprint routes, and a comprehensive review of existing dirt graded races1. Two-year-old races change from 2023, and the three-year-old and older-horse stakes reforms take effect the following year, 20241.
The same source reports that the Japan Dirt Derby will be renamed the Japan Dirt Classic and moved to October1. It also states that from races held in and after April 2024, regional horses wishing to run in dirt graded races other than the Tokyo Daishoten must go through a runner selection committee1.
Dirt graded races in Japan carry either international grades (GI to GIII) or domestic grades (JpnI to JpnIII) for races without international grading1. The source states that from 2028 regional racing aims to phase out the "Jpn" label and make all dirt graded races international races1.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Series start | 2024 |
| Host track | Oi racecourse |
| Bonus for triple crown winner | JPY 80,000,000 |
| Japan Dirt Derby | Renamed Japan Dirt Classic, moved to October |
| Regional horse entry rule | Selection committee required from April 2024, except Tokyo Daishoten |
What it means for players
The new series adds a defined three-race championship for three-year-old dirt horses at Oi racecourse, a track that already hosts the Tokyo Daishoten, one of Japan's top dirt races1. For bettors, a triple crown structure typically means three linked races with a shared narrative, and the JPY 80,000,000 bonus gives connections a strong incentive to run the same horse in all three legs. The source does not state the names, distances, dates or field sizes of the three races, and it does not say how the bonus is funded or whether it is paid on top of prize money. Those details have not been reported.
The change to the Japan Dirt Derby, renamed the Japan Dirt Classic and moved to October, shifts the timing of a race that has been part of the dirt calendar1. The source does not give the exact date within October.
The selection committee rule for regional horses from April 2024 affects which horses appear in the fields of dirt graded races other than the Tokyo Daishoten1. A narrower or differently selected field can change how a race is priced and how form lines carry between races. The source does not describe how the committee will weigh entries.
What happens next
The two-year-old changes take effect in 2023, and the three-year-old and older-horse reforms in 20241. From 2028, regional racing aims to phase out the "Jpn" label and make all dirt graded races international races1. No specific race dates for the new triple crown have been reported.
Sources1 sources
- ダートグレード競走 - Wikipedia, ja.wikipedia.org
