The Keihan Hai, a Grade 3 race run by the Japan Racing Association (JRA) at Kyoto Racecourse, changed its weight conditions to "grade-based handicap" (グレード別定) from 2023, according to the race's record. Under the change, three-year-olds carry 56kg and horses aged four and older carry 57kg, with mares given a 2kg reduction1.
The race is run over 1,200m on turf and is open to thoroughbreds aged three and older, including foreign-trained runners and up to two horses from regional racing1.
The grade-based scale also adds weight for recent big-race winners.
The race was first run on 4 November 1956 as the Kyoto Tokubetsu, a handicap over 2,200m on turf for horses aged four and older, and was renamed the Keihan Hai in 19611. It was graded GIII when the grade system began in 1984, and the distance was cut to 1,200m in 2006 as part of a reorganization of the sprint program1. Foreign-trained runners became eligible when the race was designated international in 2005, and the overseas entry quota rose to nine in 2007 when Japan was promoted to Part I status1.
What it means for players
The weight a horse carries is now tied to its age and its record in graded races rather than to a handicapper's assessment of its ability. For anyone reading the racecard, the top weight will usually be an older horse, and a mare of the same age and record will appear 2kg lighter than a male or gelding. Recent Grade 1 winners in the field will be giving weight away, which changes how the field looks on paper compared with a pure handicap. The race is a JRA fixture at Kyoto, so betting is through JRA's pari-mutuel pools in Japan; the record does not state which pools or bet types are offered for this race.
What happens next
The record lists the 2026 running as the next edition, with the conditions above in force. No date for the 2026 race is given in the record.
Sources1 sources
- 京阪杯 - Wikipedia, ja.wikipedia.org
