Field size expanded to 18 horses

The American Jockey Club Cup, run by the Japan Racing Association (JRA) at Nakayama Racecourse, expanded its maximum number of starters to 18 horses in 2025¹. The change is recorded in the race's history, which lists a previous enlargement of the field to 17 runners in 2015¹.

The race is a Grade 2 (GII) event over 2,200 meters on turf at Nakayama, and every running after 1984 has used that course and distance, though snow in 1984 sent that year's edition to a 1,800-meter dirt track¹. It was first run on January 5, 1960, over 2,000 meters on turf as a handicap¹. Foreign-trained horses have been permitted since 2006, and horses from regional racing since 2020, with a limit of two such runners¹.

Eligibility for 2026 is thoroughbreds aged four and older, excluding unraced and maiden horses, covering JRA-trained horses, up to two approved regional horses, and foreign-trained horses given priority¹. Weights are set: 56 kg for four-year-olds, 57 kg for five and older, with a 2 kg allowance for fillies and mares¹.

The field-size changes over time are set out in the race's history:

Source:¹

What it means for players

A larger maximum field means more runners can line up in the race, which affects the size and shape of pari-mutuel pools on the American Jockey Club Cup. With 18 possible starters rather than 17, the number of combinations in exotic bets such as trifectas and trio bets rises, and the pool is spread across more possible outcomes. The race remains a GII at Nakayama over 2,200 meters on turf, with the same weight conditions and prize levels as listed for 2026¹. Details of how the JRA handles betting on this race, including pool types and takeout, are not set out in the source. General information on Japanese racing and betting is covered in the guide to horse racing and betting in Asia and the guide to gambling in Japan.

What happens next

No further changes to the race conditions beyond the 2025 field expansion are recorded in the source.