There is an ongoing debate about whether or not horses were truly indigenous to the country. Some claim that the small Kiso and Yayoi horses were in fact native to Japan and were driven to extinction because they were of little use to the Japanese, while others say that horses were only brought to the country from Korea in the middle of the 5th century A.D. In any case, ancient warriors soon learned that steeds were invaluable in battle and for transport. Entire campaigns were built around the swiftness and height advantages that these horses delivered.

The first Western-style horse races, using the large thoroughbreds we all know today, were held by foreign residents of Yokohama in 1862. These races captivated the competitive-minded Japanese, and in 1882 Japanese organizers began holding their own Western-style races. This laid the groundwork for the bastion of horse racing Japan has become today, and would prove crucial in developing the quality of horse racing Japan now offers.

Many modern horse racing champions, including Hakuchikara (first Japanese horse to race abroad, winner of the 1959 Washington Birthday Handicap Stakes) and Cesario (first winner of both American and Japanese Oaks), come from Japan. The country has also achieved some race-related records of its own, including a US$203,995 trifecta payoff at the Tokyo Racecourse and the world’s largest racetrack HDTV monitor at 11.2 x 66.4 meters.

As the golden age of horse racing in Japan enjoys continues to flourish, TVG brings all the action straight into your home. You can enjoy the finest Japanese races, including the signature Japan Cup and Japan Cup Dirt events online and on your TV, exclusively from the number one horse racing media company in the world. Learn more about Japan’s tracks and racing heroes as well with TVG’s riveting talk and analysis shows. With TVG, Far East racing action doesn’t have to feel so far away.

On October 23, 2005 a record crowd of nearly 137,000 gathered at the Kyoto Racetrack to witness the victory of Japan’s sixth Triple Crown winner and only the second to do it with an undefeated record. He clocked in at 3:04.6 seconds over the 3,000 meters of turf with his Jockey, Yutaka Take.

There was a snag in his would-be undefeated career during the Arima Kinen race when he was beaten by Heart’s Cry of France, preventing him from becoming the first unbeaten horse to capture the Arima Kinen title. But Deep Impact was a horse destined for fame, eventually finishing his career without losing again until retirement, cementing his plaque in the hall of fame of horse racing in Japan and around the world.