Tōkyō Yūshun

The Tōkyō Yūshun (東京優駿), also called the Japanese Derby (日本ダービー) is a Grade 1 flat horse race in Japan for three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies run over a distance of 2,400 metres (approximately 1 mile 4 furlongs) at the Tokyo Racecourse, Fuchū, Tokyo in late May or early June.

It was first run in 1932 and is the Japanese equivalent of the English Epsom Derby. It is the second leg of the Japanese Triple Crown, preceded by the Satsuki Shō (the Japanese equivalent of the English 2,000 Guineas) in mid-late April and followed by the Kikuka Shō (the Japanese equivalent of the English St. Leger Stakes) in mid-late October.

Since 2010, the Tokyo Yūshun (along with several other JRA Japanese domestic Grade 1 races, including the other Japanese classics such as the Satsuki Shō and the Kikuka Shō) is open to international competition due to Japan's inclusion in the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities' ICS Part I category, in which all graded black-type races in the JRA calendar are open to international competition. Races prior to 2001 (along with the other Japanese classics) were only limited to Japanese-bred horses. Since 2001, foreign-bred horses are allowed, but until 2010 this race (and the other classics) were only limited to Japanese-trained horses. Since 2010, up to 9 foreign-trained or bred horses can enter the race.

Step races
If horses from the National Association of Racing win any 3-year-old JRA Grade 2 or 3 races before the Derby, they will be eligible to enter the Japanese Derby if ranked high enough in prize money. Kyoto Shimbun Hai and NHK Mile Cup provides priority-entry-rights if these horses place first or second.

The Satsuki Shō, the Aoba Shō and the Principal Stakes are the official trial races for the Japanese Derby. The top five finishers in the Satsuki Shō, the top two finishers in the Aoba Shō and the winner of the Principal Stakes are guaranteed a place in the field for the Derby, regardless of prize money. Overall, there are seven automatic qualifying spots in the Derby; the other 10 entries are "at-large" horses determined by prize money earned prior to racing in the Derby. The Kyoto Shimbun Hai is officially considered a step race and only gives priority-entry-rights to horses registered in NAR. The NHK Mile Cup, the only non-Triple Crown three-year-old GI horse race, is also a step race but only provides priority-entry-rights to horses registered in NAR, has gained importance in recent years as horses such as Tanino Gimlet (2002), King Kamehameha (2004, won) and Deep Sky (2008, won) participated in that race and would eventually win the Derby.

Earlier winners

 * 1932 - Wakataka
 * 1933 - Kabutoyama
 * 1934 - Fray Mor
 * 1935 - Governor
 * 1936 - Tokumasa
 * 1937 - Hisatomo
 * 1938 - Sugenuma
 * 1939 - Kumohata
 * 1940 - Ieryu
 * 1941 - St Lite
 * 1942 - Minami Homare
 * 1943 - Kurifuji
 * 1944 - Kaiso
 * 1945 - No race
 * 1946 - No race
 * 1947 - Matsu Midori
 * 1948 - Miharu O
 * 1949 - Tachikaze
 * 1950 - Kumono Hana
 * 1951 - Tokino Minoru
 * 1952 - Kurino Hana
 * 1953 - Bostonian
 * 1954 - Golden Wave
 * 1955 - Otokitsu
 * 1956 - Hakuchikara
 * 1957 - Hikaru Meiji
 * 1958 - Daigo Homare
 * 1959 - Komatsu Hikari
 * 1960 - Kodama
 * 1961 - Hakusho
 * 1962 - Fair Win
 * 1963 - Meizui
 * 1964 - Shinzan
 * 1965 - Keystone
 * 1966 - Teito O
 * 1967 - Asa Denko
 * 1968 - Tanino Harromore
 * 1969 - Daishin Volgard
 * 1970 - Tanino Moutiers
 * 1971 - Hikaru Imai
 * 1972 - Long Ace
 * 1973 - Take Hope
 * 1974 - Colonel Lancer
 * 1975 - Kaburaya O
 * 1976 - Climb Kaiser
 * 1977 - Lucky Ruler
 * 1978 - Sakura Shori
 * 1979 - Katsurano Haiseiko
 * 1980 - Opec Horse
 * 1981 - Katsu Top Ace
 * 1982 - Bamboo Atlas
 * 1983 - Mr. C.B.
 * 1984 - Symboli Rudolf
 * 1985 - Sirius Symboli
 * 1986 - Dyna Gulliver
 * 1987 - Merry Nice
 * 1988 - Sakura Chiyono O
 * 1989 - Winner's Circle