Unicorn Stakes

The Unicorn Stakes (Japanese ユニコーンステークス) is a Grade 3 horse race for three-year-old Thoroughbreds run in April over a distance of 1,900 metres on dirt at Kyoto Racecourse.

The race was first run in 1996 and has held Grade 3 status ever since. The race was run over 1,800 meters at Nakayama Racecourse in 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2000 before being moved to Tokyo Racecourse in 2001 until 2023 and was run over 1,600 meters. The race was permanently moved to Kyoto Racecourse in 2024, and the distance was also increased to 1,900 meters. The schedule was also moved from June to late April, positioned as a preparatory race for the Tokyo Derby in which the winner receives a guaranteed spot for the said race.

Past winners of the race have included Taiki Shuttle, Agnes Digital and Kane Hekili.

Records
Record time:
 * 1:58.6 - Ramjet 2024, at a distance of 1,900 meters
 * 1:34.9 - Cafe Pharoah 2020, at a distance of 1,600 meters

Most wins by a jockey:
 * 2 - Yukio Okabe 1996, 1997
 * 2 - Katsumi Ando 2003, 2008
 * 2 - Yutaka Take 2005, 2007
 * 2 - Yuichi Fukunaga 2012, 2019

Most wins by a trainer:
 * 2 - Sei Ishizaka 2001, 2013
 * 2 - Katsuhiko Sumii 2005, 2019
 * 2 - Noriyuki Hori  2012, 2020

Winners
Gold Tiara and I Am Actress were fillies