Regaleira Aims for Historic Back-to-Back Arima Kinen Win

MIHO, Japan – Regaleira is preparing to make history as she sets her sights on becoming only the fifth horse to win the prestigious Arima Kinen in back-to-back years. The event is scheduled for December 27 at Nakayama Racecourse.

The Arima Kinen, known as the Grand Prix, features a purse that matches the Japan Cup, offering a first-place prize of ¥500 million (around $3.2 million USD). This year’s race will see 16 horses compete for a total prize of ¥1.09 billion (approximately $7 million), and is expected to attract significant fan engagement as it allows for public voting on nominations.

Regaleira, who last year secured victory as a 3-year-old filly, received over 612,700 votes, making her the top pick among fans for this year’s event. She will be joined by several other prominent competitors, including Danon Decile, Museum Mile, and Meisho Tabaru.

Trained by Tetsuya Kimura, Regaleira has had a remarkable career thus far, boasting wins in the 2023 Hopeful Stakes and the 2024 Queen Elizabeth II Cup. After recovering from a fracture that sidelined her for a time, she returned to racing in June but faced challenges before bouncing back with two impressive wins this autumn.

The racecourse at Nakayama is known for its unique challenges, including a steep incline in the final stretch. Horses will need to position themselves strategically as they navigate the demanding course over a distance of 2,500 meters. The Arima Kinen will be the year’s final G1 race in Japan and will commence at 3:40 PM.

Assistant trainer Yu Ota expressed confidence in Regaleira’s preparation but noted concerns about her starting position on race day. “Her break was a little bit off in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup, but she stayed at Miho for more practice,” Ota said.

If successful, Regaleira will join four other horses—Speed Symboli, Symboli Rudolf, Grass Wonder, and Symboli Kris S—as the only horses ever to win the Arima Kinen consecutively. Another major milestone would be achieved as she would become the first female to do so.