Arima Kinen

The Arima Kinen (有馬記念) is a Grade I flat horse race in Japan open to Thoroughbreds three-years-old and above and is the world's largest betting horserace. It is run on the fourth Sunday of December each year, over a distance of 2,500 metres (approximately 1 mile and 4+1⁄2 furlongs) at Nakayama Racecourse. It is one of the two "All-Star" races in Japanese horse racing; the other is the Takarazuka Kinen in late June. The event was first run in 1956, and was initially titled the Nakayama Grand Prix (中山グランプリ). The following year it was renamed in memory of Yoriyasu Arima (1884–1957), chairman of the Japan Racing Association and the founder of the race. The distance was originally set at 2,600 metres, and shortened to the present length, 2,500 metres, in 1966. The majority of the runners (10 out of 16) in the field are selected by a vote from racing fans, which must be a Japan Racing Association horse. If any horse among the top 10 decides not to participate in the race, the void will be filled by the next available horse until 10 runners are confirmed. The remaining six horses (including National Association of Racing (NAR) and foreign-based horses are determined by the amount of prize money won. Until 1999 the Arima Kinen was open to Japanese trained horses only. However, the Japan Racing Association introduced a new condition in 2000 which allowed for the participation of a foreign trained horse, if it had won that year's Japan Cup (although no such eligible horse has participated in this race). The Arima Kinen was classed as a Domestic Grade I until 2006. It was then promoted to an International Grade I in 2007. Consequently, it is now possible for more foreign trained horses to compete in the race. The...