The Japan Racing Association has announced its schedule for the 2025 season with 288 meetings to be conducted, the same number as in recent years. The opening meetings will be held at Nakayama and Chukyo beginning Jan. 5 with the final conducted at Nakayama Dec. 28.
One of the major schedule changes is the date of the Takarazuka Kinen (G1). Usually held at the end of June to conclude the first half of the season, the race will be held two weeks earlier on June 15, 2025. The JRA explains midday temperatures and humidity have been high at the end of June recently, making it not the ideal climate to conduct the race for high-profiled runners.
The Takarazuka Kinen, contested over 2,200 meters (about 1 3/8 miles) on the turf for horses aged 3-years and up, is a Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In event for the $5 million Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T).
The JRA also introduced a new format on a trial basis for two weeks at Niigata Racecourse during the hottest time of the year in 2024. Since it worked well, they have expanded it to four weeks and introduced a meeting at Chukyo as well in 2025. Starting July 26, the first race scheduled will be at 9:35 a.m. local time. The card will take a 3 1/2-hour break after the fifth race at 11:35 a.m. Racing resumes at 3:10 p.m. and is conducted until the 12th and final race at 6:25 p.m.
