Bluebird Cup
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 Funabashi Racecourse Grandstand | |
| Class | Domestic Grade III (Jpn III) |
|---|---|
| Location | Funabashi Racecourse |
| Inaugurated | February 15, 1956 |
| Race type | Thoroughbred Flat racing |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 1800 metres |
| Surface | Dirt |
| Track | Left-handed |
| Qualification | 3-y-o |
| Weight | 56 kg (54 kg for fillies) |
| Purse | ¥ 40,800,000 (as of 2026) 1st: ¥ 24,000,000 2nd: ¥ 8,400,000 3rd: ¥ 4,800,000 |
The Bluebird Cup (ブルーバードカップ) is a domestic grade III (JpnIII) flat horse race in Japan.[1]
The Bluebird Cup is a JpnIII (Dirt Grade) stakes race in Japan’s NAR (National Association of Racing) system, organized by the Chiba Prefecture Racing Association and held at Funabashi Racecourse.[2] Since 2024, it is run annually in mid-January over 1,800 meters on dirt, exclusively for 3-year-old Thoroughbreds.[2] The race serves as an official trial for the Haneda Hai, with the winning locally trained horse earning priority entry into the race.[3]
Eligibility includes both NAR-selected and JRA-selected horses, with up to four JRA-trained runners permitted.[4] Weight is set at 56 kg (54 kg for fillies).[1] Additional weight penalties apply based on prior earnings: JRA horses with over ¥5 million in prize money, or NAR horses with over ¥12 million, carry an extra 1 kg.[3] The first-place prize in 2026 is ¥24 million.[2] The race’s official title is the “Nikkan Gendai Sho Bluebird Cup”, named after the newspaper Nikkan Gendai, which provides the winner’s trophy.[5] Multiple subsidiary prizes are awarded, including honors from the JRA Chairman, the National Association of Racing, and regional breeding associations.[6]
History
The Bluebird Cup was first run on February 15, 1956, as a restricted race for 4-year-old (by East Asian age reckoning) Arabian-bred horses, a common format in early Japanese racing. It remained an Arabian-only event in 1997.[6] A change occurred in 1998, when the race was opened to Thoroughbreds under an “All-Comer” format.[6] From 1999 onward, it became Thoroughbred-exclusive.[2] The race maintained graded status until 2005, after which it was downgraded to a non-graded special race from 2006 to 2016.[2] In 2017, it was elevated to quasi-graded (jun-jusho) status.[2] During this period (2006–2022), it also served as a trial for the Tokyo Bay Cup, granting top finishers priority entry.[7]
A major restructuring came in 2024, as part of Japan’s nationwide dirt racing system reform.[2] The Bluebird Cup was reinstated as a formal Dirt Grade race, designated JpnIII, and repositioned as a key prep for the Haneda Hai.[1] The distance was extended from 1,600m to 1,800m, aligning it with modern dirt classic standards.[2] Despite the long hiatus from graded status, the race retained its original numbering, thus the 2024 edition was officially the 50th Bluebird Cup.[2]