Negishi Stakes, Anyhow

(TUE) January 27th, 2026

8:07 p.m. On a second thought, maybe I should stick to the one-turn, monotonous dirt race Negishi Stakes as I annually do in the end? All Right, let's review Negishi Stakes, anyhow.

Tokyo dirt 1400m is a rare dirt course that doesn't start with turf grounds. Because the backstretch is long while the course turns downhill from the third to fourth corner, the first half of the race often gets into a tight pace. Yet the pace doesn't drop so drastically in the later half meaning that long-lasting speed is demanded more than inastantaneous speed. Negishi Stakes is a race of power and speed rather than stamina, I reckon. It shifts to the power side when the thrack condition is dry, while speed will be more required when the track gets wet.

The required power and speed seem to explain why Stormbird lines, Bold Ruler lines or Vice Regent lines have been performing well in the past. Many of the high performers also weigh over 500kg, which suggests the use of antifreezing agent, something that's not rare during this cold season.

Finally, there aren't many repeaters in Negishi Stakes as this tough race requires freshness. Kopano Kicking is the only horse I could recall as a repeater in the past ten years.

The End

Caterpillar