About the race
The Tenno Sho (Spring) is run around the start of May over 3,200 metres of right-handed turf at Kyoto Racecourse, for four-year-olds and upwards. The JRA describes it as the longest of Japan’s Grade 1 races. It traces the Tenno Sho to the Emperor’s Cup of 1905, and its 2026 preview says the spring race was first held in 1938. The spring race moved to Kyoto in 1948, was run at Hanshin in 2021 and 2022 while Kyoto was renovated, and became an international race in 2005. The 2026 prize fund was JPY 651,000,000.
Redentor won the 2025 running under Damian Lane for trainer Tetsuya Kimura and owner Carrot Farm Co., Ltd. The 2026 running on 3 May went to the 2025 Derby winner Croix du Nord under Yuichi Kitamura. The JRA calendar lists the 2027 race for 2 May.
The 2025 running
| Date | Winner | Jockey | Trainer | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 May 2025 | Redentor (JPN) | Damian Lane | Tetsuya Kimura | Carrot Farm Co., Ltd. |
From the official result.
The 2026 running
| Date | Winner | Jockey | Trainer | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 May 2026 | Croix du Nord (JPN) | Yuichi Kitamura | Takashi Saito | Sunday Racing Co., Ltd. |
From the official result.
Recognition and facts
- Winner's prize (2026)
- JPY 300,000,000
- Maximum field
- 18 runners
- International race since
- 2005
- At Kyoto since
- 1948
Questions readers ask
When is the Tenno Sho (Spring) run?
The JRA's 2027 calendar lists the next Tenno Sho (Spring) for Sunday 2 May 2027 at Kyoto Racecourse.
What is the prize fund of the Tenno Sho (Spring)?
The total prize money for the 2026 running was JPY 651,000,000, with JPY 300,000,000 to the winner.
Who won the Tenno Sho (Spring) in 2025?
Redentor won on 4 May 2025, ridden by Damian Lane and trained by Tetsuya Kimura for Carrot Farm Co., Ltd.
Sources
The rank and rating are from the IFHA's LONGINES World's Top 100 Group/Grade 1 Races 2025, published 21 January 2026, which ranks races by the ratings of their first four finishers. Other facts are from the pages listed below.
- IFHA: LONGINES World's Top 100 Group/Grade 1 Races 2025 (published 21 January 2026)
- Redentor Wins a Close Rally to Land His First G1 Victory in Tenno Sho (Spring)
- Croix du Nord Lands Narrow Victory in Tenno Sho (Spring)
- Tenno Sho (Spring) (G1): Preview, 2026
- Racing Fixtures and Graded Race Schedule (JRA) 2027