70th Arima Kinen Grand Prix

December 28, 2025 – Nakayama Racecourse

Winning Time: 2m 31.5sTrack: Turf, 2500m

Race Summary

The 70th Arima Kinen (G1) was won by the 3-year-old colt Museum Mile, ridden by Christophe Lemaire. Museum Mile, the second favorite, secured the Grand Prix title by overcoming a fierce battle in the final straight, defeating the 12th favorite dark horse, Cosmo Curanda. This victory marked Christophe Lemaire’s first Arima Kinen win in his seventh attempt and his second consecutive G1 victory in as many weeks.

Key Highlights

🏆 Winner’s Glory

Museum Mile (2nd favorite), a 3-year-old colt, achieved the Grand Prix victory.

🥈 Surprise Second

Cosmo Curanda (12th favorite), a dark horse, showed strong persistence, creating an upset.

🥉 Derby Challenger

Danon Dessail, the Derby winner, made a late charge but finished just short of the top two.

🏇 Jockey’s Triumph

Christophe Lemaire achieved his first Arima Kinen victory on his seventh attempt, marking his second consecutive G1 win.

⚡️ Thrilling Finale

The race was a thrilling, close contest with intense competition in the final straight.

Full Race Results

Race Development Highlights

1

Start to First Lap Stand Front

The race began with a near-even start. Mysteriously Way and Cosmo Curanda took the early lead. As they passed the stands, Mysteriously Way was in front, followed by Meisho Tabaru (ridden by Yutaka Take) in second and Cosmo Curanda in third, forming the leading group. The first 1000m was covered in 1 minute 0.3 seconds, indicating a steady pace befitting a Grand Prix.

2

Backstretch to Third Corner (Crucial Stage)

Entering the backstretch, Meisho Tabaru moved to the front. The trailing horses began to pick up the pace, and by the time they reached the third corner’s incline, the field had bunched up, signaling the start of the decisive phase. Danon Dessail and Museum Mile, who had been conserving energy in the mid-pack, began to advance from the outside, preparing for the final straight.

3

Final Straight: A Fierce Duel

Rounding the fourth corner and entering the final straight, Cosmo Curanda overtook the tiring Meisho Tabaru from the inside to take the lead. For a moment, Cosmo Curanda held a two-length lead, hinting at a major upset. However, Danon Dessail launched a powerful late surge from the outside, and Museum Mile came flying from the widest part of the track. The duel on the uphill finish was intense, but Museum Mile ultimately surged ahead just before the finish line to claim the Grand Prix title.

The Champion: Museum Mile

Museum Mile

The Grand Prix Victor

Horse Profile:

A 3-year-old colt by Lion Dies out of a mare by Heart’s Cry. He had previously won the Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) in the spring and experienced disappointment in the Derby. He proved his mettle against older horses in the Tenno Sho (Autumn) and demonstrated his top-class ability in this year-end major race.

Jockey: Christophe Lemaire

This was his first Arima Kinen victory in his seventh participation. He had finished third in 2022 and second in 2023, narrowly missing the win. This victory marks his second consecutive G1 win, following his success in the Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes the previous week.

Trainer: Daisuke Takayanagi

This was his first Arima Kinen entry and his first victory in the race.

Official Entry List & Odds