On July 27, 2025, the GIII Tokai Stakes (Dirt 1400m) took place at Chukyo Racecourse, where Yamanin Ulus (4th favorite) delivered a dominant performance to win his second graded race title. It marked a triumphant return for the horse, who hadn’t won a graded race since the 2024 Procyon Stakes.
■ Smooth Race Flow and Commanding Stretch Drive
The race began at a fast pace with longshot Rizir setting the early tempo. Yamanin Ulus tracked comfortably in second position and swept past the leader with ease turning for home. From there, it was a one-horse show as he powered clear to a 3½-length victory. His final time was 1:22.2 over a fast dirt track — an excellent result for a sprint-distance dirt race.
■ Race Replay
Watch the full replay of the 2025 Tokai Stakes right here:
■ Yutaka Take: “He Finally Came Back to His True Self”
Legendary jockey Yutaka Take guided the horse to his 366th career JRA graded win, and his third Tokai Stakes victory, tying the record. “I’m so happy he showed his real performance again,” Take commented. “He felt just like when he was at his best. I was confident taking the lead because everything went as planned. He’s a real runner.”
The team also made strategic changes — including the use of blinkers for the first time and a distance cutback — both of which paid off handsomely.
■ Top Contenders Falter
In Your Palace (3rd favorite) ran well to finish second, although the 3½-length gap revealed the class difference. Jockey Yuga Kawada said, “He gave everything he had.”
The favorite Bidaya, undefeated in four dirt races, made his first graded attempt but had to settle for third. Jockey Ryusei Sakai said, “He proved he has what it takes to compete at this level.”
Meanwhile, second favorite Sunrise Flame finished 5th. Yuji Hishida commented, “It’s a frustrating result.”
■ Heaviest Winner in Tokai Stakes History
Yamanin Ulus weighed in at 582kg — the heaviest winner in the history of the Tokai Stakes, surpassing the 544kg of Nihonpiro Ours in 2014.
He is a son of Just a Way and out of Yamanin Papillon (by Swept Overboard), a well-bred horse who had won five races in a row early in his career. Despite a stretch of losses, he made a stunning comeback in this race.
■ Trainer Saito’s Hat Trick
Trainer Takashi Saito scored his third consecutive graded win under similar conditions: 2023 with Don Frankie, 2024 with Yamanin Ulus, and now again in 2025. Though this was his first Tokai Stakes title, it follows a streak of wins in races swapped from the Procyon Stakes.
■ Looking Ahead
With this impressive comeback, Yamanin Ulus is back in the mix for autumn’s higher-level dirt races. His combination with veteran jockey Yutaka Take will surely be one to watch moving forward.
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