Shuka Sho

The Shuka Sho is a Grade 1 race run under Set Weight conditions for three year old fillies at Kyoto racecourse conducted by the Japan Racing Association.

The Shuka Sho is run over 2000m. It was first run in 1996 and was won by Fabulous La Fouine.

The Shuka Sho is the final leg of the Japanese Fillies Triple Crown after Oka Sho and the Yushun Himba.

In 1996 it was established as Domestic Grade 1 race, and in 2009 it was granted International Grade 1 status.

The Shuka Sho was worth JPY238,600,000 in 2024.

Kyoto racecourse is a right handed course with the start in the back straight with a decent run to the first turn.

Gentildonna used this as her lead up to her first of two Japan Cups. Almond Eye had the same pattern in 2018.

Shonan Pandora was a Shuka Sho winner and a Japan Cup winner a year on.

Vivlos won a Shuka Sho and the next prep took the Dubai Turf. Deirdre tried the same pattern 12 months on but ran into Benbatl and Vivlos in Dubai.

Brilliant filly Liberty Island made it four G1 wins on the trot in taking the Shuka Sho.

Liberty Island (2023) joined the list of fillies to win the Triple Crown – the others are Mejiro Ramonu (1986), Still in Love (2003), Apapane (2010), Gentildonna (2012), Almond Eye (2018) and Daring Tact (2020).

Christophe Lemaire, Yataka Take and Yasunari Iwata have won it three times.

Trainers have really shared this race around.

Notable winners of the Shuka Sho include Cervinia (2024), Liberty Island (2023), Daring Tact (2020), Almond Eye (2018), Deirdre (2017), Vivlos (2016), Shonan Pandora (2014), Meisho Mambo (2013), Gentildonna (2012), Apapane (2010), Daiwa Scarlet (2007), Sweep Tosho (2004) and Still In Love (2003).

The 2024 Shuka Sho was won by Cervinia from Bond Girl and Stellenbosch.