 Prior to 2000 the race was run over a distance of 1,400 metres (7 furlongs), and having originally been classed as a Domestic Grade 3 race, it was promoted to Domestic Grade 2 status in 2006 and it was promoted to International Grade 2 status in 2007.From 2005 to 2010 it was a leg of the Global Sprint Challenge series.It has now been replaced as a Japanese leg of the series by the Takamatsunomiya Kinen.