Southern Kanto Triple Crown winner Mickfire wins the final “Derby Grand Prix”, the regional horse racing 3-year-old autumn pinnacle deciding match

The 36th Derby Grand Prix was held at Morioka Racecourse in Iwate Prefecture as the final round of the regional horse racing 3-year-old autumn championship, and Mickfire, who won the 2023 Southern Kanto Triple Crown without a loss, won. Please note that this year was the last time the Derby Grand Prix was held due to improvements to the dirt racing system.

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At the final corner, Mandarin Hero, also affiliated with Oi, came alongside Mickfire.

It was a competitive race, but in the end, Mickfire outran his successors and won.

The Derby Grand Prix is a race founded in 1986.

Racehorses belong to central horse racing and regional horse racing, and in designated exchange races it is possible for horses to cross the barrier and run against each other, but until the 1990s, there were very few designated exchange races. In addition, even if you just call it ``regional horse racing,'' it was divided into regions, and there was not much interaction between regions.

Therefore, the Derby Grand Prix was born to determine a true regional horse racing 3-year-old (4-year-old as it was called at the time) champion, rather than a regional champion. The first race was held at Mizusawa Racecourse, and Oi's Tomialco won. In the 4th round, Swift Seidai from Morioka won.

In 1996, the venue was changed to Morioka Racecourse, and the race was designated as a nationally designated interchange race in central and regional areas where horses belonging to the JRA could run, and Ishino Sunday, who belonged to the JRA, immediately won the race.

It was temporarily suspended in 2007, but revived in 2010. However, as the dirt system is being improved across JRA and local horse racing, it has been decided that the race will be suspended as of 2023.

Mickfire, who belongs to Oi and won the last race, was challenging to win the South Kanto Triple Crown without a loss. Furthermore, as the ``3-year-old dirt Triple Crown'' will be established in conjunction with the above-mentioned improvement of the dirt system, Mickfire will also be the last Southern Kanto Triple Crown horse in its traditional form.