is located in Takarazuka, Hyogo

Takarazuka, Hyogo

is a city located in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan.- Geography :Takarazuka is nestled between the Rokko Range to the west and Nagao Range to the north with the Muko River running through the center of the city....

, Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

. It is used for horse racing

Horse racing

Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...

. The land was originally owned by Kawanishi Aircraft Company

Kawanishi Aircraft Company

was a Japanese aircraft manufacturer during World War II. It was founded as Kawanishi Engineering Works in 1920 in Hyōgo Prefecture as an outgrowth of the Kawanishi conglomerate, which had been funding the Nakajima Aircraft Company. Kawanishi Kokuki KK was founded in 1928, and took over all assets...

, which manufactured combat planes during World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

. After the WWII, GHQ

Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers

Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers was the title held by General Douglas MacArthur during the Occupation of Japan following World War II...

 ordered the company to stop manufacturing combat planes, which ended in closing the factory. In 1949, Keihanshin Keiba K.K. built the Hanshin Racecourse. The racecourse was transferred to Japan Racing Association

Japan Racing Association

The Japan Racing Association is a public company established to operate Chūō Keiba and to manage racecourses, betting facilities, and horse-training facilities....

 in 1955. A major reconstruction was completed in 1991, and another in 2006. It has a capacity of 139,877. It has 12,603 seats.

Physical attributes

Hanshin Racecourse has two turf courses, a dirt course, and a jump course.

The turf's measures 2089m (1 1/4 miles + 254 feet), and the measures 1689m (1 mile + 261 feet). Two chutes allow races to be run at 1800m/1400m and 2600m/2200m, respectively. Races can be run on the "A Course" rail setting (on the hedge), or the "B Course" setting (rail out 4 meters).
The dirt course measures 1518 meters (7/8 mile + 360 feet), with a 1400m chute.

The 2089m-long outer oval turf course was part of a major construction in 2006, and was a 400m-long extension. This would eventually remove two old chutes previously used, including a 1600m chute used for the currently-used 1689m-long inner oval course. The reconstruction (until the course was completely reconstructed) forced stakes races held in Hanshin during the second reconstruction period to be held in other racecourses, including Chukyo Racecourse

Chukyo Racecourse

is located in Toyoake, Aichi, Japan. It is used for horse racing. It was built in 1994. It has a capacity of 58,400. It has 8,795 seats.-Physical attributes:Chukyo Racecourse has a grass courses, a dirt course.The turf's measures 1600m...

 and Kyoto Racecourse

Kyoto Racecourse

is located in Fushimi-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. It is used for horse racing. It has a capacity of 120,000. It was built in 1999. It has 28,000 seats.-Physical attributes:Kyoto Race Course has two turf courses, a dirt course, and a jump course....

.

Hanshin Racecourse has hosted the Japan Cup Dirt

Japan Cup Dirt

The Japan Cup Dirt is a race usually run a week after the Japan Cup.- Race Information :* Racecourse: Hanshin Racecourse* Distance: 1,800 meters The Japan Cup Dirt (JPN G-1) is a race usually run a week after the Japan Cup.- Race Information :* Racecourse: Hanshin Racecourse* Distance: 1,800...

 since 2008; races prior to that was held in Tokyo Racecourse

Tokyo Racecourse

is located in Fuchu, Tokyo, Japan. Built in 1933 for horse racing, it is considered the "racecourse of racecourses" in Japanese horseracing. It has 13,750 seats, with a capacity of 223,000....

.

Notable races

Month	Race	Distance	Age/Sex
Grade I
Apr	Oka Sho Oka Sho The is a Japanese Domestic Grade 1 flat horse race in Japan for three-year-old thoroughbred fillies run over a distance of 1,600 metres at the Hanshin Racecourse, Takarazuka, Hyōgo in April....  (Japanese 1,000 Guineas)	Turf 1600m out	3yo f
Jun	Takarazuka Kinen Takarazuka Kinen The Takarazuka Kinen is a Grade I flat horse race in Japan for three-year-old and above thoroughbreds run over a distance of 2,200 metres at Hanshin Racecourse in late June...	Turf 2200m	3yo +
Dec	Japan Cup Dirt Japan Cup Dirt The Japan Cup Dirt is a race usually run a week after the Japan Cup.- Race Information :* Racecourse: Hanshin Racecourse* Distance: 1,800 meters The Japan Cup Dirt (JPN G-1) is a race usually run a week after the Japan Cup.- Race Information :* Racecourse: Hanshin Racecourse* Distance: 1,800...	Dirt 1800m	3yo +
Dec	Hanshin Juvenile Fillies Hanshin Juvenile Fillies The Hanshin Juvenile Fillies is a one mile turf stakes race for thoroughbred fillies two years old. It is considered the de facto year-end championship for Japanese thoroughbred racing in the two-year-old fillies division.- Winners :*2010 - Rêve d'Essor...	Turf 1600m out	2yo f
Grade II
Mar	Fillies' Revue (Oka Sho Trial)	Turf 1400m	3yo f
Mar	Hanshin Daishoten	Turf 3000m	4yo +
Mar/Apr	Osaka Hai	Turf 2000m	4yo +
Apr	Hanshin Himba Stakes	Turf 1400m	4yo + f
Apr	Milers Cup	Turf 1600m out	4yo +
Sep	Centaur Stakes Centaur Stakes The is a Grade 2 flat horse race in Japan for three-year-old and above thoroughbreds run over a distance of 1,200 metres at Hanshin Racecourse in September....	Turf 1200m	3yo +
Sep	Rose Stakes (Shuka Sho Shūka Sho The is a Grade 1 flat horse race in Japan for three-year-old thoroughbred fillies run over a distance of 2,000 metres at the Kyoto Racecourse, Fushimi-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture in October....  Trial)	Turf 1800m out	3yo f
Sep	Kobe Shimbun Hai (Kikuka Sho Kikuka Sho The is a Japanese Domestic Grade 1 flat horse race in Japan for three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies run over a distance of 3,000 metres at the Kyoto Racecourse, Fushimi-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture in October....  Trial)	Turf 2400m out	3yo c&f
Dec	Hanshin Cup	Turf 1400m	3yo +
Grade III
Feb/Mar	Arlington Cup	Turf 1600m out	3yo
Feb/Mar	Hankyu Hai	Turf 1400m	4yo +
Jun	Mermaid Stakes (Handicap)	Turf 2000m	3yo + f
Jul	Procyon Stakes	Dirt 1400m	3yo +
Mar	Tulip Sho  (Oka Sho Trial)	Turf 1600m out	3yo f
Mar	Mainichi Hai	Turf 1800m out	3yo
Sep	Asahi Challenge Cup	Turf 2000m	3yo +
Sep/Oct	Sirius Stakes	Dirt 2000m	3yo +
Dec	Naruo Kinen	Turf 1800m out	3yo +
Dec	Radio Nikkei Hai Nisai Stakes	Turf 2000m	2yo
J-Grade II (Steeplechase)
Mar	Hanshin Spring Jump	Turf 3900m	4yo +
J-Grade III (Steeplechase)
Sep	Hanshin Jump Stakes	Turf 3140m	3yo +