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TOKYO - The Japan Derby is no hat-wearing, mint julep-sipping social occasion. Most fans arrive at the track by crowded subway. Any hat would be crushed or lost along the way. Racegoers are more likely to drink chilled green tea than Kentucky's famous sugary Bourbon concoction. Or they might grab a can of "Beer Water," "Pocari Sweat" or one of the many other drinks with odd and unappealing English names. Like the Kentucky Derby, the Japan Derby is one of the most important racing events of the year.

It draws celebrities and millionaires and virtually guarantees the winning horse a cushy retirement at a stud farm. And that's about where the similarities end. Unlike old-fashioned Churchill Downs, the Tokyo Race Course's grandstand is sleek, modern and enclosed. The 1933 track was fully renovated and extended in 1993 and holds a crowd bigger than any that ever gathered in South Louisville on the first Saturday in May. Japan allows only four types of bets: win, place, show or quinella (you pick the first two finishers in any order). In Kentucky you can bet on any number of exotic combinations.

The Japan Derby is run on turf rather than dirt, and the final stretch is on a slight incline instead of flat. At the Kentucky Derby, it's considered normal to wear sunglasses. At the Japan Derby, a messy-haired, rebellious pop singer named Takuya Kimura shocked people by wearing wraparound sunglasses in the presence of his elders. Young people in Japan, especially celebrities, are expected to show the utmost respect to older people. Among other things this means never wearing sunglasses when speaking to them. The proper attitude toward elders is "kobiru," which means to kiss up.

Kentucky Gov. Paul Patton and his wife, Judi, were guests a the VIP balcony during this year's Japan Derby. Photo by Katsumi Kasahara, Special to the Courier-Journal Kimura, who appears as a sexy cowboy in a national television ad for racing, is so popular among young women that police stepped up security after learning he would attend the races. Most fans couldn't get close to him, as he watched the races from a lofty box. But they could see his image on an enormous $12.5 million Mitsubishi "Turfvision" screen on the infield -- decade-old technology that far outshines the infield screens at the Downs.

The trophy ceremony at the Kentucky Derby is a boisterous affair, as the winning owners, jockey, trainer and assorted friends and relatives crowd into the winner's circle, sometimes with champagne glasses in hand. In Japan, the ceremony is a solemn event in which trophy presenters and jockeys, trainers and owners bow to each other. At this year's Japan Derby, winning owner Riichi Kondo struggled to remain stoic while accepting his trophy, tears running down his face. In Japan, where the emphasis tends to be on the "team" rather than individuals, the groom and exercise rider also receive a trophy.

Grooms share in the extraordinarily rich winning purses. Some Japanese grooms drive Mercedes Benz sedans. But the biggest difference between the Kentucky Derby and the Japan Derby is the price. It costs about $1.65 to attend the Japan Derby, the same price as any other race. The most expensive reserved seat was $29. The cheapest ticket to the Kentucky Derby is $35 for general admission, no seat included. Reserved seats run as high as $475.

Despite all the differences between the two races, this year's Japan Derby did have a touch of Kentucky. Gov. Paul Patton, wife Judi and a contingent of state economic-development officials attended the race. Toyota officials served as their hosts. Although the purpose of the trip was much broader than the horse business, Patton said he didn't miss the opportunity to press for more American access to Japanese races, which are mostly closed to foreign-bred horses. "We're continuing to emphasize more openness in the international racing scene," he said.

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 Horse Jockey
1
 Tap Dance City JPN Tetsuzo Sato
2
 Denon USA Corey Nakatani
3
 Sakura President JPN Yutaka Take
4
 Fields Of Omagh AUS Steven King
5
 Symboli Kris S JPN Olivier Peslier
6
 Ana Marie FR Christophe Lemaire
7
 Tsurumaru Boy JPN Norihiro Yokoyama
8
 Neo Universe JPN Mirco Demuro
9
 Ange Gabriel FR Thierry Jarnet
10
 That's The Plenty JPN Katsumi Ando
11
 Active Bio JPN Koshiro Take
12
 Derby Regno JPN Hideaki Miyuki
13
 Johar USA Alex Solis
14
 Islington GB Kieren Fallon
15
 Slew Valley USA Jorge Chavez
16
 Sarafan USA Victor Espinoza
17
 Tigertail FR Thierry Gillet
18
 Sunrise Pegasus JPN Yoshitomi Shibata