2019 News

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Winners of the 2018 JRA Awards announced

On Jan. 8, Almond Eye was announced as a double winner for the JRA Awards for 2018. Almond Eye won both the Japan Racing Association's Horse of the Year for 2018 and Best Three-Year-Old Filly award. In the voting for the Horse of the Year award, Almond Eye received all 276 votes.

The Horse of the Year title is the highest honor given to JRA-registered race horses and is selected by the Horse of the Year Selection Committee represented by journalists of various dailies and magazines.

The JRA Awards ceremony will be held on January 28.

Note: All information, including ages and race performances, are as of December 31, 2018, unless otherwise indicated.

■RACEHORSES

Almond Eye (JPN)

Video
Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) (G1 - English)
Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) (G1 - English)
Shuka Sho (G1 - English)
Japan Cup in association with LONGINES (G1 - English)

2018 Horse of the Year Connection comments

Owner: Masashi Yonemoto, CEO of Silk Racing Co. Ltd.
“It is a great honor to have the distinction of being selected as Horse of the Year. I would like to express my appreciation too all those associated with Almond Eye and to all the fans who supported her. Together with them, I wish to reflect on the joy of receiving this award. And, I humbly ask for your continued support in keeping with the ever greater challenges we will be taking on.”

Trainer: Sakae Kunieda
“She was able to give us fabulous results last year and I owe this to the owner, breeder and all those associated with her. And I, from here onward, will continue to put forth my greatest efforts.”

Jockey: Christophe Lemaire
 “She was outstanding last year. She didn’t lose a race from the Shinzan Kinen and in each of her races she ran superbly. She captured the Triple Crown and won the Japan Cup. Even at 3 years old, she became a super horse. She is a very special horse. I hope that she will go on to win big races this year as well, with the biggest goal being the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.”

Best Two-Year-Old Colt:

Admire Mars (JPN)

Video
Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes (G1 - English)

Best Two-Year-Old Filly:

Danon Fantasy (JPN)

Video
Hanshin Juvenile Fillies (G1 - English)

Best Three-Year-Old Colt:

Blast Onepiece (JPN)

Video
Arima Kinen (The Grand Prix) (G1 - English)

Best Older Colt or Horse:

Rey de Oro (JPN)

Video
Tenno Sho (Autumn) (G1)

Best Older Filly or Mare:

Lys Gracieux (JPN)

Video
Queen Elizabeth II Cup (G1 - English)

Best Sprinter or Miler:

Fine Needle (JPN)

Video
Takamatsunomiya Kinen (G1 - English)
Sprinters Stakes (G1 - English)

Best Dirt Horse:

Le Vent Se Leve (JPN)

Video
Champions Cup (G1 - English)

Best Steeplechase Horse:

Oju Chosan(JPN)

Video
Nakayama Grand Jump (J-G1)

■TRAINERS & JOCKEYS

*Best Trainer (races won): Hideaki Fujiwara (58 wins)
*Best Trainer (winning average): Tetsuya Kimura (0.215%)
*Best Trainer (money earned): Yasuo Tomomichi (1,707,307,100 Yen)
*Best Trainer (training technique): Tetsuya Kimura

JRA Best Jockey (races won): Christophe Lemaire (215 wins)
JRA Best Jockey (winning average): Christophe Lemaire (0.278%)
JRA Best Jockey (money earned): Christophe Lemaire (4,660,235,000 Yen)
Grand Prize Jockey: Christophe Lemaire
**MVJ (Most Valuable Jockey): Christophe Lemaire (50 points)
Best Steeplechase Jockey: Yusuke Igarashi
Best Jockey (newcomer): N/A

Special Award: Yutaka Take (jockey)
Reason for award: To recognize the heretofore unprecedented achievement of attaining 4,000 wins of Japan Racing Association races
Comment:“Thank you very much. The achievement of winning 4,000 races has allowed me to once again take a look back. I wish to express my appreciation to the many people who lent me their support and to the horses I have ridden. I humbly ask for your continued support.”

*Trainers’ figures include National Association of Racing (NAR; Racing by Local Governments) and overseas race results.

**The MVJ is determined by points allotted a jockey for his or her ranking in four different categories for designated JRA, NAR and overseas races. The four categories are “number of wins,” “win average,” “earnings,” and “number of rides for the year.” The MVJ award is bestowed upon the jockey with the highest total points.

■JRA Equine Cultural Award

Winner: "Keiba to Testudo -- ano “Keibajoeki” wa ko shi te de ki ta" (Racing and the Railroad -- How the Racetrack Stations Came About) (book)
Recipient: Yoshihiko Yano

■Award of Merit

Recipient: Ryoma Hara (Horse Racing Commentator)

 (Note) 
The JRA Equine Cultural Award and Award of Merit recognize those persons (or organizations) that have contributed to the development of equine culture through such mediums as literature, critique, art, film and music, photography and performance.

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Results of the 2018 JRA Awards (Total Votes: 276)

Horse of the Year

Place	Horse	Votes
1	Almond Eye	276
Total		276

Best Two-Year-Old Colt

Place	Horse	Votes
1	Admire Mars	153
2	Saturnalia	123
Total		276

Best Two-Year-Old Filly

Place	Horse	Votes
1	Danon Fantasy	275
2	None	1
Total		276

Best Three-Year-Old Colt

Place	Horse	Votes
1	Blast Onepiece	114
2	Wagnerian	88
3	Le Vent Se Leve	69
4	Epoca d'Oro	3
5	Stelvio	1
5	None	1
Total		276

Best Three-Year-Old Filly

Place	Horse	Votes
1	Almond Eye	276
Total		276

Best Older Colt or Horse

Place	Horse	Votes
1	Rey de Oro	212
2	Fine Needle	45
3	None	10
4	Mikki Rocket	4
5	Rainbow Line	3
6	Gold Dream	2
Total		276

Best Older Filly or Mare

Place	Horse	Votes
1	Lys Gracieux	265
2	None	8
3	Deirdre	2
4	Jour Polaire	1
Total		276

Best Sprinter or Miler

Place	Horse	Votes
1	Fine Needle	274
2	Stelvio	2
Total		276

Best Dirt Horse

Place	Horse	Votes
1	Le Vent Se Leve	274
2	K T Brave	1
2	Nonkono Yume	1
Total		276

Best Steeplechase Horse

Place	Horse	Votes
1	Oju Chosan	228
2	Nihonpiro Baron	42
3	None	5
4	Up to Date	1
Total		276