2019 News

January 9, 2019

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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

Horse of the Year and Best Three-Year-Old Filly:

Almond Eye (JPN)

3-Year-Old, Bay, Filly
Sire
Dam (Sire of Dam)
Lord Kanaloa
Fusaichi Pandora (Sunday Silence)
Owner Silk Racing Co. Ltd.
Trainer Sakae Kunieda
Jockey Christophe Lemaire
Breeder Northern Racing
Wins / Starts in 2018 5 / 5
Earnings in 2018 712,423,000 Yen
Principal Wins in 2018 Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) (G1)
Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) (G1)
Shuka Sho (G1)
Japan Cup in association with LONGINES (G1)

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

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)

2-Year-Old, Chestnut, Colt
Sire
Dam (Sire of Dam)
Daiwa Major
Via Medici (Medicean)
Owner Riichi Kondo
Trainer Yasuo Tomomichi
Jockey Mirco Demuro
Breeder Northern Farm
Wins / Starts in 2018 4 / 4
Earnings in 2018 132,547,000 Yen
Principal Wins in 2018 Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes (G1)

Video
Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes (G1 - English) play

Best Two-Year-Old Filly:

Danon Fantasy (JPN)

2-Year-Old, Bay, Filly
Sire
Dam (Sire of Dam)
Deep Impact
Life For Sale (Not For Sale)
Owner Danox Co. Ltd.
Trainer Mitsumasa Nakauchida
Jockey Cristian Demuro
Breeder Northern Racing
Wins / Starts in 2018 3 / 4
Earnings in 2018 103,417,000 Yen
Principal Wins in 2018 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies (G1)

Video
Hanshin Juvenile Fillies (G1 - English) play

Best Three-Year-Old Colt:

Blast Onepiece (JPN)

3-Year-Old, Bay, Colt
Sire
Dam (Sire of Dam)
Harbinger
Tsurumaru Onepiece (King Kamehameha)
Owner Silk Racing Co. Ltd.
Trainer Masahiro Otake
Jockey Kenichi Ikezoe
Breeder Northern Farm
Wins / Starts in 2018 4 / 6
Earnings in 2018 431,508,000 Yen
Principal Wins in 2018 Arima Kinen (The Grand Prix) (G1)

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

Best Older Colt or Horse:

Rey de Oro (JPN)

4-Year-Old, Bay, Colt
Sire
Dam (Sire of Dam)
King Kamehameha
La Dorada (Symboli Kris S)
Owner Carrot Farm
Trainer Kazuo Fujisawa
Jockey Christophe Lemaire             
Breeder Northern Racing
Wins / Starts in 2018 2 / 5
(Overseas 0/ 1)
Earnings in 2018 391,498,700 Yen
(Overseas 33,770,700 Yen)
Principal Wins in 2018 Tenno Sho (Autumn) (G1)

Video
Tenno Sho (Autumn) (G1) play

Best Older Filly or Mare:

Lys Gracieux (JPN)

4-Year-Old, Dark Bay, Filly
Sire
Dam (Sire of Dam)
Heart's Cry
Liliside (American Post)
Owner Carrot Farm
Trainer Yoshito Yahagi
Jockey Joao Moreira
Breeder Northern Farm
Wins / Starts in 2018 2 / 7
(Overseas 0/ 1)
Earnings in 2018 290,995,200 Yen
(Overseas 63,383,200 Yen)
Principal Wins in 2018 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (G1)

Video
Queen Elizabeth II Cup (G1 - English) play

Best Sprinter or Miler:

Fine Needle (JPN)

5-Year-Old, Bay, Horse
Sire
Dam (Sire of Dam)
Admire Moon
Needlecraft (Mark of Esteem)
Owner Godolphin
Trainer Yoshitada Takahashi
Jockey Yuga Kawada
Breeder Darley Japan
Wins / Starts in 2018 4 / 6
(Overseas 0/ 2)
Earnings in 2018 339,971,600 Yen
(Overseas 13,137,600 Yen)
Principal Wins in 2018 Takamatsunomiya Kinen (G1)
Sprinters Stakes (G1)

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

Best Dirt Horse:

Le Vent Se Leve (JPN)

3-Year-Old, Bay, Colt
Sire
Dam (Sire of Dam)
Symboli Kris S
Maestrale (Neo Universe)
Owner G1 Racing Co. Ltd.
Trainer Kiyoshi Hagiwara
Jockey Mirco Demuro
Breeder Shadai Corporation Inc.
Wins / Starts in 2018 4 / 5
(NAR 2/ 2)
Earnings in 2018 236,213,000 Yen
(NAR 90,000,000 Yen)
Principal Wins in 2018 Champions Cup (G1)
Japan Dirt Derby
Mile Championship Nambu Hai

Video
Champions Cup (G1 - English) play

Best Steeplechase Horse:

Oju Chosan(JPN)

7-Year-Old, Bay, Horse
Sire
Dam (Sire of Dam)
Stay Gold
Shadow Silhouette (Symboli Kris S)
Owner Chosan Co. Ltd.
Trainer Shoichiro Wada
Jockey Shinichi Ishigami
Breeder Naoyoshi Nagayama
Wins / Starts in 2018 3 / 4
(Flat races 2/3)
Earnings in 2018 92,340,000 Yen
(Flat races 25,920,000 Yen)
Principal Wins in 2018 Nakayama Grand Jump (J-G1)

Video
Nakayama Grand Jump (J-G1) play


■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.



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