The National Association of Racing (NAR), the national level regulatory body for the Racing by Local Governments in Japan, has announced the 2009 NAR Grand Prix Awards for the year's outstanding horses, trainers and jockeys.
Winning Horses
"Horse of the Year" for 2009 was Love Michan (2-y-o filly, trained by Hitoshi Yanae, Kasamatsu), comfortable winner of five straight races from her debut including the Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun and the Hyogo Junior Grand Prix. Love Michan thereby became the first 2-year-old to claim this coveted prize in the 20-year history of the NAR Grand Prix. She also took "Best Thoroughbred 2-Year-Old" and "Best Thoroughbred Filly or Mare".
Love Michan (JPN) 2-y-o filly
| Sire / Dam (Sire of Dam) |
South Vigorous / Dashing Honey (Assatis) |
| Owner |
Sachiaki Kobayashi |
| Trainer |
Hitoshi Yanae (Kasamatsu) |
| Wins / Starts in 2009 |
5 / 5 (including 1 / 1 JRA) |
| Career Wins / Starts |
5 / 5 (including 1 / 1 JRA) |
| Principal Wins in 2009 |
Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun
Hyogo Junior Grand Prix |
"Best Thoroughbred 3-Year-Old" went to Blue Lad (3-y-o colt, trained by Katsuhisa Adachi, Kawasaki). Blue Lad outstripped JRA and regional heavyweights at the Urawa Kinen and won three principal races in southern Kanto.
Blue Lad (JPN) 3-y-o colt
| Sire / Dam (Sire of Dam) |
Ciro / Maruzen Lad (Mill George) |
| Owner |
Daisuke Mayuzumi |
| Trainer |
Katsuhisa Adachi (Kawasaki) |
| Wins / Starts in 2009 |
6 / 10 |
| Career Wins / Starts |
7 / 13 |
| Principal Wins in 2009 |
Urawa Kinen |
For the second year running, "Best Thoroughbred Older Colt or Horse" was won by Furioso (5-y-o horse, trained by Masayuki Kawashima, Funabashi). Furioso showed fine form as a top local veteran, winning the Diolite Kinen and finishing runner-up in both the Kawasaki Kinen and the Teio Sho.
Furioso (JPN) 5-y-o horse
| Sire / Dam (Sire of Dam) |
Brian's Time / Fursa (Mr. Prospector) |
| Owner |
Darley Japan Farm Co., Ltd |
| Trainer |
Masayuki Kawashima (Funabashi) |
| Wins / Starts in 2009 |
1 / 6 |
| Career Wins / Starts |
7 / 25 (including 0 / 4 JRA) |
| Principal Wins in 2009 |
Diolite Kinen |
"Best Ban-ei (Draft) Horse" was awarded to Kanesa Black (7-y-o horse, trained by Hirofumi Matsui, Ban-ei), winner of five principal races including two Kinen events (the Iwamizawa Kinen and the Kitami Kinen).
Kanesa Black (JPN) 7-y-o horse
| Sire / Dam |
Kanesa Speed / Kanesa Win |
| Owner |
Toyo Farm |
| Trainer |
Hirofumi Matsui (Ban-ei) |
| Wins / Starts in 2009 |
8 / 12 |
| Career Wins / Starts |
48 / 125 |
| Principal Wins in 2009 |
Iwamizawa Kinen,
Kitami Kinen |
Regrettably, there was no winner in the categories "Best Anglo-Arab Horse", "Best Thoroughbred " and "Best Thoroughbred Turf Horse".
The "Dirt Grade (Principal) Race Special Prize" is awarded to horses with outstanding performances in local Dirt Principal Races, irrespective of their affiliation. This year the prize went to Espoir City (4-y-o colt, trained by Akio Adachi, JRA Ritto Training Center). This JRA horse caused a storm in local dirt racing in 2009, with comfortable victories in the Kashiwa Kinen and the Mile Championship Nambu Hai.
Espoir City (JPN) 4-y-o colt
| Sire / Dam (Sire of Dam) |
Gold Allure / Eminent City (Brian's Time) |
| Owner |
Yushun Horse Club |
| Trainer |
Akio Adachi (JRA Ritto Training Center) |
| Wins / Starts in 2009 |
4 / 6 (including 2 / 4 JRA) |
| Career Wins / Starts |
9 / 17 (including 7 / 15 JRA) |
| Principal Wins in 2009 |
Kashiwa Kinen
Mile Championship Nambu Hai |
The "Special Award" was awarded jointly to two horses to mark their retirement in 2009. Adjudi Mitsuo was commended for making a huge impact on the history of local racing, showing consistent excellence in big races with straight victories in the Tokyo Daishoten (2004 and 2005). Adjudi Mitsuo was also the first locally affiliated horse to race overseas (2005 Dubai World Cup, finished 6th). Tagami Homare, the former Arab racehorse and stud, was jointly selected for the award as a gesture of thanks and respect to all Arab horses that have left major marks in the Japanese racing world. This coincides with the end of Arab-only races in 2009.
Adjudi Mitsuo (JPN) 8-y-o horse
| Sire / Dam (Sire of Dam) |
Adjudicating / Orimitsu Kinen (Judge Angelucci) |
| Owner |
Masao Orido |
| Trainer |
Masayuki Kawashima (Funabashi) |
| Wins / Starts in 2009 |
0 / 3 |
| Career Wins / Starts |
10 / 26 (including 0 / 4 JRA, 0 / 1 oversea) |
Tagami Homare (JPN) Born in 1962, died in1994
| Sire / Dam (Sire of Dam) |
Minefuji / Violet (Mineoka) |
Winning Jockeys and Trainers
The system of awards was revised this year, to reward a wider range of outstanding personnel in local racing. Until now, there has only been one award for Best Trainer and Best Jockey, respectively, but from this year on these have been expanded to Best Trainer (Races Won), Best Jockey (Races Won), Best Trainer (Money Earned), Best Jockey (Money Earned), Best Trainer (Winning Average) and Best Jockey (Winning Average). At the same time, two new awards (Grand Prize Trainer and Grand Prize Jockey) have been created to commend significant achievements in principal and international races.
"Best Trainer (Races Won)" went to Teruya Tsunoda (Aichi), who racked up 239 wins to break the record number held by Tsunoda himself. "Best Trainer (Money Earned)" was Masayuki Kawashima (Funabashi), trainer of Furioso and others, who won this category by a considerable margin. "Best Trainer (Winning Average)" was Tsuyoshi Kawanishi (Aichi), who in 2009 again recorded an average far in excess of 30%, following similar success in 2008. "Grand Prize Trainer" was awarded to two trainers. As well as winning two dirt grade races, Hideki Kakugawa (Hokkaido) notched up twelve wins in principal races in southern Kanto, including all-Japan exchange races. Hitoshi Yanae (Kasamatsu), finally, won the Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun with Love Michan and pulled off the first top-class race victory for a Kasamatsu-trained horse.
"Best Jockey (Races Won)" and "Best Jockey (Money Earned)" were both won overwhelmingly by Keita Tosaki (Ohi). "Best Jockey (Winning Average)" was Shuji Akaoka (Kochi), who also won this category by a huge margin. There was no winner in the "Grand Prize Jockey" category.
"Best Apprentice Jockey" was won by Kota Nagasawa (Ban-ei). Nagasawa quickly piled up race wins after a successful debut in January, and even went on to win a principal race.
"Best Female Jockey" once again went to Mai Beppu (Kochi), who culled 67 wins in 2009. Mai takes this award for the 4th straight year and the 4th time overall.
"Best Fair Play Jockey" was Tadanari Konno (Kawasaki), who took the award for the second time overall and the first time in four years.
* Note: Ban-ei (Draft) races: run by "heavy" horses such as the sturdy Percherons, Bretons and Belgians. Ban-ei Horses pull a sleigh weighing any where from 1,000 pounds to one ton, along a 200-meter separated straight track over two small hills, which are located along the course.