2015 NAR Grand Prix

Winning Horses

Special Awards went to Oguri Roman, which passed away in 2015. Oguri Roman was a half sister to Oguri Cap, a legendary horse from the NAR circuit which went on to win the Arima Kinen Grand Prix and other top-level JRA races. Oguri Roman, like her brother, began her racing career with the NAR circuit (Kasamatsu), winning 6 of the first 7 starts. Although Oguri Cap was not eligible to compete in the JRA Classic races, Oguri Roman realized her brother’s dream by winning the Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) in 1994. After her racing career, Oguri Roman returned to her breeding farm (Inaba Bokujo) and became a mother to 10 crops. The owner of Oguri Roman and Oguri Cap, Mr. Koichi Oguri, also passed away in 2015, and the Special Awards was awarded to Oguri Roman to honor her career, as well as to recognize Mr. Oguri’s long-time contribution to NAR racing.

There was no recipient of the Best Thoroughbred Turf Horse award.

Winning Trainers and Jockeys

Best Trainer (Races Won) went to Teruya Tsunoda, who saddled 235 winners. This is Tsunoda’s second title and first in six years. The Urawa-based Satoshi Kokubo, who topped the earnings list with some 540 million yen to his name, won the Best Trainer (Money Earned) for the second consecutive year. The Hyogo-based Masamichi Kashihara was recognized as Best Trainer (Winning Average) for his win average of 35.1 percent. Kashihara received the award for the third time and the first in two years.

There was no recipient of the Grand Prize Trainer award.

Taito Mori, of Funabashi, was a double recipient in the jockeys category, winning the Best Jockey for Races Won and Money Earned. Mori saddled 297 winners and earned almost 740 million yen in prize money, receiving the awards for the first time in his 17-year career. Best Jockey (Winning Average) went to Isao Yamaguchi, who notched a 33.3% winning rate. Yamaguchi, based at Saga, became a three-time recipient of the award - all coming in consecutive years. Yamaguchi, who did not receive any reprimands for careless riding throughout the year, was also recognized with the Best Fair Play Jockey award.

There was no recipient of the Grand Prize Jockey award.

Best Apprentice Jockey went to Tatsuya Nakajima of Kanazawa. In only his second year, Nakajima ranked No. 6 among Kanazawa-based jockeys after notching 52 wins.

Best Female Jockey was awarded to Aoi Kinomae, who won 65 races and rode a winner in her first race overseas at the H.H. Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship, held in the United Kingdom in May. Mai Beppu of Kochi was also recognized for saddling 71 winners, tops among female jockeys, and became a seven-time recipient of the award.

Special Awards for 2015 were bestowed on three jockeys who reached the 3,000-win mark for their careers - Manabu Tanaka of Hyogo, Makoto Okabe and Yukio Abe of Aichi.

• *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.