JRA Japan Racing Association Jockey Yutaka Take

I want to continue doing my best to win the race in front of me.

JRA Japan Racing Association Jockey　Yutaka Take(Yutaka Take)

■ Profile
Born in Kyoto Prefecture in 1969, he entered the JRA Racing School in 1984. He made his debut as a jockey on March 1, 1987, and won his first race on March 7 aboard Dynavi Shop. In 1995, he became the fastest and youngest jockey in history to reach 1000 wins. In 2002, he became the fastest and youngest jockey in history to reach 2000 wins, setting a new JRA record (tied with the world record) with eight wins in one day. In 2005, he teamed up with Deep Impact to win the Satsuki-Sho, Japanese Derby, and Kikuka-Sho, becoming the second male horse in history to win the Triple Crown undefeated. He continued to win races, achieving an unprecedented 4000 wins in 2018, and continues to be active today.

What made you want to become a jockey?

My father was a jockey, so I wanted to be a jockey from an early age. After I enrolled in the horse racing school, I learned a lot about the intricacies of horse racing, such as how it works and the role of a professional jockey.
As I continued to study, I quickly made up my mind to make a living as a jockey.

■What is the secret to your success at the forefront for so many years?

This year marks my 38th year as a jockey, and I think the reason I've been able to continue for so long is because I love this job.
Among the many people involved in horse racing, it is the privilege of only jockeys to cross the finish line together with their horses and be cheered on by tens of thousands of fans when they win. Those moments are priceless.
Of course, I get nervous when I ride a popular horse, but I don't find the pressure to be a negative thing at all. Riding a horse that is so popular that I feel pressure is proof that people have high expectations of me, and it's wonderful to feel nervous as an athlete. Of course, there are days when my performance isn't great or when I'm injured and can't ride. But I've never once thought about quitting this job. The reason for this is because the horse owners and trainers who provide the horses, and the horse racing fans who support me are all waiting for me. I think it's because I have the support of so many people that I'm able to overcome difficult times.

■The reason why you actively appear in the media

Horse racing exists only because of the fans. In order to gain more fans, I actively accept any offers to appear in the media. Unfortunately, however, there aren't that many horse racing fans in Japan. There are many people who have never seen a horse race or been to a racetrack, and many who don't have a good image of horse racing. For those people, I want them to come and watch the horse races and have fun, and I want to continue doing everything I can to win the races in front of me.

■Message to students

I want people to have dreams while they are young. Having dreams makes things more exciting.
I don't think all dreams will come true, but if you work hard you can get closer to your dreams. I hope you learn a lot in the process.

Student Newspaper April 1, 2024 Issue Musashino University 4th Year Student Nishiyama Ryusei

Photography: Kaga Ryugo