Yuto Kumagai will be a familiar face to many in New Zealand racing from his time riding as an apprentice jockey for Wexford Stables, and now he is living the dream of travelling the world with one of Japan’s top stables.
Kumagai had been working as a track rider for Andrew Forsman before returning to Japan earlier this year to take up a contract as a translator, which ultimately led to his association with leading Japanese trainer Yoshito Yahagi.
“My work visa in New Zealand was finishing at the end of the year, so I was working as a translator in Japan for overseas jockeys,” Kumagai said.
“Another Japanese translator told me if I could, I should come to Saudi (Arabia) for American Stage, who is Forever Young’s stablemate, and it would be a good opportunity. They were looking for a person who could speak English and also ride, so I am doing both – riding and translating.
“I went to Saudi Arabia for the Saudi Cup and American Stage was in the Riyadh Dirt Sprint (Gr.2, 1200m), where he came fourth. They both (Forever Young and American Stage) went to Dubai, so I went to Dubai as well.”
Forever Young has been a leading figure on the world stage in the last few years, including winning the last two editions of the world’s richest horse race, the US$20 million Gr.1 Saudi Cup (1800m).
Kumagai continued his world tour to the United States for the renowned Kentucky Derby (Gr.1, 2000m) before heading to South Korea where American Stage finished runner-up in the Gr.3 Korea Sprint (1200m) earlier this month.
He has since returned to the United States where Yahagi is preparing his Breeders’ Cup team, including Forever Young, who won the Gr.1 Jockey Club Gold Cup (2000m) at Belmont Park last Friday, and is preparing to defend his crown in next month’s Gr.1 Breeders’ Cup Classic (2000m) at Keeneland.
While Kumagai said his connections were pleased with the win, they expect to see plenty of improvement from him as he heads to the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
“He went well but the trainer and staff thought he wasn’t 100 percent,” he said. “He is keeping good condition, but he needs to improve to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic back-to-back.
“We need to stay at Belmont for a month and then we are moving to Keeneland, and he will go straight to the Breeders’ Cup.”
While Forever Young is the stable’s flagbearer, and has his own track rider, Kumagai is excited about the prospects of American Stage and Group One performer Shin Emperor, who he rides in track work.
“We have another horse coming called Shin Emperor, so I am riding him,” Kumagai said. “For the Breeders’ Cup, American Stage is coming, so I will be riding him as well.”
American Stage will be targeting the Gr.1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint (1200m), a race he finished fourth in last year.
While enjoying travelling the world, Kumagai looks back fondly on his time in New Zealand, where he got his start in racing.
“When I was 19, I went to Australia and saw horse racing and I decided I wanted to become a jockey,” he said. “I couldn’t get a visa over there, so I went back home to Japan and I saw Taiki (Yanagida) got a licence in New Zealand, and that’s why I went to New Zealand.”
Kumagai linked up with Wexford Stables and rode for three seasons, recording 11 wins, but he said his love for raceday riding waned following the passing of his close friend Taiki Yanagida after a race fall in 2022.
“I used to be an apprentice for Lance O’Sullivan at Wexford Stables,” he said. “After my friend Taiki passed away I was struggling to make weight and keep motivation to ride on raceday, and I stopped riding on raceday in September 2023.
“After that I moved to Cambridge and worked for Andrew Forsman as a trackwork rider (before moving back to Japan to become a translator).”
Kumagai said he continues to pinch himself that he has been granted the opportunity to travel the world and be associated with quality racehorses.
He has been in awe of the world-renowned race meetings he has attended and has been particularly taken by the theatre of the sport in America, something he is looking forward to continuing to experience over the coming weeks.
“Not many people can have this opportunity, and I am honoured to be here with this great horse (Forever Young),” he said. “I never thought I could get this chance, I am just happy as.” – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
