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May 9, 2025

藤井勘一郎 @ 2025年5月8日

hello everyone.

On May 4th (local time), Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, USA, packed the track with over 140,000 spectators, creating a festive atmosphere for the 151st Kentucky Derby. When I spoke with Christophe on the phone the day before the race, he told me about the track conditions, saying, "It's starting to rain, and it looks like the track will be heavy again tomorrow." As predicted, the race was held in muddy conditions, with Godolphin's Sovereignty winning. Admire Daytona got off to a good start from gate 6, rounding the first corner in 5th or 6th place, but quickly lost momentum on the home stretch and finished 19th.

"He kept his menko on until the gate and remained calm, not being overwhelmed by the unique atmosphere of the Kentucky Derby. He was in a good position at the start, but he quickly lost momentum and it felt like he wasn't gripping the ground. The result might have been different if the track had been dry. Lux All Cafe was also unable to show his strength, and this unique track was tough for Japanese horses," Christophe recalls.

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One striking scene just before the race was all the jockeys offering prayers in the jockey room. Christophe posted this on social media, which garnered a lot of attention. "In America, many jockeys are from South America, and the majority are Christian. I'm also Christian, but I feel that regardless of religion, it's important to take time to pray for the safety of the jockeys and horses. Praying helps you regain your composure," he said. American jockey Mike Smith also said, "Praying isn't for the sake of winning, it's for the safety of everyone," giving us a glimpse of this custom that is deeply rooted in the culture.
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Before leaving for the US, there was some exciting news! Christophe rode Energeco to victory in the Aoba Sho race at Tokyo Racecourse, achieving the remarkable feat of 2,000 JRA wins. This surpasses the record held by jockey Yutaka Take, making him the fastest jockey to reach that milestone.

"I'm amazed at how I've managed to rack up so many wins in Japan in such a short space of time. It took me 15 years to reach 1,200 wins in France, so I really feel the weight of 2,000 wins. It's a real honor to have surpassed Yutaka Take's record," he said with emotion. Of the 2,000 memorable wins, the trainer with the most victories was former trainer Kazuo Fujisawa. "Whenever I rode his horses, I was always able to approach the race with confidence," he said with a smile. He has also achieved success in partnerships with many top trainers, including trainers Tetsuya Kimura and Masahiro Kato.

When asked, "Is your next goal to break Take Yutaka's record for the most wins in the JRA?"

"First of all, it's important to continue riding safely in each race. Yutaka's 4,576 wins (as of May 9th)? Hmm... that's a bit difficult (laughs)," he joked, speaking humbly.
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Finally, we will be hosting a pop-up store at Hankyu Men's Tokyo from May 7th.

For more information:
May 7th to 13th, 2025
Location: Hankyu Men's Tokyo 1st floor MAIN BASE (2-5-1 Chiyoda-Yurakucho, Tokyo 100-8488)
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Iris Henry
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藤井勘一郎

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