Horse Racing’s Most Talked About Hairstyle Goes Global

JAPANESE JOCKEY Kanta Taguchi has a fascinating background and a bright future, which he hopes will be boosted by his current development stint in France, but let’s cut right to the most important topic for his growing legion of fans: his hair style. 

Taguchi’s broad smile, cherubic cheeks and Buddha-like, short-cropped or bald-headed style are part of what has made the 20-year-old an emerging cult hero in Japanese racing, but it is also his infectious personality: he is quick to laugh and has that playful nature that has endeared him to fans and rivals alike. 

When Idol Horse caught up with Taguchi at the recent Select Sale in Hokkaido, that trademark smile broke out when he was asked about his fans’ obsession with his hairstyle and if he planned on growing his hair out anytime soon. 

“I think when I get old, probably when I’m in my 30s, I will grow my hair,” he said, running his hand back-and-forth through an inch-long cut, about as long as his hair gets. “But for now, until everyone gets bored, I will keep my hairstyle.” 

The way Taguchi has ridden in his first two years on the Japan Racing Association (JRA), nobody will be getting bored anytime soon. 

Apprenticed to Ritto-based veteran Yuki Ohashi, Taguchi rode 35 winners in his debut JRA season in 2023 and is well on his way to surpassing that in 2024. Taguchi has 31 winners so far and is now in France for a two-month stint with trainer Satoshi Kobayashi at Chantilly. 

“I think I will be able to gain a lot of experience which I cannot gain in Japan,” Taguchi said. “I think I can learn a lot in France, and that’s why I decided to go there. The style is different from Japan, the major style in Europe is the ability of ‘commanding and moving’ horses on heavier grounds, and I think the skill to move horses like that is what I am lacking right now, so I hope I can steal some of their skills while I’m there.” 

The array of gallops that weave through the lush forests of Chantilly are a far cry from Kasamatsu Racecourse, the NAR dirt track by the banks of the Kiso River in Gifu, where Taguchi’s passion for the sport was forged.  

Taguchi’s parents Teruhiko Taguchi and Hiromi Taguhci (née Nakajima) were both jockeys and his father now trains at Kasamatsu, with his mother assisting. 

Growing up, Taguchi’s idol was the great jockey Katsumi Ando, who was leading jockey for 18 consecutive years at Kasamatsu and rode the mighty Oguri Cap to seven wins from seven rides, before the NAR hero moved on to the JRA and achieved ‘all-time great’ status. It took until 2003 for Ando to be granted a JRA licence, at age 43, but he won a Group 1 within a month. 

“My parents (both former jockeys) rode with Katsumi at Kasamatsu in the past, so after I made my debut as a jockey, he will give me a little advice whenever we have a chance to meet,” Taguchi said. 

Taguchi hasn’t had to wait as long as his idol to make it to the big time and has looked right at home now that he is there, but the Kasamatsu influence comes to the fore in dirt races. Of Taguchi’s 66 career victories, 49 have been on the dirt at a 7.4% strike rate that is more than double that of his win rate on turf (3.2%). He hasn’t forgotten his NAR roots either, returning to Katamastu and the other local council-run circuits on a regular basis to hone his skills. He has earned a reputation as a tactically astute front-runner but also has a habit of landing longshot winners. 

“I have won a lot at Kasamatsu and  since front-running strategies are very important in dirt racing, I try to execute that kind of strategy when I’m riding dirt,” before sharing his secret to upset victories: “I don’t pay attention to the odds.” 

“Every horse has its own personality, so during the pre-race warmup I try to understand the horse, and then make plans on how I should ride this horse today,” he said.  

Among Japanese fans, Taguchi is commonly referred to by his somewhat ‘old-fashioned’ given name ‘Kanta’. Using a given name for a jockey is a custom more commonly associated with the older generation, but Taguchi is most certainly part of a youth movement within the JRA riding ranks. ‘Kanta’ is also part of what many fans believe could be a ‘golden era’ of young talent that has emerged in recent years.  

Manami Nagashima debuted two years before Taguchi and they have formed a friendly rivalry. They had their first G1 rides in the same race, last year’s Hanshin Juvenile Fillies, and this season there are only six wins between them. They are just two of a talented batch of riders that have debuted in the last five years. Tazeko Nagano (2021), Daisuke Sasaki (2022), Koji Nishizuka (2022) and Riki Takasugi (2024) have also shown promise. 

Taguchi’s ultimate dream? Breaking Japan’s long-standing drought in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. He hopes the summer sojourn in France will help him gain some insight into the variables of turf while watching and competing against some of the best jockeys in the world. 

“Although I think Japanese horses are the best in the world, they haven’t had satisfying results in France, especially in the Arc, so I want to know why,” he said. “There are also great jockeys such as Christophe Soumillon riding in France. These jockeys made me want to go to France to have a look.”

Who knows, with his personality and distinctive look – but most of all with his talent – maybe Kanta will end up a fan favourite in France as well.