Yuga Kawada

What Are Yuga Kawada’s Strengths As A Jockey?

Yuga Kawada’s overall consistency of performance is a great strength of his. This is manifest in the numbers he posts on the JRA circuit each year: Kawada had the best winning average of all jockeys in 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2014 and 2013. He has a knack for settling horses into a rhythm, and while he is not the most elegant of jockeys in a finish, with his bumping, busy, and elbows up drive, his ability to galvanise a horse to find extra in the final stretch is a big part of why he is so successful.

Yuga Kawada’s Origin Story

Yuga Kawada is a fourth-generation jockey and was born in Tosu City, Saga Prefecture in Japan’s south. His father Takayoshi Kawada was a jockey, then a trainer, at the NAR’s Saga racetrack, and his grandfather Toshimi Kawada also rode and trained, as did his great-grandfather Wakaya Kawada whom family legend says once rode 11 winners from 11 rides in one day.

He was raised around his grandfather’s and his father’s stables and, after passing through the JRA jockey school, in 2004, he was apprenticed to trainer Takayuki Yasuda of Lord Kanaloa fame. In the 20 years since, he has developed into one of Japan’s greatest jockeys.

What is Yuga Kawada’s greatest achievement as a jockey?

Winning the jockey’s title (by number of wins) in 2022. Kawada’s peak years have coincided with the presence of the dominant French superstar Christophe Lemaire. He has finished runner-up in the JRA jockeys’ title race five times (by number of wins), in 2013, 2019, 2020 and 2021, as well as in 2023. But in 2022, he achieved his life’s ambition as he took the title for the first time and also enjoyed notable success with the brilliant fillies’ Triple Tiara winner Liberty Island.

Which horse is Yuga Kawada most famous for riding?

Kawada has had major success in partnership with some big names, but his most famous association is with the brilliant filly Liberty Island. He has ridden her from the sensational debut in a Newcomers race at Niigata, through her dominant Group 1 victories in the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies, Oka Sho, Yushun Himba, and Shuka Sho; her fine second to the great Equinox in the Japan Cup, and her unfortunate, closing third in the Dubai Sheema Classic.     

What is Yuga Kawada’s most memorable ride?

Kawada’s ride on Loves Only You in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf is hard to top. Not only was it a fine piece of jockeyship, but it also marked a historic moment. Kawada and Loves Only You tracked the pace in fifth, lacked a clear run off the home turn, but switched out and charged between rivals late in the stretch to secure Japan’s first Breeders’ Cup victory.

Who is Yuga Kawada’s greatest rival?

His biggest rival is Christophe Lemaire. Kawada has locked horns with the Frenchman in many big races, but it is in their battles to be champion jockey that the rivalry is manifest. Four of Kawada’s second-place finishes in the leading jockey rankings (by number of winners) have been behind the six-time champion Lemaire (2019, 2020, 2021, and 2023).

If Yuga Kawada was a sporting franchise what would it be?

Liverpool in the Jurgen Klopp era is how Kawada would look if he were a sports franchise. Like ‘the Reds’ across the Klopp decade, Kawada is consistently in the title race and has proven himself good enough to be the outright champion without being able to dominate his biggest rival.

Kawada and Klopp’s Liverpool were a mix of brilliant performances on the big days and one or two that are best forgotten, of sublime high achievements without that extra air of invincibility. And, like Liverpool FC, Kawada has the bearing one would expect of a senior sports institution with a deep heritage; he is respected by most, and yet for some folks, he is just not their cup of tea.

Did you know?

Yuga Kawada enjoys camping, fishing, and riding the open road on his Harley-Davidson motorcycle. His desire to own a Harley was sparked by a Japanese TV cop show, Abunai Deka (Dangerous Cop), featuring a Harley-riding, shotgun-toting hero played by actor Hiroshi Tachi.

Our Favourite Yuga Kawada Stories

30 Oct, 2024

中文 日本語 EN

Kawada’s Patience Tames Ushba Tesoro’s ‘Ego’

保持耐心】川田將雅馴服「盈寶奇嶽」的「自我」

川田将雅騎手の忍耐力はウシュバテソーロを乗りこなす『鍵』

Ushba Tesoro and Remake will get the patient, intuitive approach as Yuga Kawada bids to make more history at the Breeders’ Cup, but the rider remains perplexed by Liberty Island’s Tenno Sho failure.

川田將雅努力在美國育馬者盃創造更多歷史，以其耐心及銳利的直覺為「盈寶奇嶽」（Ushba Tesoro）及「燦然一新」（Remake）執韁。然而他仍被「自由島」（Liberty Island）在秋季天皇賞的落敗感到困惑。

川田将雅騎手は、ウシュバテソーロとリメイクでブリーダーズカップでのさらなる歴史を築くべく、忍耐と直感的なアプローチで挑む。しかし、リバティアイランドの天皇賞秋惨敗には困惑を隠せない。

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