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Equinox was announced as a double winner for the JRA Awards for 2023.
Equinox won both the Japan Racing Association's Horse of the Year for 2023 and Best Older Colt or Horse award. In the voting for the Horse of the Year award, Equinox received 293 votes out of 295.
The Horse of the Year title is the highest honor given to JRA-registered race horses and is selected by the Horse of the Year Selection Committee represented by journalists of various dailies and magazines.
Note: All information, including ages and race performances, are as of December 31, 2023, unless otherwise indicated.
Horse of the Year and Best Older Colt or Horse:
Equinox (JPN)
4-Year-Old, Brown, Colt
| Sire Dam (Sire of Dam) | Kitasan Black Chateau Blanche (King Halo) |
|---|---|
| Owner | Silk Racing Co. Ltd. |
| Trainer | Tetsuya Kimura |
| Jockey | Christophe Lemaire |
| Breeder | Northern Farm |
| Wins / Starts in 2023 | 4 / 4 (Overseas 1/1) |
| Earnings in 2023 | 1,408,844,100 Yen (Overseas 458,890,100 Yen) |
| Principal Wins in 2023 | Dubai Sheema Classic (G1) Takarazuka Kinen (G1) Tenno Sho (Autumn) (G1) Japan Cup (G1) |
Comments from the horse's connections
Owner: Masashi Yonemoto, CEO of Silk Racing Co. Ltd.
"Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the honor of being recognized with the Horse of the Year award. Equinox's two races in the autumn – the Tenno Sho (Autumn) and his final run the Japan Cup – were extremely impressive. In these, after enduring the intense summer heat, he exhibited further maturity and gave performances that could be only be called the picture of perfection. I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude in recognizing all those involved with Equinox's care, all those at the stable and the farms, and all the fans who gave us their warm support. With the debut of his progeny, I think we can anticipate, at the earliest in 2027, what Equinox himself was unable to attain -- victory in the classics."
Trainer: Tetsuya Kimura
"I consider it a great honor for Equinox, a horse in my care, to be recognized as the Horse of the Year. In 2023, he was able to win on his first trip overseas and in his race in Kansai. Later in the year, in his two races in the fall, I believe his world-class performances were adequate in convincing his fans around the world that he was No. 1. From this year, he will, as stallion, shoulder the expectations of his fans. And, I believe that he will meet those expectations and that his fans can eagerly look forward to that day. I ask for your continued support of JRA racing."
Jockey: Christophe Lemaire
"In 2023, Equinox gave us top-level, spectacular performances, for a perfect record of four wins from four races. In Dubai, he showed the world his ability and held his No. 1 spot in the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings. And, he demonstrated his true strength in the Takarazuka Kinen, the Tenno Sho (Autumn), and in the Japan Cup. He is a horse I will never forget. And I think his performances are something that none of his fans will ever forget, and no one in any way involved with him will ever forget."
Best Two-Year-Old Colt:
Jantar Mantar (JPN)
2-Year-Old, Dark Bay, Colt
| Sire Dam (Sire of Dam) | Palace Malice India Mantuana (Wilburn) |
|---|---|
| Owner | Shadai Race Horse Co. Ltd. |
| Trainer | Tomokazu Takano |
| Jockey | Yuga Kawada |
| Breeder | Shadai Farm |
| Wins / Starts in 2023 | 3 / 3 |
| Earnings in 2023 | 116,810,000 Yen |
| Principal Wins in 2023 | Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes (G1) |
Best Two-Year-Old Filly:
Ascoli Piceno (JPN)
2-Year-Old, Dark Bay, Filly
| Sire Dam (Sire of Dam) | Daiwa Major Ascolti (Danehill Dancer) |
|---|---|
| Owner | Sunday Racing Co. Ltd. |
| Trainer | Yoichi Kuroiwa |
| Jockey | Hiroshi Kitamura |
| Breeder | Northern Farm |
| Wins / Starts in 2023 | 3 / 3 |
| Earnings in 2023 | 104,936,000 Yen |
| Principal Wins in 2023 | Hanshin Juvenile Fillies (G1) |
Best Three-Year-Old Colt:
Tastiera (JPN)
3-Year-Old, Bay, Colt
| Sire Dam (Sire of Dam) | Satono Crown Partitura (Manhattan Cafe) |
|---|---|
| Owner | Carrot Farm Co. Ltd. |
| Trainer | Noriyuki Hori |
| Jockey | Damian Lane |
| Breeder | Northern Farm |
| Wins / Starts in 2023 | 2 / 6 |
| Earnings in 2023 | 563,053,000 Yen |
| Principal Wins in 2023 | Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) (G1) |
Best Three-Year-Old Filly:
Liberty Island (JPN)
3-Year-Old, Bay, Filly
| Sire Dam (Sire of Dam) | Duramente Yankee Rose (All American) |
|---|---|
| Owner | Sunday Racing Co. Ltd. |
| Trainer | Mitsumasa Nakauchida |
| Jockey | Yuga Kawada |
| Breeder | Northern Racing |
| Wins / Starts in 2023 | 3 / 4 |
| Earnings in 2023 | 659,008,000 Yen |
| Principal Wins in 2023 | Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) (G1) Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) (G1) Shuka Sho (G1) |
Best Older Filly or Mare and Best Miler:
Songline (JPN)
5-Year-Old, Brown, Mare
| Sire Dam (Sire of Dam) | Kizuna Luminous Parade (Symboli Kris S) |
|---|---|
| Owner | Sunday Racing Co. Ltd. |
| Trainer | Toru Hayashi |
| Jockey | Keita Tosaki |
| Breeder | Northern Farm |
| Wins / Starts in 2023 | 2 / 5 (Overseas 0/2) |
| Earnings in 2023 | 352,421,800 Yen (Overseas 7,911,800 Yen) |
| Principal Wins in 2023 | Victoria Mile (G1) Yasuda Kinen (G1) |
Best Sprinter:
Mama Cocha (JPN)
4-Year-Old, Bay, Filly
| Sire Dam (Sire of Dam) | Kurofune Buchiko (King Kamehameha) |
|---|---|
| Owner | Kaneko Makoto Holdings Co. Ltd. |
| Trainer | Yasutoshi Ikee |
| Jockey | Yuga Kawada |
| Breeder | Kaneko Makoto Holdings Inc. |
| Wins / Starts in 2023 | 2 / 5 |
| Earnings in 2023 | 223,671,000 Yen |
| Principal Wins in 2023 | Sprinters Stakes (G1) |
Best Dirt Horse:
Lemon Pop (USA)
5-Year-Old, Chestnut, Horse
| Sire Dam (Sire of Dam) | Lemon Drop Kid Unreachable (Giant's Causeway) |
|---|---|
| Owner | Godolphin |
| Trainer | Hiroyasu Tanaka |
| Jockey | Ryusei Sakai |
| Breeder | Mr. & Mrs. Oliver S. Tait |
| Wins / Starts in 2023 | 4 / 5 (Overseas 0/1, NAR 1 / 1) |
| Earnings in 2023 | 357,287,000 Yen (NAR 70,000,000 Yen) |
| Principal Wins in 2023 | February Stakes (G1) Mile Championship Nambu Hai Champions Cup (G1) |
Best Steeplechase Horse:
Meiner Grand (JPN)
5-Year-Old, Brown, Horse
| Sire Dam (Sire of Dam) | Gold Ship Meine Nouvelle (Brian's Time) |
|---|---|
| Owner | Thoroughbred Club Ruffian Co. Ltd. |
| Trainer | Takafumi Aoki |
| Jockey | Shinichi Ishigami |
| Breeder | Big Red Farm |
| Wins / Starts in 2023 | 4 / 4 |
| Earnings in 2023 | 134,847,000 Yen |
| Principal Wins in 2023 | Nakayama Daishogai (J-G1) |
Special Award:
Ushba Tesoro (JPN)
6-Year-Old, Bay, Horse
| Sire Dam (Sire of Dam) | Orfevre Millefeui Attach (King Kamehameha) |
|---|---|
| Owner | Ryotokuji Kenji Holdings Co. Ltd. |
| Trainer | Noboru Takagi |
| Jockey | Yuga Kawada |
| Breeder | Chiyoda Farm Shizunai |
| Wins / Starts in 2023 | 4 / 5 (Overseas 1/2, NAR 3/3) |
| Earnings in 2023 | 1,161,515,800 Yen (Overseas 941,515,800 Yen, NAR 220,000,000 Yen) |
| Principal Wins in 2023 | Kawasaki Kinen Dubai World Cup Tokyo Daishoten (G1) |
Trainers & Jockeys
*Best Trainer (races won): Haruki Sugiyama (56 wins)
*Best Trainer (winning average): Tetsuya Kimura (0.209)
*Best Trainer (money earned): Yoshito Yahagi (2,732,768,100 Yen)
*Best Trainer (training technique): Tetsuya Kimura
JRA Best Jockey (races won): Christophe Lemaire (165 wins)
JRA Best Jockey (winning average): Yuga Kawada (0.305)
JRA Best Jockey (money earned): Christophe Lemaire (5,084,761,000 Yen)
**MVJ (Most Valuable Jockey): Kohei Matsuyama (47 points)
Best Steeplechase Jockey: Shinichi Ishigami
Best Jockey (newcomer): Kanta Taguchi
*Trainers' figures include National Association of Racing (NAR; Racing by Local Governments) and overseas race results.
**The MVJ is determined by points allotted a jockey for his or her ranking in four different categories for designated JRA, NAR and overseas races. The four categories are "number of wins," "win average," "earnings," and "number of rides for the year." The MVJ award is bestowed upon the jockey with the highest total points.