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Winners of the 2024 JRA Awards announced

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Do Deuce was announced as a double winner for the JRA Awards for 2024.

DO DEUCE winning the Tenno Sho (Autumn) at Tokyo in Japan. Picture: Japan Racing Association

Do Deuce won both the Japan Racing Association's Horse of the Year for 2024 and Best Older Colt or Horse award. In the voting for the Horse of the Year award, Do Deuce received 236 votes out of 256.

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, 2024, unless otherwise indicated.

Horse of the Year and Best Older Colt or Horse:

Do Deuce (JPN)
5-Year-Old, Bay, Horse

Sire
Dam (Sire of Dam)
Heart's Cry
Dust and Diamonds (Vindication)
Owner Kieffers Co. Ltd.
Trainer Yasuo Tomomichi
Jockey Yutaka Take
Breeder Northern Farm
Wins / Starts in 2024 2 / 4
(Overseas 0/1)
Earnings in 2024 747,426,400 Yen
(Overseas 21,210,400Yen)
Principal Wins in 2024 Tenno Sho (Autumn) (G1)
Japan Cup (G1)

Best Two-Year-Old Colt:

Croix du Nord (JPN)
2-Year-Old, Brown, Colt

Sire
Dam (Sire of Dam)
Kitasan Black
Rising Cross (Cape Cross)
Owner Sunday Racing Co. Ltd.
Trainer Takashi Saito
Jockey Yuichi Kitamura
Breeder Northern Racing
Wins / Starts in 2024 3 / 3
Earnings in 2024 116,789,000 Yen
Principal Wins in 2024 Hopeful Stakes (G1)

Best Two-Year-Old Filly:

Arma Veloce (JPN)
2-Year-Old, Dark Bay, Filly

Sire
Dam (Sire of Dam)
Harbinger
Rakuami (Daiwa Major)
Owner Teruo Ono
Trainer Hiroyuki Uemura
Jockey Mirai Iwata
Breeder Northern Racing
Wins / Starts in 2024 2 / 3
Earnings in 2024 85,600,000 Yen
Principal Wins in 2024 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies (G1)

Best Three-Year-Old Colt:

Danon Decile (JPN)
3-Year-Old, Chestnut, Colt

Sire
Dam (Sire of Dam)
Epiphaneia
Top Decile (Congrats)
Owner Danox Co. Ltd.
Trainer Shogo Yasuda
Jockey Norihiro Yokoyama
Breeder Shadai Farm
Wins / Starts in 2024 2 / 4
Earnings in 2024 500,886,000 Yen
Principal Wins in 2024 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) (G1)

Best Three-Year-Old Filly:

Cervinia (JPN)
3-Year-Old, Bay, Filly

Sire
Dam (Sire of Dam)
Harbinger
Cecchino (King Kamehameha)
Owner Sunday Racing Co. Ltd.
Trainer Tetsuya Kimura
Jockey Christophe Lemaire
Breeder Northern Farm
Wins / Starts in 2024 2 / 4
Earnings in 2024 365,667,000 Yen
Principal Wins in 2024 Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) (G1)
Shuka Sho (G1)
 
STUNNING ROSE winning the Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Kyoto in Japan. Picture: Japan Racing Association

Best Older Filly or Mare:

Stunning Rose (JPN)
5-Year-Old, Bay, Mare

Sire
Dam (Sire of Dam)
King Kamehameha
Rosa Blanca (Kurofune)
Owner Sunday Racing Co. Ltd.
Trainer Tomokazu Takano
Jockey Cristian Demuro
Breeder Northern Farm
Wins / Starts in 2024 1 / 5
Earnings in 2024 133,654,000 Yen
Principal Wins in 2024 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (G1)

Best Sprinter:

Lugal (JPN)
4-Year-Old, Brown, Colt

Sire
Dam (Sire of Dam)
Duramente
Atab (New Approach)
Owner Yoshimasa Ema
Trainer Haruki Sugiyama
Jockey Atsuya Nishimura
Breeder Mishima Bokujo
Wins / Starts in 2024 2 / 4
(Overseas 0/1)
Earnings in 2024 214,997,000 Yen
Principal Wins in 2024 Sprinters Stakes (G1)

Best Miler:

Soul Rush (JPN)
6-Year-Old, Dark Bay, Horse

Sire
Dam (Sire of Dam)
Rulership
Eternal Bouquet (Manhattan Cafe)
Owner Tatsue Ishikawa
Trainer Yasutoshi Ikee
Jockey Taisei Danno
Breeder Shimokobe Farm
Wins / Starts in 2024 2 / 5
(Overseas 0/1)
Earnings in 2024 450,541,600 Yen
(Overseas 136,859,600 Yen)
Principal Wins in 2024 Mile Championship (G1)
 
LEMON POP (white cap) winning the Champions Cup at Chukyo in Japan. Picture: Japan Racing Association

Best Dirt Horse:

Lemon Pop (USA)
6-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 2024 3 / 4
(Overseas 0/1, NAR 2 / 2)
Earnings in 2024 278,444,000 Yen
(NAR 155,000,000 Yen)
Principal Wins in 2024 Sakitama Hai
Mile Championship Nambu Hai
Champions Cup (G1)
 
NISHINO DAISY winning the Nakayama Daishogai at Nakayama in Japan. Picture: Japan Racing Association

Best Steeplechase Horse:

Nishino Daisy (JPN)
8-Year-Old, Bay, Horse

Sire
Dam (Sire of Dam)
Harbinger
Nishino Hinagiku (Agnes Tachyon)
Owner Shigeyuki Nishiyama
Trainer Noboru Takagi
Jockey Yusuke Igarashi
Breeder Nishiyama Stud
Wins / Starts in 2024 1 / 4
Earnings in 2024 95,782,000 Yen
Principal Wins in 2024 Nakayama Daishogai (J-G1)
 
FOREVER YOUNG winning the UAE Derby at Meydan in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Picture: Neville Hopwood/Getty Images

Special Award:

Forever Young (JPN)
3-Year-Old, Bay, Colt

Sire
Dam (Sire of Dam)
Real Steel
Forever Darling (Congrats)
Owner Susumu Fujita
Trainer Yoshito Yahagi
Jockey Ryusei Sakai
Breeder Northern Racing
Wins / Starts in 2024 4 / 6
(Overseas 2/4, NAR 2/2)
Earnings in 2024 539,062,000 Yen
Principal Wins in 2024 Japan Dirt Classic
Tokyo Daishoten (G1)

TRAINERS & JOCKEYS

*Best Trainer (races won): Yoshito Yahagi (61 wins)
*Best Trainer (winning average): Hiroyasu Tanaka (0.239)
*Best Trainer (money earned): Yasuo Tomomichi (2,356,241,200 Yen)
*Best Trainer (training technique): Hiroyasu Tanaka

JRA Best Jockey (races won): Christophe Lemaire (176 wins)
JRA Best Jockey (winning average): Christophe Lemaire (0.298)
JRA Best Jockey (money earned): Christophe Lemaire (3,651,962,000 Yen)
**MVJ (Most Valuable Jockey): Keita Tosaki (47 points)
Best Steeplechase Jockey: Kayata Komaki
Best Jockey (newcomer): Riki Takasugi
Special Award: Yutaka Take

*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.