Read the full story on SportsLook – [ODDS and EVENS] A Horse Racing Journey of Love with Yutaka Take and Christophe Lemaire

Between them, Yutaka Take and Christophe Lemaire have won nearly 6,500 Japan Racing Association races in their illustrious careers. So if the subject is horse racing and they’re in the same room, it’s a double dose of equine wisdom for anyone listening.

Take, 55, and Lemaire, 45, have a wealth of knowledge about the sport. This is why their appearance together at the 40th Asian Racing Conference on August 28 in Sapporo was a special occasion.

On that day, the superstar jockeys were joined by a moderator, freelance anchor Naohide Fukuhara, for a panel discussion dubbed “Straight from the Saddle.” (Watch the full video on the Asian Racing Federation’s YouTube channel.)

Their lively discussion kicked off with some insights about the importance of gaining experience in overseas races.

This was always one of Take’s chief ambitions. He developed a fondness for the sport as a child and followed in the footsteps of his father, legendary jockey Kunihiko Take, who passed away in 2017. Take made his JRA debut in 1987.

“I’ve always dreamt about being a jockey and racing in international races outside of Japan,” said Take, who won his record 4,500th JRA race in May 2024.

When Take was a 12-year-old schoolboy, the Japan Cup debuted in November 1981. Recalling the enticing mix of Japanese and overseas horses and jockeys, the Kyoto native noted that the marque race “really left a big impression on me and I thought, ‘someday I would definitely go overseas and ride overseas.’ “

A Dream of Racing Abroad

Lemaire shared details about his introduction to Japanese horse racing. Initially, this came from media reports about compatriot Olivier Peslier, the first French jockey to compete in Japan and the winner of a number of major races here between 2000 and ’04.

After becoming a pro jockey in 1999, Lemaire revealed that “it was my dream to come to Japan and ride Japanese horses.”

Lemaire made his Japan debut in 2002. He became a full-time jockey on the JRA circuit in 2015.

Over the years, Lemaire has been synonymous with winning in Japan. He claimed the JRA Best Jockey award (for most wins) in 2017-2021 and in 2023.

Asked about becoming a prolific winner in Japan, Lemaire said, “I always wanted to get experiences abroad. From my young age, I used to travel. As soon as I became a jockey, I went to different countries to learn. So I went firstly to Dubai [in the United Arab Emirates] and then America and then I spent three months riding in India. At a young age, I can tell you it was a big, big experience.

“I think to put yourself into difficulties about language, about culture, about food, about the way of working and deal with different mentalities, it helps you to grow up,” added the five-time Tenno Sho (Autumn) and four-time Japan Cup winner. “And then when you get more mature and you go to a country for a while, then you feel more confident, you feel more happy and then you can become successful.”

Take Reflects on His Journey to Stardom

In a similar vein, Take looked back on his early years in horse racing and his sustained success as a jockey. This includes a jaw-dropping eight victories in the Tenno Sho (Spring), as well as six Tenno Sho (Autumn) wins, six in the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) and four in the Arima Kinen.

He acknowledged there were some difficult experiences in his younger days.

“Yes, when I first rode internationally, that was 1988 at Arlington Park, (near] Chicago in the United States, and whatever I see, whatever I touch, it’s the first experience. It’s fresh,” Take recalled.

He added, “It felt like I myself jumped into a storybook or a magazine.”

Continue reading the full story on SportsLook.

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Author: Ed Odeven

Find Ed on JAPAN Forward‘s dedicated website, SportsLook. Follow his [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven.