For this selection of 8 topics, I would like to focus on horse racing.
To put it bluntly, if you are a fan of horse racing, you are probably curious about the watches your favorite jockeys wear. Also, recently, an app or game called Uma Musume seems to be popular (the author of our Actor's Watch seems to like it lol), and as a horse racing fan, I would be very happy if this could help to liven up the horse racing world and expand its base.
That's enough of an introduction, so let's get started by introducing the watches worn by jockeys .
Ⅰ. [Mirko Demuro]
The first is Mirco Demuro, an Italian jockey who is affiliated with the Japan Racing Association (JRA). He is my favorite foreign jockey.
Particularly memorable is the race he rode Victor Pisa to the first victory for a Japanese horse in the Dubai World Cup (the world's highest prize money) on March 26, 2011. And the race he rode the Derby horse Eishin Flash to victory in the Tenno Sho (Autumn) held on October 28, 2012 as a race watched by His Majesty the Emperor.
Normally, dismounting before the weigh-in after the race would be subject to review (penalties or demoting), but I'm sure I'm not the only Japanese person who was moved by the sight of him dismounting from his horse in the arena in front of the main stand immediately after completing his victory run and giving a deep bow to Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress.
Now, the watch that jockey Mirko Demuro is wearing is the Rolex Milgauss "Ref. 116400GV" with a black dial.
[Source][Source][Source] netkeiba.com
II. [Yuuga Kawada]
The second is Kawada Yuuga, a young top jockey in the Japanese horse racing world who is currently competing for the JRA leading position.
His most memorable ride was in the 2012 Yushun Himba (Oaks), where he substituted for the suspended jockey Yasumasa Iwata and led Gentildonna to a double crown. Gentildonna then went on to win the Shuka Sho, becoming a Triple Crown winner.
Jockey Kawada Yuuga appears to be wearing a Rolex Daytona combination model with a black dial.
[Source] Twitter @durkshadow (Bandage-san ☺︎)
III. [Katsumi Ando]
The third person is former jockey Katsumi Ando, known by the nickname "Ankatsu," who is one of the famous jockeys who made his debut at the public Kasamatsu Racecourse in 1976.
He officially transferred to the JRA in 2003. [Katsumi Ando] When he transferred to the JRA, many other jockeys from local racetracks followed suit, and he is said to be a pioneer who paved the way from local racetracks to the JRA.
Former jockey Ando Katsumi is also a jockey who rode "Oguri Cap" at Kasamatsu Racecourse, which even people who don't know anything about horse racing have heard of. "Oguri Cap" transferred to the JRA before former jockey Ando Katsumi, so it's hard to imagine how he felt when he couldn't ride "Oguri Cap" as a jockey, but he himself said later that he "wasn't that attached to it." (laughs)
[Source] Twitter @FujitaOfficial (former jockey Shinji Fujita)
After transferring to the JRA, former jockey Katsumi Ando rode many famous horses, including the great stallions King Kamehameha, Daiwa Scarlet, Daiwa Major, and Buena Vista, to victory in the GI races. Judging from the photo, it seems that he prefers the champagne dial of the Rolex Day-Date or Datejust. The photo with jockey Lemaire and former jockey Shinji Fujita is wonderful!
Ⅳ. [Christophe Lemaire]
The fourth is Christophe Lemaire, a top jockey from France who has consistently been at the top of the JRA leading jockey rankings in recent years.
In the 2006 Dubai Sheema Classic, he rode Heart's Cry to victory. Heart's Cry was the only horse in Japan to defeat Deep Impact in the 2005 Arima Kinen.
He has ridden many famous horses, so it is difficult to choose a race that left a lasting impression, but the one that immediately comes to mind is the Japan Cup on November 29, 2009. In that race, he rode Vodka, who had lost two races in a row, to victory by a nose over Ouken Blue Three.
I'm sure I'm not the only one who would have liked to see jockey Christophe Lemaire ride Almond Eye (the Filly's Triple Crown) to the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe if it were possible.
Now, jockey Christophe Lemaire is an ambassador for the Swiss watch brand Favre-Leuba, and he is also a watch enthusiast, owning several watches, including the Cartier Santos 100 Skeleton and the Hublot Classic Fusion Skeleton.
[Source][Source] Power Watch Christophe Lemaire - Choice of a Male Portrait Watch (Power Watch No. 113)
V. [Lanfranco Frankie Dettori]
The fifth person is Lanfranco Frankie Dettori, also known as "Frankie," a jockey from Italy who is one of the first names to come to mind when talking about famous jockeys both in Japan and overseas.
He was such a skilled jockey that he served as the exclusive jockey for Godolphin in the United Arab Emirates (the world's largest breeding organization), and he has led many famous horses, including Lammtarra, Tailorami, and Dubai Millennium, to G1 victories.
He has a close friendship with HH Sheikh Mohammed of the UAE, and obtained a short-term license to ride in Japan, where he rode Devonair in the 2011 Japanese Derby (Tokyo Yushun).
Jockey Lanfranco Frankie Dettori seems to be a fan of Cartier's Tank and Franck Muller.
[Source] Royal Ascot
Ⅵ. [Olivier Perrier]
The sixth person is Olivier Perrier, one of the world's leading jockeys from France. He is a famous jockey with ample riding experience in Japan.
In 2004, he achieved three consecutive wins in major autumn GI races with Zenno Rob Roy, and as a jockey he achieved three consecutive victories in the Arima Kinen, setting a new record for the race.
When I hear the name Olivier Perrier, the first thing that comes to mind is when he rode Solemia in the 2012 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and beat Orfevre by a neck, who was expected to win the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, a long-cherished dream for Japanese racehorses. Hmm, I'm sure I'm not the only one who still feels regretful (lol).
Now, the former jockey Olivier Perrier is wearing an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph.
As expected, top-class jockeys also wear top-class watches.
Ⅶ. [William Buick]
The seventh person is William Buick, who is from Norway, has Danish nationality and is active in the UK.
In 2018, he obtained a JRA short-term jockey license. He won the Mile Championship with Stelvio, marking Japan's first GI victory. His skills were such that he was selected as the third best jockey in the 2020 Longines World Jockey Awards, and he is one of the main jockeys in the UK and UAE for Godolphin, led by Sheikh Mohammed of Dubai. He is still young in terms of age, so he is a jockey with a bright future ahead of him.
Jockey William Buick is a fan of the Rolex Submariner.
[Source] keibalab
VIII. [Yutaka Take]
Take Yutaka is one of Japan's leading jockeys. I'm sure no one would disagree. He has ridden many famous horses, including Deep Impact, to victory in GI races, so his achievements go without explanation.
It's difficult to decide which race was the most memorable, but for me it would have to be the 118th Tenno Sho (Autumn) in 1998, when I rode Silence Suzuka. And then there's the pairing with Kizuna, who I was entrusted with riding during a slump and who helped the horse to recover.
Now, Jockey Take Yutaka is known as one of the biggest watch lovers in the horse racing world. His collection is simply amazing, including the Rolex Daytona Ref. 116515LN, the Ice Blue Daytona Ref. 116506, and the Patek Philippe Nautilus Annual Calendar Ref. 5726A-001.
[Source] JRA
I would love to see jockey Take Yutaka win the Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes and the Hopeful Stakes (promoted to a G1 race in 2017) and complete his domination of Japan's G1 races.
summary
What did you think.
We tried very hard to find watches worn by jockeys (mainly in photos on social media, etc.), but we were unable to select just eight jockeys affiliated with the JRA, so we decided to include jockeys active around the world in our selection.
Although this post is very personal, I hope all jockeys from all over the country and the world will come and visit Commit Ginza! (laughs)
see you!