On Jan. 6, Almond Eye was announced as a double winner for the JRA Awards for 2020. Almond Eye won both the Japan Racing Association's Horse of the Year for 2020 and Best Older Filly or Mare award. In the voting for the Horse of the Year award, Almond Eye received 236 votes out of 283.
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, 2020, unless otherwise indicated.
â– RACEHORSES
Horse of the Year and Best Older Filly or Mare
Almond Eye (JPN)
5-Year-Old, Bay, Mare
Sire
Dam (Sire of Dam) Lord Kanaloa
Fusaichi Pandora (Sunday Silence)
Owner Silk Racing Co. Ltd.
Trainer Sakae Kunieda
Jockey Christophe Lemaire
Breeder Northern Racing
Wins / Starts in 2020 3 / 4
Earnings in 2020 617,452,000 Yen
Principal Wins in 2020 Victoria Mile (G1)
Tenno Sho (Autumn) (G1)
Japan Cup (G1)
Owner: Masashi Yonemoto, CEO of Silk Racing Co. Ltd.
“Firstly, let me say that the honor of being chosen Horse of the Year from among many splendid horses and from many stunning races is for me a very great honor. I would like to express my appreciation to, above all, the Kunieda Stable and the farm staffs, and to all who were in any way involved with this horse. Presently, she has retired safely and will begin her career as a broodmare and, at the debut of her first foal, I ask all of you once again for your support.”
Trainer: Sakae Kunieda
“Last year, she won three Grade 1 races and set new records doing so. She ran her heart out and shone brilliantly until the end. I have nothing but gratitude for Almond Eye. And I think it was due to the support of her owner, her breeder and her fans that she was able to be chosen as Horse of the Year.”
Jockey: Christophe Lemaire
“She was strong again last year. She’d shown her great potential as a 2-year-old and put everything into her races until the end. It is wonderful that she was able to race without injury until her retirement. She is a horse I will never forget. It has been a great joy to have ridden her these past 3 years and I am looking forward to meeting her foals.”
Best Two-Year-Old Colt:
Danon the Kid (JPN)
2-Year-Old, Bay, Colt
Sire
Dam (Sire of Dam) Just a Way
Epic Love (Dansili)
Owner Danox Co. Ltd.
Trainer Takayuki Yasuda
Jockey Yuga Kawada
Breeder Northern Farm
Wins / Starts in 2020 3 / 3
Earnings in 2020 111,442,000 Yen
Principal Wins in 2020 Hopeful Stakes (G1)
Best Two-Year-Old Filly:
Sodashi (JPN)
2-Year-Old, White, Filly
Sire
Dam (Sire of Dam) Kurofune
Buchiko (King Kamehameha)
Owner Kaneko Makoto Holdings Co. Ltd.
Trainer Naosuke Sugai
Jockey Hayato Yoshida
Breeder Kaneko Makoto Holdings Inc.
Wins / Starts in 2020 4 / 4
Earnings in 2020 134,373,000 Yen
Principal Wins in 2020 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies (G1)
Best Three-Year-Old Colt:
Contrail (JPN)
3-Year-Old, Brown, Colt
Sire
Dam (Sire of Dam) Deep Impact
Rhodochrosite (Unbridled's Song)
Owner Shinji Maeda
Trainer Yoshito Yahagi
Jockey Yuichi Fukunaga
Breeder North Hills Co. Ltd.
Wins / Starts in 2020 4 / 5
Earnings in 2020 684,843,000 Yen
Principal Wins in 2020 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) (G1)
Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) (G1)
Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger) (G1)
Best Three-Year-Old Filly:
Daring Tact (JPN)
3-Year-Old, Brown, Filly
Sire
Dam (Sire of Dam) Epiphaneia
Daring Bird (King Kamehameha)
Owner Normandy Thoroughbred Racing Co. Ltd.
Trainer Haruki Sugiyama
Jockey Kohei Matsuyama
Breeder Hasegawa Bokujo
Wins / Starts in 2020 4 / 5
Earnings in 2020 466,175,000 Yen
Principal Wins in 2020 Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) (G1)
Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) (G1)
Shuka Sho (G1)
Best Older Colt or Horse:
Fierement (JPN)
5-Year-Old, Bay, Horse
Sire
Dam (Sire of Dam) Deep Impact
Lune d'Or (Green Tune)
Owner Sunday Racing Co. Ltd.
Trainer Takahisa Tezuka
Jockey Christophe Lemaire
Breeder Northern Racing
Wins / Starts in 2020 1 / 3
Earnings in 2020 289,230,000 Yen
Principal Wins in 2020 Tenno Sho (Spring) (G1)
Best Sprinter or Miler:
Gran Alegria (JPN)
4-Year-Old, Bay, Filly
Sire
Dam (Sire of Dam) Deep Impact
Tapitsfly (Tapit)
Owner Sunday Racing Co. Ltd.
Trainer Kazuo Fujisawa
Jockey Christophe Lemaire
Breeder Northern Farm
Wins / Starts in 2020 3 / 4
Earnings in 2020 453,166,000 Yen
Principal Wins in 2020 Yasuda Kinen (G1)
Sprinters Stakes (G1)
Mile Championship (G1)
Best Dirt Horse:
Chuwa Wizard (JPN)
5-Year-Old, Brown, Horse
Sire
Dam (Sire of Dam) King Kamehameha
Chuwa Blossom (Durandal)
Owner Shinobu Nakanishi
Trainer Ryuji Okubo
Jockey Keita Tosaki
Breeder Northern Racing
Wins / Starts in 2020 2 / 4
(NAR 1 / 3)
Earnings in 2020 191,360,000 Yen
(NAR 88,000,000 Yen)
Principal Wins in 2020 Champions Cup (G1)
Kawasaki Kinen
Best Steeplechase Horse:
Meisho Dassai (JPN)
7-year-old, Dark Bay, Horse
Sire
Dam (Sire of Dam) Suzuka Mambo
Suzuka Bloom (Scatter the Gold)
Owner Yoshio Matsumoto
Trainer Yuji Iida
Jockey Kazuma Mori
Breeder Grand Stud
Wins / Starts in 2020 3 / 4
Earnings in 2020 150,746,000 Yen
Principal Wins in 2020 Nakayama Daishogai (J-G1)
Special Award:
Chrono Genesis (JPN)
4-Year-Old, Gray, Filly
Sire
Dam (Sire of Dam) Bago
Chronologist (Kurofune)
Owner Sunday Racing Co. Ltd.
Trainer Takashi Saito
Jockey Yuichi Kitamura
Breeder Northern Racing
Wins / Starts in 2020 3 / 5
Earnings in 2020 612,986,000 Yen
Principal Wins in 2020 Takarazuka Kinen (G1)
Arima Kinen (The Grand Prix) (G1)
TRAINERS & JOCKEYS
*Best Trainer (races won): Yoshito Yahagi (60 wins)
*Best Trainer (winning average): Yasuo Tomomichi (0.188)
*Best Trainer (money earned): Yoshito Yahagi (2,261,460,000 Yen)
*Best Trainer (training technique): Yoshito Yahagi
Special Award: Kazuo Fujisawa
JRA Best Jockey (races won): Christophe Lemaire (204 wins)
JRA Best Jockey (winning average): Yuga Kawada (0.281%)
JRA Best Jockey (money earned): Christophe Lemaire (4,539,130,000 Yen)
**MVJ (Most Valuable Jockey): Christophe Lemaire (54 points)
Best Steeplechase Jockey: Kazuma Mori
Best Jockey (newcomer): None
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