As the Cheltenham Festival captivates racing fans this week, one name that won’t be in the thick of the action – but still looms large over the sport – is Yutaka Take.
While Britain’s finest jockeys battle it out for glory at Prestbury Park, the Japanese legend sits atop an astonishing career haul of £750million in prize money. Unlike the mud-splattered warriors of Cheltenham, Take’s legacy is built on the pristine turf of Japan, where he has dominated for more than three decades.
His journey from a teenage prodigy to the most decorated jockey in Japanese racing history is the stuff of legend. The son of a jockey, he was destined for the saddle and wasted no time making an impact.
After securing his first JRA title in 1987, he never looked back, going on to claim more than 4,500 race victories. His dominance in Japan’s lucrative racing circuit, combined with massive prize purses and high-profile international rides, has cemented his status as one of the highest-earning sports stars of all time.
Unlike British and Irish riders, whose earnings are often dictated by smaller prize pools and retainers, Take has benefited from Japan’s booming horse racing economy. Events like the Japan Cup, Arima Kinen, and Tenno Sho routinely offer multi-million-pound prizes, and with Take being the go-to jockey for top owners and trainers, he’s had a near-monopoly on success.
His long-standing partnership with the powerhouse stable of Katsumi Yoshida’s Northern Farm has been particularly lucrative, securing him high-paying rides on Japan’s finest thoroughbreds.
Though his name rarely surfaces in Britain, Take’s impact on international racing is undeniable. He has won major races in France, the UK, Hong Kong, Dubai, and Australia, and remains Japan’s greatest racing export – which is saying a lot considering the fact that 28 of the top 50 world’s highest-earning jockeys are Japanese.
His biggest win on UK soil came all the way back in 2000, when he won the July Cup aboard Agnes World. During his prime, Take was given pin-up status in Japan, enjoying the same level of fame as some pop stars. In 1995, at the height of his stardom, he married actress Ryoko Sano.
In 2006, Japanese racing expert Jane George explained Take’s commercial success in his homeland, insisting he had an almost ‘God-like’ reputation. “A lot of the jockeys in Japan have fan clubs, but he is the only one whose face will be held up on posters all around the paddock,” she said. “The average age of racegoers in Japan is quite young, and there are plenty of good jockeys, but he is still the pin-up.”
Take is still going strong at 55 years old and remains in peak physical condition. Discussing his incredible longevity a few years back, he said: “My first thing is just enjoyment, enjoy my career being a jockey.
“I am so fortunate that I don’t have to struggle with the weight or anything. Those are two things. The third one would be less stress. I try not to have stress from a relationship or whatever it might be. I do training and conditioning almost every day. Whenever I have no races, I go to the gym.”
As the battle for Festival supremacy rages on in England this week, Take’s staggering £750m earnings serve as a reminder that the world of horse racing is far bigger than the rolling hills of Gloucestershire.
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