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| Staff Writer |
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Yuga Kawada, the champion jockey of 2022 according to the Japan Racing Association, has been given the chance to participate in the LONGINES International Jockeys' Championship for the third consecutive year. The event will take place at Happy Valley on 6 December. Unfortunately, Kawada was unable to compete in the competition last year due to a positive COVID-19 test result before his departure from Japan.
With 140 wins, Kawada is currently ranked second in the 2023 standings, just behind Christophe Lemaire who has already won 156 races as of 27 November. However, Kawada's win ratio is currently higher than Lemaire's.
Kawada was born in Tosu City, Saga Prefecture, located in the Kyushu district, in October 1985. He comes from a family of jockeys, with his father being a current trainer at Saga and his grandfather and great-grandfather also having trained racehorses. Kawada grew up near the NAR-Saga racecourse, where his father used to ride.
Over the past 12 seasons, Kawada has achieved more than 100 wins in eight of them, with his highest number of wins in a season being 167, which he accomplished in 2020. This included two Group One wins with Grenadier Guards in the Gr.1 Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes and Danon the Kid in the Gr.1 Hopeful Stakes.
Kawada has had several major victories in the Japan Racing Association in recent years, including the Japanese Classic races. He won the Gr.1 Satsuki Sho on Captain Thule, the Japanese Derby on Makahiki, the Gr.1 Kikuka Sho on Big Week, Gr.1 Oka Sho on Harp Star and Stars on Earth, and Gr.1 Yushun Himba on Gentildonna.
In 2023, Kawada has achieved 13 Group race successes, with the highlight being a sweep of the Japanese Triple Tiara on the current heroine Liberty Island.