December 22, 2023, was another exciting day of racing for the Japan Racing Association (JRA), showcasing significant performances across various events held at Nakayama and Kyoto racecourses.
One of the day’s highlights was the Farewell Stakes at Nakayama, where the second favorite, ケイアイアニラ (Keiai Anira), triumphed decisively. Under the skilled jockey R. Moore, Keiai Anira clocked a winning time of 1 minute 10.8 seconds on the dirt track, finishing well ahead of the competition. The runner-up, エンヤラヴフェイス (Enya Love Face), ran as the ninth favorite and completed the race with a final score of five lengths behind. Meanwhile, the fourth favorite, ミユキアイラブユー (Miyuki I Love You), rounded out the top three, finishing three lengths from second place.
Keiai Anira, now four years old, has made quite the impression, with his performance marking his fourth career victory out of 11 races. R. Moore expressed satisfaction after the race, saying, "The gate start was fast, allowing me to take the third position, and my horse felt good.” These attributes combined with the strategic riding were pivotal to their success.
Meanwhile, Kyoto's fifth race featured the 3歳上障害未勝利 (Three years and older obstacle unregistered race), where the six-time favorite, マテンロウジョイ (Matenro Joy), celebrated victory. Overcoming challenges, this four-year-old from the栗東 (Kurita) training grounds, managed not only to take the lead but also enable jockey 西谷誠 (Nishitani Makoto) to achieve milestones. Completing this race led to Nishitani reaching his 198th career win, surpassing 林満明 (Hayashi Maman) to stand as the fifth leading JRA jockey historically.
Born in 1976, Nishitani has dominated the JRA obstacle scene, previously earning the accolade of leading jockey three consecutive years from 2006 to 2008 and achieving 22 major race victories, surpassing the list of JRA's elite riders. His personal reflection on this achievement was quite enlightening, saying, "I want to keep studying and growing myself." This credo has undoubtedly paved his successful racing career.
On the racing circuit, the fervor demonstrated by both established stars and newcomers alike marks the layers of competition integral to JRA racing culture. Each event, such as the Jingle Bell Award Race, though lesser-known, contributes to the growing legacy of exhilarating, competitive racing.
The results from December 22 highlight not simply the winners and the well-celebrated jockeys but also the dedication and hard work from all parties involved, from trainers to the JRA organization itself. Looking forward, the upcoming races promise even greater excitement, with new records waiting to be broken and more thrilling stories to emerge from the racing tracks across Japan.
