Yutaka Take (武 豊) (born March 15, 1969, in Kyoto, Kyoto) is a Japanese jockey. Take made his riding debut in 1987 and currently holds seven all-time records in Japan. He has won at least one Grade 1 race for 23 straight years until 2010, and a graded stakes race for 36 consecutive years. Take has 114 wins to his credit in eight countries, including Australia, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Korea, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and the United States. His international victories includes Group 1 wins in the Prix d'Ispahan (France) and Hong Kong Cup (Hong Kong), the July Cup (England) and Dubai Duty Free Stakes (UAE). Take has won one of Japan's premier horse races, the Japan Cup, a record five times.

Early life

Yutaka was born in Kyoto on March 15, 1969, to Kunihiko and Yoko Take. Kunihiko was also a notable jockey, nicknamed "The wizard of the turf" during his prime. Take followed in his father's footsteps, and made his debut as a jockey in 1987.

Career

In 1987, he became the first rookie to ride 69 winners in one season. In the following year he became the youngest jockey to achieve 100 wins and won the GI race. Two years later, he was named the overall champion jockey by the Japan Racing Association (JRA), a title he held continuously until 1999 (apart from in 1991). In 2005 he won the Japanese Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing (Satsuki Sho, Tokyo Yushun, Kikuka Sho) with Deep Impact, the second undefeated horse that has won the classic. That year, Take achieved 212 victories, the most victories for any jockey in a single year. On March 25 2007, Take won the Takamatsunomiya Kinen at Chukyo Racecourse aboard Suzuka Phoenix. The win gave Take a Group One victory for the 20th consecutive racing season. Also in 2007, Take won his fourth Japan Cup Dirt in seven years. Take was the recipient of the 2017 Longines and IFHA International Award of Merit, which recognizes distinguished horsemen and horsewomen for lifelong contributions to Thoroughbred racing. He was the first jockey to win that award. Take has also made appearances in equine related television shows and commercials, including a collaboration ad between the JRA and Neon Genesis Evangelion; as well as several commercials for Uma Musume Pretty Derby, of which Take has also made a cameo appearance in the anime adaptation.

Personal life

The Take family is known for horseracing. As well as his father Kunihiko, Take's brother, Koshiro, was also a jockey before transitioning to trainer. In 1995, Yutaka married Ryoko Sano, a former tarento.

Major wins

Great Britain 🇫🇷 France 🇭🇰 Hong Kong 🇯🇵 Japan 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates

Year-end charts in the United States