Yutaka Take Achieves 5,000 Career Wins

Veteran jockey Yutaka Take achieved his 5,000th career victory on July 12, 2026, winning the seventh race at Hakodate Racecourse. The 57-year-old’s milestone victory, earned aboard the 4-year-old filly Hitomi Etoile, encompasses his decades-long career spanning Japan Racing Association events, local government-managed races, and international competitions.

A Milestone Victory at Hakodate

The record-breaking win occurred during the 1st Hakodate Meeting on Sunday. Riding the 9-horse field entry Hitomi Etoile in a 1,700-meter dirt race for horses aged three and older, Take navigated the pack with his characteristic composure. He tracked the leaders from the outside before pulling even at the start of the final straight, ultimately edging out Derma Sakurasaku and Repeace by a neck in a tight finish.

The victory capped a busy weekend for the veteran, who had been chasing the milestone for several days. According to reporting, Take finished second by a nose in the first race on the same day and placed in several other events, including a second-place finish on a horse named by GLAY’s TERU, before finally securing the 5,000th win in the seventh race.

Career Composition and Historical Context

Reaching the 5,000-win threshold is a culmination of a career that began in 1987. While Take is synonymous with the Japan Racing Association (JRA), his total reflects a diverse range of competition environments.

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4,669 wins in JRA-managed races.
212 wins in local government-managed races within Japan.
119 wins in races held abroad.

The distinction between JRA-specific wins and total career wins is significant. As noted by Gigazine, Take had already reached 4,500 JRA-specific wins by May 2024 and had pushed that JRA-only total to 4,625 by the conclusion of 2025. The 5,000-win milestone highlights his longevity and success across different racing jurisdictions over the past four decades.

Reflections on a Four-Decade Career

Following the race, Take expressed a sense of deep personal significance regarding the achievement. Having spent 40 years in the saddle, he emphasized that the milestone was the result of persistent, incremental effort over a long duration.

“I competed in races in various places and reached the milestone as I continued efforts, so I have a deep emotion (about this).”

Take’s path to this record was not without its pressures. In a personal column published on his official website just days before the event, he acknowledged being just two wins away from the mark, noting, I’d like to settle it quickly, but to be honest, I don’t know if I’ll be able to do it this week. His commitment to the sport remains high, and his willingness to continue competing despite his veteran status suggests that this record may not be the final chapter of his career.

Future Outlook and Competitive Status

At 57, Take continues to maintain a rigorous schedule, having already accumulated 44 wins during 2026 prior to the Hakodate race. While there has been public speculation regarding his future participation in high-profile international events, Take has remained characteristically guarded about his long-term retirement plans.

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