The Japanese Horse of the Year is the highest honor given to the most outstanding horse in Japanese thoroughbred horse racing. It is awarded annually by the Japan Racing Association (JRA). Since 1987 the honor has been part of the JRA Awards. This award originally started as part of the Keishū Sha Awards in 1954 and since 1972 part of the Yūshun Awards.
Award recipients Includes recipients of the award from 1954 to 1972, which was when the JRA Awards was called the Keishū Sha Awards. Year Horse Trainer Owner Sex Age1954HakuryoTokichi OgataHiroshi Nishic41955OtokitsuFusamatsu OkuboWashitaro Kawaguchic31956Meiji HikariTomiyoshi FujimotoShinsaku Nittac41957HakuchikaraTokichi OgataHiroshi Nishic41958Onward ThereToshio NihonyanagiJunzo Kashiyamac41959Will dealSenshi HoshikawaKunijiro Asanoc31960KodamaYoshigoro ItoBungo Takedac31961HomareboshiToshio HiedaFumiko Kawaguchic41962OnslaughtHiroshi NakamuraKishi Tamurac51963Ryu ForelMasaharu HashimotoEmiko Miyoshic41963MeizuiTokichi OgataYasushi Chigirac31964ShinzanBungo TakedaKokichi Hashimotoc31965ShinzanBungo TakedaKokichi Hashimotoc41966KorehideTokichi OgataYasushi Chigirac41967Speed SymboliShozo NohiraTomohiro Wadac41968Asaka OHiroshi NakamuraGenji Asakac31969Takeshiba OSuetaro MitsuiMasao Obatac41970Speed SymboliShozo NohiraTomohiro Wadac71971TomeiMasayuki SakataKatsuo Kondof51972Ishino HikaruTakeshi AsanoKiyohito Ishijimac31973Take HopeYukio InabaTake Kondoc31974Kitano KachidokiMasatoshi HattoriYutaka Hatsudac31975Kaburaya OTamejiro MogiYoshiko Katoc31976Tosho BoyTakayoshi YasudaTosho Sangyoc31977Ten PointSasuke OgawaHisanari Takadac41978Kane MinobuShotaro AbeIkuko Hatakeyamac41979Green GrassTakao NakanoKichishiro Hanzawac61980Hoyo BoyToshio NihonyanagiYoshiharu Furukawac51981Hoyo BoyToshio NihonyanagiYoshiharu Furukawac61982Hikari DuelHikozo SugaiZenkichi Hashimotoc51983Mr. C. B.Yasuhisa MatsuyamaMarunuma Onsen Hotel Co., Ltd.c31984Symboli RudolfYuji NohiraSymboli Bokujoc31985Symboli RudolfYuji NohiraSymboli Bokujoc41986Dyna GulliverKichizaburo MatsuyamaShadai Race Horsec31987Sakura Star OYuji HiraiSakura Commercec31988Tamamo CrossIsami ObaraTamamo Inc.c41989Inari OneKiyoshi SuzukiHiroki Hotehamac51990Oguri CapTsutomu SetoguchiShunsuke Kondoc51991Tokai TeioShouichi MatsumotoMasanori Uchimurac31992Mihono BourbonTameo ToyamaMihono Internationalc31993Biwa HayahideMitsumasa HamadaBiwa Co., Ltd.c31994Narita BrianMasaaki OokuboHidenori Yamajic31995Mayano Top GunMasahiro SakaguchiYu Tadokoroc31996Sakura LaurelKatsutaro SakaiSakura Commercec51997Air GrooveYuji ItoLucky Field Co., Ltd.f41998Taiki ShuttleKazuo FujisawaTaiki Farmc41999El Condor PasaYoshitaka NinomiyaTakashi Watanabec42000T. M. Opera OIchizo IwamotoMasatsugu Takezonoc42001Jungle PocketSakae WatanabeYomoji Saitoc32002Symboli Kris SKazuo FujisawaSymboli Studc32003Symboli Kris SKazuo FujisawaSymboli Studc42004Zenno Rob RoyKazuo FujisawaShinobu Osakoc42005Deep ImpactYasuo IkeeKaneko Makoto Holdings Co., Ltd.c32006Deep ImpactYasuo IkeeKaneko Makoto Holdings Co., Ltd.c42007Admire MoonHiroyoshi MatsudaDarley Japan Farm Co., Ltd.c42008VodkaKatsuhiko SumiiYuzo Tanimizuf42009VodkaKatsuhiko SumiiYuzo Tanimizuf52010Buena VistaHiroyoshi MatsudaSunday Racing Co.f42011OrfevreYasutoshi IkeeSunday Racing Co.c32012GentildonnaSei IshizakaSunday Racing Co.f32013Lord KanaloaTakayuki YasudaLord Horse Clubc52014GentildonnaSei IshizakaSunday Racing Co.f52015MauriceNoriyuki HoriKazumi Yoshidac42016Kitasan BlackHisashi ShimizuOno Shojic42017Kitasan BlackHisashi ShimizuOno Shojic52018Almond EyeSakae KuniedaSilk Racing Cof32019Lys GracieuxYoshito YahagiU Carrot Farmf52020Almond EyeSakae KuniedaSilk Racing Cof52021EfforiaYuichi ShikatoCarrot Farm Co. Ltd.c32022EquinoxTetsuya KimuraSilk Racing Coc32023EquinoxTetsuya KimuraSilk Racing Coc42024Do DeuceYasuo TomomichiKieffers Co. Ltd.c52025Forever YoungYoshito YahagiSusumu Fujitac4
Multiple Year Horses The following horses were awarded more than once. Shinzan – 1964, 1965 Speed Symboli – 1967, 1970 Hoyo Boy – 1980, 1981 Symboli Rudolf – 1984, 1985 Symboli Kris S – 2002, 2003 Deep Impact - 2005, 2006 Vodka – 2008, 2009 Gentildonna – 2012, 2014 Kitasan Black – 2016, 2017 Almond Eye – 2018, 2020 Equinox - 2022, 2023
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