Kazushi Kimura: Woodbine Riding Star Up for Eclipse Award

Woodbine’s third leading rider Kazushi Kimura, set to win his second Sovereign Award for Outstanding Apprentice Rider, is a major force in the Eclipse Award voting for that category.

The Eclipse, awarding the outstanding horses and people in North America, is one of the premier awards in racing. The Apprentice Eclipse has been won by Woodbine riders Omar Moreno and Emma-Jayne Wilson in the past.

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The jockeys vying for the honour this year has Kimura, 20, right near the top of the list, even though he completed his apprenticeship on Oct. 26 and then continued as one of the top journeyman riders at Woodbine.

Kimura, who hails from Japan where he learned to ride, came to Woodbine in 2017 but without proper paperwork. So he watched horses training in the grandstand before he grabbed the notice of Hall of Fame trainer Reade Baker.

While Kimura spoke little English, he went to work for Baker at the outset of 2018. By year’s end, he was the leading apprentice and won the Sovereign Award.
This year, Kimura has worked on his skills and improved as a rider.

Certainly his athleticism cannot be questioned. Twice this year, including on the last day of racing at Woodbine, Dec. 15, Kimura overcame trouble with his mounts, almost fell off but managed to get back on. Oh, and he won the race on Dec. 15 despite his filly Alkeline stumbling badly at the start.

Here is the incredible save in June:

Time for me to hit the gym… #BetWoodbineTB pic.twitter.com/w73QnrfgmF

— Woodbine TV Producers (@WoodbineTVProd) June 30, 2019

So who are the jocks that Kimura has to beat for the Eclipse Award (handed out Jan. 23, 2020, voting starts soon)?

According to Equibase statistics, Florida-based Cristian Torres had 120 wins and $3.39 million in purse earnings through Dec. 16 and figures to be among the three finalists selected by voters for leading apprentice.

Julio Correa, who began his apprenticeship in February at Parx but spent most of the year in Maryland before moving his tack to Aqueduct this month, was tops in the country with 124 wins and had $3.42 million in purses earned.

Kimura had $3.7 million in purse earnings when his apprenticeship ended Oct. 26, to go along with 117 wins.
Angel I. Diaz, riding exclusively in Puerto Rico, had 224 wins.

With the retirement of Eurico Rosa da Silva and with Jesse Campbell leaving Woodbine, there are spots open at Woodbine for 2020 and Kimura should be one of the top horsemen next year.