Yuichi Fukunaga

Yuichi Fukunaga
Fukunaga after the February Stakes in 2023
Native name福永祐一
OccupationJockey (retired)
Horse trainer
Born (1976-12-09) 9 December 1976 (age 47)
Rittō-chō (now Rittō), Kurita District, Shiga
NationalityJapanese
SpouseMidori Matsuo (m. 2013)
Children3
Height160.0 cm (5 ft 3 in)
Weight51.0 kg (112 lb)
Career winnings2636
Racing awards
JRA Award for Best Jockey (winning average) (2011)
JRA Award for Best Jockey (races won) (2013)
JRA Award for Best Jockey (money earned) (2013)
JRA Award for Best Jockey (newcomer) (1996)
Most Valuable Jockey (2013)
Significant horses
King Halo, Cesario, Epiphaneia, Just A Way, Wagnerian, Contrail, Pixie Knight

Yuichi Fukunaga (福永 祐一, Fukunaga Yūichi, born 9 December 1976[1]) is a Japanese horse trainer and former jockey who has won 29 Grade 1 races in Japan and abroad. He is affiliated with the Japan Racing Association (JRA) in Rittō. His father is former jockey Yoichi Fukunaga [ja] who was said to be a "genius" during his active career,[2] and his uncle is Takashi Kitamura, also a former jockey.[3] His wife is former Fuji TV announcer Midori Matsuo [ja].[3] Since July 2016, he has a management contract with Horipro together with Yuga Kawada, the entertainment production in which his wife is also affiliated.[4]

On December 8, 2022, following his trainer license issue being issued by the JRA, Fukunaga announced that he would retire as a jockey at the end of February next year and make a transition in to becoming a horse trainer.[5][6] Two months later, Fukunaga rode his final races in Japan at the February Stake on 19 February,[7][8] and finished his racing career at the Riyadh Dirt Sprint on February 25, 2023, where he rode Remake which finished 3rd behind Elite Power.[9][10] Retirement ceremonies of Fukunaga were held at Tokyo Racecourse on 19 February and on the Hanshin Racecourse on March 4.[11]

Fukunaga officially opened his stable on 6 March 2024.[12] Upon opening his stable, he received a number of horses from outgoing trainers, including Danon Scorpion and Dualist [ja] from Takayuki Yasuda [ja].[13]

Achievements

Grade 1 race victories

Japan Japan


Hong Kong Hong Kong


United States United States


United Arab Emirates United Arab Emirates

Riding results

Riding results are from netkeiba[33]

Date Race name Horse name Head count Popularity Finished
First ride–First victory 2 March 1996 4-Sai Mishōri Marbutz Brevest 16 1 1st
First group race ride 2 March 1996 Chunichi Shimbun Hai Oguri One 16 6 15th
First group race win 22 July 1997 Empress Hai Silk Phoenix 7 3 1st
First JRA group race victory 15 Nov 1997 Tokyo SportsHai 3-Sai Stakes King Halo 12 1 1st
First G1 ride 20 October 1996 Shuka Sho She's Grace 18 12 6th
First G1 victory 11 Apr 1999 Oka Sho Primo Ordine 18 4 1st

Statistics by year

Year 1st arrival 2nd arrival 3rd arrival No. of riders WP Confidence ratio Multiple WP Recognition[34]
1996 53 49 45 518 .102 .197 .284 JRA Award for Best Jockey (newcomer)
1997 62 59 56 692 .090 .175 .256
1998 52 52 55 635 .082 .164 .250 Kokura Turf Award[35]
1999 43 39 31 398 .108 .206 .284
2000 84 71 61 660 .127 .235 .327 Kokura Turf Award[35]
2001 81 68 69 749 .108 .199 .291
2002 89 62 78 722 .123 .123 .317 JRA Excellent Jockeys Prize
2003 83 78 67 696 .119 .231 .328
2004 96 81 96 771 .125 .230 .354
  • JRA Excellent Jockeys Prize
  • Kokura Turf Award[35]
2005 109 70 81 811 .134 .221 .321 JRA Excellent Jockeys Prize
2006 88 69 87 820 .107 .191 .298 JRA Excellent Jockeys Prize
2007 82 80 67 744 .110 .218 .308
2008 86 70 86 804 .107 .194 .301
2009 93 82 89 825 .113 .212 .320
2010 109 108 82 809 .135 .268 .370
  • Kansai TV Broadcasting Award
  • Fair Play Award
2011 133 98 84 824 .161 .280 .382
  • JRA Award for Best Jockey (winning average)
  • Summer Jockeys Series Victory
  • Kansai TV Broadcasting Award
2012 115 101 72 741 .155 .291 .389
2013 131 103 103 844 .155 .277 .399
  • JRA Award for Best Jockey (races won)
  • JRA Award for Best Jockey (winning average)
  • Most Valuable Jockey
  • Kansai TV Broadcasting Award
2014 118 111 92 751 .157 .305 .427
2015 121 112 75 738 .164 .316 .417 Kansai TV Broadcasting Award[36]
2016 106 101 70 703 .151 .294 .394
2017 116 85 81 740 .157 .272 .381
2018 103 83 84 689 .149 .270 .392
2019 107 110 84 713 .150 .304 .422
2020 134 91 85 698 .192 .322 .444
2021 123 92 92 687 .179 .313 .447
2022 101 72 83 610 .166 .284 .418 Kansai Keiba Journalist Club Sho
2023 18 14 19 195 .171 .305 .400
Total 2636 2211 2064 19497 .135 .249 .354

Magazines

  • Weekly Playboy "Keiba no Shinzui" (as 2nd author) → "Yuichi Fukunaga no Leading Itchokusen" (both series ended)

Photo albums

  • Yuichi Fukunaga (Shot by Eiko Wada. Kodansha, 1997) ISBN 9784062084307

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "祐言実行" (in Japanese). netkeiba.com. Archived from the original on 2017-11-07. Retrieved 7 Jun 2018.
  2. ^ "毎日新聞". Mainichi Shinbun (in Japanese). 1 Mar 1996. p. 7.
  3. ^ a b "アナにお任せ:30年目騎手のG1初勝利=毎日放送アナウンサー・美藤啓文" (in Japanese). Mainichi Shinbun. Archived from the original on November 7, 2015. Retrieved 8 Jun 2018.
  4. ^ "福永と川田がホリプロ所属に 菜七子との共演も". Sankei Sports (in Japanese). 1 Jul 2016. Archived from the original on 2016-07-01. Retrieved 9 Jun 2018.
  5. ^ "Japan: Daughter Of Champion Mare Gentildonna Takes On Fans' Top Choices In Arima Kinen - Horse Racing News | Paulick Report". paulickreport.com. 2022-12-22. Archived from the original on 2022-12-22. Retrieved 2022-12-22.
  6. ^ "競馬 福永祐一騎手引退へ 調教師試験に合格 歴代4位の2613勝". NHK. Archived from the original on 2022-12-08. Retrieved 2022-12-22.
  7. ^ Tatsu, Yoshimura (2023-02-17). "【フェブラリーS】福永祐一騎手、国内ラストG1へ 思い出のジャンパー着てオーヴェルニュと万全デモ". UMATOKU | 馬トク - スポーツ報知' (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-03-11.
  8. ^ "福永祐一騎手がJRA最終騎乗 ヒヤシンスSでは惜別の白星つかむ | 競馬ニュース". netkeiba.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-03-11.
  9. ^ "【リヤドダートスプリント結果】福永祐一騎手がリメイク3着で騎手生活に幕 米エリートパワーが完勝 | 競馬ニュース". netkeiba.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-03-11.
  10. ^ "Yuichi Fukunaga prepares for emotional new chapter". Arab News. 2023-02-23. Retrieved 2023-03-11.
  11. ^ "福永 祐一騎手の引退式等の実施 JRA". jra.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-03-11.
  12. ^ "新規開業調教師 JRA". jra.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-04-22.
  13. ^ "新規開業の福永祐一厩舎に2022年NHKマイルC優勝ダノンスコーピオン 引退調教師の管理馬が転厩". サンスポZBAT! (in Japanese). 2024-03-05. Retrieved 2024-04-22.
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  15. ^ "第54回朝日杯FS(G1)" (in Japanese). netkeiba.com. Archived from the original on 2015-10-26. Retrieved 9 Jun 2018.
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  17. ^ "第54回阪神ジュベナイルF(G1)" (in Japanese). netkeiba.com. Archived from the original on 2015-12-04. Retrieved 9 Jun 2018.
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  23. ^ a b "重賞レース一覧 2016年" (in Japanese). Japan Racing Association. Archived from the original on 2016-03-30. Retrieved 9 Jun 2018.
  24. ^ "第34回高松宮記念(G1)" (in Japanese). netkeiba.com. Archived from the original on 2016-03-19. Retrieved 9 Jun 2018.
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  26. ^ "第65回優駿牝馬(G1)" (in Japanese). netkeiba.com. Archived from the original on 2015-10-01. Retrieved 9 Jun 2018.
  27. ^ "重賞レース一覧 2007年" (in Japanese). Japan Racing Association. Archived from the original on 2016-03-05. Retrieved 9 Jun 2018.
  28. ^ "香港マイル(G1)" (in Japanese). netkeiba.com. Archived from the original on 2015-11-21. Retrieved 9 Jun 2018.
  29. ^ "クイーンエリザベスC(G1)" (in Japanese). netkeiba.com. Archived from the original on 2015-08-04. Retrieved 9 Jun 2018.
  30. ^ "クイーンエリザベスC(G1)" (in Japanese). netkeiba.com. Archived from the original on 2015-03-24. Retrieved 9 Jun 2018.
  31. ^ "アメリカンオークス" (in Japanese). netkeiba.com. 3 Jul 2005. Archived from the original on 2015-08-06. Retrieved 9 Jun 2018.
  32. ^ "ドバイデューティフリ(G1)" (in Japanese). netkeiba.com. Archived from the original on 2015-11-04. Retrieved 9 Jun 2018.
  33. ^ "年度別成績 netkeiba.com" (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2015-11-14. Retrieved 9 Jun 2018.
  34. ^ "YU-ICHI ROOM 福永祐一騎手(公式)サイト - netkeiba.com -" (in Japanese). netkeiba.com. Archived from the original on 2015-10-09. Retrieved 9 Jun 2018.
  35. ^ a b c "お知らせ" (PDF) (in Japanese). Retrieved 10 Jun 2018.
  36. ^ "2015年度「関西テレビ放送賞」は福永 祐一騎手が受賞" (in Japanese). Japan Racing Association. 27 May 2015. Archived from the original on 29 December 2015. Retrieved 10 Jun 2018.