Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks)

HISTORY was made at Toyko last Sunday, when Seina Imamura became the first Japanese female jockey to win a JRA Group 1 race.

The rider guided Juryoku Pierrot to victory in the Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) for owner Kensuke Kondo and trainer Ryo Terashima.

She came through the field from well back and steered Juryoku Pierrot to the front between horses in the final strides.

“It’s like I’m dreaming,” said Imamura, who was named Japan’s best newcomer jockey in 2022.

Juryoku Pierrot, a daughter of Orfevre, started from the No. 16 gate in a field of 18 fillies and raced near the back of the field. The pace was slow and led to a sprint to the finish.

Heading into the final section of the final straight, Juryoku Pierrot had only two rivals behind, but as the field spread out, Imamura quickly took advantage of the gaps.

Juryoku Pierrot slipped through one gap after another to get up to score in the final strides by a neck over Dream Core, with Laughterlines third. The first six finishers were all within a length.

The favourite, multiple Grade 1-winner Star Anise, was squeezed back at the start, encountered traffic again turning into the stretch and faded to finish 12th.

Concerns

Imamura acknowledged similar doubts about Juryoku Pierrot in her interviews. “There may have been concerns about how my filly would handle her first 2,400-metre distance, but I had every faith in her. She did get a little bit excited early in the stretch, but then she responded with such power as she was taking me there.”

On her achievement, she said: “I’ve gone through tough losses in other attempts and I would always dream of doing better next time during the weekdays and dream of winning a big race.

Dream come true

“But today, it’s a dream come true and, while I’m still not satisfied with my riding, I am so grateful to have been able to claim such a big title.”

Imamura became just the second female jockey ever to win a Grade 1 flat race in Japan after Australian-based jockey Rachel King guided Costa Nova to victory in the 2025 February Stakes.

The winner made her first start a winning one last September on dirt, but followed that with two well-beaten efforts in stakes races, also on dirt, at two.

Trainer Ryo Terashima changed course in January, starting the filly in a conditions race at 2,000 metres on the Kyoto turf, which she won and Juryoku Pierrot then followed that with another win in a listed turf stakes at Hanshin on April 12th before this big win.