Shortly before James McDonald pumped his fist aboard Romantic Warrior in Hong Kong on Sunday – not long after Ka Ying Rising had effortlessly extended his winning streak to 15 – a colt in Japan reached a summit that not even the great milers Taiki Shuttle, Maurice, or Gran Alegria were able to attain.
What 42,587 spectators witnessed at Kyoto Racecourse on Sunday was the moment Jantar Mantar won the Mile Championship to become the first horse in Japanese racing history to sweep all of the Japan Racing Association’s (JRA) open Group 1 races at a mile.
He won the juvenile title in 2023, the G1 Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes; last year, he added the three-year-old championship, the G1 NHK Mile Cup; in June, he won the first of Japan’s two weight-for-age mile majors, the G1 Yasuda Kinen, and now he has the second, the Mile Championship.
He did it so impressively that his rider, Yuga Kawada, did not even look behind as his mount quickened away in the home straight, just as the late autumn sun dipped towards its rest.
“The setting sun was shining, so I checked for horses behind me using the shadows. Since no horses were closing in, I was convinced we would win,” Kawada said with emotion welling in his eyes at the fresh memory of victory.
On this day, with the sun’s rays at his back, Jantar Mantar was so superior that there was no danger of any horse treading on his shadow.
Before the race, a mixture of tension and festive atmosphere filled Kyoto Racecourse. When the grey “Rockstar” Gaia Force appeared on the course, passionate cheers of “Takeshi!” and “Gaia!” flew from the stands. On the other hand, when Jantar Mantar and last year’s winner Soul Rush appeared, an exceptionally loud round of applause erupted. It felt less like a reaction to the top favourites and more like a sign of respect for the clash between heroes that was about to commence.
Soul Rush, marking this as his final run in Japan, initially headed toward the winning post after entering the track, exciting the crowd with a powerful canter from the 200m mark. In contrast, Jantar Mantar appeared to quietly conceal his fighting spirit in the pocket near the start.
That calmness seemed proof of the trust between horse and jockey.
“He has gained substance and grown mentally,” Kawada said. “Today, honestly, before the race, I didn’t have to do anything; he understood everything and executed everything. He is a very smart horse in that aspect, and I think that lack of wasted energy is one of his wonderful qualities.”
When the gates opened, both Jantar Mantar and Soul Rush broke well, but their positioning diverged. While Christian Demuro hooked Soul Rush back, seeking cover from his wide berth, Kawada and Jantar Mantar took a prominent position.
Approaching the fourth corner, Soul Rush began his move from the rear, but his usual sharp acceleration was nowhere to be seen.
Up ahead, history itself was changing. Jantar Mantar caught the leaders easily, his stride showed no signs of fading. Instead, he accelerated swiftly and crossed the winning line a length and three quarters ahead of the runner-up Gaia Force. Kawada celebrated with a powerful fist pump then patted the new champion’s neck three times. From the stands, a massive cheer and applause celebrated the crowning of a new miler king.
YUGA KAWADA, JANTAR MANTAR / G1 Mile Championship // Kyoto /// 2025 //// Photo by Shuhei Uwabo
JANTAR MANTAR / G1 Mile Championship // Kyoto /// 2025 //// Photo by Shuhei Uwabo
What awaited the pair returning to the weighing room was not just jubilation, but also relief from the extreme pressure of expectation. Tears glistened in the eyes of not just Kawada, but also the trainer and stable staff.
“I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the stable staff, starting with Matsui (Takashi, Assistant Trainer), who faced this horse with such dedication that I worried they might be ruining their work-life balance, and to everyone involved,” trainer Tomokazu Takano said.
Behind the dedication praised by Takano lay an absolute trust in the “originally high potential” within Jantar Mantar. The camp had treated the defeat in the lead-up G2 Fuji Stakes as a necessary step to “win where we were supposed to win” and headed into the main event. It was a plan that only worked because of Jantar Mantar’s exceptional physicality and the mentality to control and output it.
“It is the physical strength to produce results in races, and the mental strength to properly translate that physical strength into form. I think it comes down to these two points,” Takano said.
“I have the sensation that he went to the gate with the best physical and mental condition Jantar Mantar has ever had.”
Kawada, known for always being cool, also wore an expression of relief at the team’s dedication: “Winning where we were supposed to win, and seeing the people involved shed tears of joy because of it – that is the beauty of horse racing. Since it is what the staff have built up, I think it was a wonderful moment.”
To win all four Group 1 races open to a colt at ages two, three, and four is an achievement that was not being undersold.
“It is the first time in history,” Kawada said. “It is the first time in the history of Japanese horse racing. I can say with pride, the horse himself has proven that he is the champion of this category right now, that he is the strongest horse in Japan.
“It’s the result of him absorbing everything race by race. I perceive his demeanour as acting with the self-awareness that he is the champion. That is how much confidence he had taking on the race today.”
Regarding Jantar Mantar’s future, a Hong Kong Mile victory next month will not be happening.
“We did actually receive an invitation, but we have declined it. We won’t be going this time,” the trainer told Idol Horse.
“I believe the future will be decided after listening to the owners’ thoughts and consulting with them,” he said. “But whatever direction is decided, we want to do our best in managing him so the stable is ready to act.”
Kawada is not thinking too much about what happens next. When asked if there was anything he would ask of Jantar Mantar in the future, he said: “Nothing,” adding, “He is already a sufficiently wonderful horse.” ∎
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