September 2007
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September 2007 Vol. 15 No. 4 2 〜 3 4 〜 5 6 〜 8 Trainer Katsuhiko Sumii Shares 42nd ARF General Study 2007 Sale Report in Thoughts on Racing and the Program Report Hokkaido Love of Horses Niigata Racecourse in mid-summer (Niigata City, Niigata Prefecture) TrainerTrainer KatsuhikoKatsuhiko SumiiSumii SharesShares ThoughtsThoughts onon RacingRacing andand thethe LoveLove ofof HorsesHorses By Yuka Ashiya Introduction Trainer Katsuhiko Sumii’s successes in Japan and elsewhere in recent years have been eye opening. He has won numerous graded races in Japan and also fielded Cesario, by Special Week (JPN), to win the 2005 American Oaks. Kane Hekili, by Fuji Kiseki (JPN), subsequent winner of the Japan Cup Dirt and Hat Trick, by Sunday Silence (USA), who traveled to the winner’s circle in the Hong Kong Mile victory. He sent Delta Blues, by Dance in the Dark, (JPN) and Pop Rock by Helissio, (FR), down under, where they monopolized the 2006 Melbourne Cup by taking first and second. This year he took Vodka (by Tanino Gimlet, JPN) to the awards ceremony as the first filly in 64 years to win the Japanese Derby. It might not be an exaggeration to say that Sumii is the newest man of the hour in global horse racing. Racing journalist, Ms. Yuka Ashiya inter- viewed the young trainer to ask about his perspectives and thoughts on racing but think and act for themselves. They provide inputs and proposals that they feel are suitable for their respective horses. I am able to respond to these as appropriate. Ashiya: Then your fundamentals of training are working as a group, use of walking and mental training? Sumii: That’s right. We don’t have them train on the uphill track* more than once a day and workouts are also done at just five furlongs. We spend two hours on walking in contrast. We get a horse in shape by having a person ride it, so it always has a load on its back and then having it walk at a fairly fast pace. This is because a horse gets into shape naturally. If you try to get it into shape with hard training, you just Trainer Katsuhiko Sumii. Behind him, a painting commemorating the one-two finish in the 2006 Melbourne wear the horse out. Horses also learn Cup (GI) by Delta Blues and Pop Rock. from other horses when we have them run and walk together in a group. Ashiya: It has been seven years since training philosophies and producing The use of horses with high ability as you became licensed as a trainer. results has in turn enabled me to gain training partners is also very impor- You already have amassed 13 Group more confidence in my way of rais- tant in elevating the stable’s overall I wins, including wins in overseas ing and training horses and in myself. strengths. Young horses learn how to group races, local government races Individual staff members have specific behave and run from older horses and and races, which up until last year, horses for which they are responsible will try as hard as they can to keep up were Japanese GI races. Your goal and look after at my stable, but I try to with more talented older horses. Also, from the outset seems to have been to arrange it so that everyone is involved by use of single file training, we teach train horses that could compete world- in some way, with all the horses, so self-control to the horses at the end wide. How do you see your own suc- that we can go into races as a team. I of the line. It also instills the horses cesses, both in Japan and overseas? don’t believe that any of the staff have up front with the temperament not Sumii: First of all, I think that it has any doubts regarding their job and to give up when overtaken by horses been being able for us as a stable to be can work totally independent. They from the rear and teaches them to pass able to work together toward our goals are hard working and moreover, they them again and regain the lead. There as a team. The staff understanding my not only do just what they are told, are certain difficulties in conducting training on the limited space at Japan’s training tracks and being surrounded by many other horses, including those from other stables, but there is merit in the fact that it strengthens the horses mentally. * The uphill training course at Ritto Training Center is a 1,085 meter wood chip surface, seven meters wide that varies in elevation by 32 meters from lowest to highest points. Ashiya: You switch horses back and forth from the stable to the spelling farm a lot, don’t you? Sumii: Yes. Even when a horse places second or third and I think that it might Sumii vied valiantly with filly Vodka in this spring’s Japanese Derby, capturing the crown spectacularly. be able to win in the near future, I never want to force the issue by enter- ing it in a race too soon. I will send it to concentrate entirely on preparing put together in advance can be imple- to pasture it if I sense that it’s even just horses for races. mented as scheduled. If we can’t, we a little bit tired. This is because once Ashiya: What do you keep in mind respond flexibly with the necessary a horse is worn out, it takes time to when you are to travel overseas? changes. I employ Keita Tanaka as our recover. Sometimes the stable’s stalls Sumii: First, I ask trainers who have racing manager. He can speak English are empty because we send horses out previously traveled to that country, or and this of course, is indispensable for to pasture so frequently. However, if racecourse about examples and the our on the scene coordination. This we can get them refreshed quickly, we rules, gathering as much information also allows for staff to feel at ease and can bring them back to the training as I can about the location, because devote themselves to their own jobs. I center (stables) right away. This is also the racing environment of Japan and also think that one factor that has lead important in the sense of providing a that of other countries are different to our good results is that the staff change of pace in horses’ lives because from the outset. For example, there have also become accustomed to over- giving them a change of mood is also isn’t anywhere to wash down the seas travel and have accumulated vast another type of training. horse at overseas tracks as we have in experience in international traveling Ashiya: As a horseman who has become Japan. There might only be some rub- of the horses and racing. familiar with racing overseas, how do ber padding laid down and sometimes Ashiya: What about transporting race- you feel about Japan’s horse racing not even a shower unit for the horse. horses? I should think that there would industry? When there isn’t one, the staff must be many different issues, such as the Sumii: I’m affiliated with the Japan draw hot water in buckets to wash the climate in the country and at transit Racing Association (JRA) and I think horse. There are also various differ- points and the differences in the tem- the environment is quite beneficial. ences when it comes to training and in perature in the plane and outdoors. JRA provides all the excellent facili- some instances you don’t know what Sumii: This is correct. Also, travel is dif- ties and the Horse Racing School con- you can or can’t do until you actually ficult in some cases because of flight nected with JRA trains highly com- arrive there. However, if staff were to schedules and routes of the airline petent jockeys, assistant trainers, and get ruffled by those sorts of problems, companies. I would like to enter Delta lads. JRA subsidizes domestic travel the horse senses it acutely and can also Blues and Pop Rock in the Melbourne expenses. Also, most expenses, such get upset. That then leads to possibili- Cup (GI) again this year, but it seems as the feed costs and staff overhead, ties that the horse’s mental and physi- that the convenient flight we were able which are incurred in running the cal rhythm can be disrupted. We want to use for last year’s route, is going stable, are included in the deposit paid to avoid this and so for example, in to be cut from the flight schedule. We by horse owners. This allows a trainer the case of the lack of a washing area, might not be able to go this year if this we practice by not using the is the case. This is not an invitational washing area while we are race, so the horse owner would have still in Japan. If we are go- to charter a cargo plane on his own, ing to a track that doesn’t generating a tremendous expense. We have an uphill training track, went to the Dubai World Cup (GI) in we put together the training March this year by charter flight and program only using the flat incurred considerable travel expenses, track while still in Japan. Af- at that time, but that was an invitation- ter these sorts of meticulous al event and the organizers provided preparations the staff arrive a subsidy for horse transportation.