Derby Jockey Yuichi Kitamura Rides Again — The Miracle Comeback After a Devastating Injury

Challenge to the World’s Pinnacle Race – The Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe

“More than becoming a Derby-winning jockey myself, I’m happiest that Croix du Nord became a Derby winner. Being able to give him the perfect ride on that stage was the best thing of all.”

In June of this year, jockey Yuichi Kitamura (38) won the Japanese Derby riding Croix du Nord, finally achieving the lifelong dream of becoming a Derby jockey. It was the victory every rider dreams of — and for Kitamura, it came after a long and grueling recovery from injury, making it all the more meaningful.

On October 5, Kitamura and his beloved horse Croix du Nord (colt, age 3) will take on the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, the highest-level race in the world, held at Paris Longchamp Racecourse. On September 14, they claimed victory in the Prix du Prince d’Orange, a key preparatory race — proving their form is peaking perfectly.

After graduating from junior high, Kitamura initially failed the entrance exam for Japan’s jockey training school. But he refused to give up — attending a regular high school while preparing to retake the exam — and eventually passed.

“Once I decided I wanted to be a jockey, quitting was never an option. It was my own decision, so I had to see it through to the end.”

Debuting in 2006, his career was anything but smooth. His turning point came with Chrono Genesis, the remarkable filly he guided to her first G1 victory in the Shuka Sho (2019). From there, his momentum was unstoppable — capturing major titles such as the Takarazuka Kinen and Arima Kinen in 2020 — and cementing his place among Japan’s top jockeys.

But in May 2021, tragedy struck during a race — Kitamura suffered a devastating fall. The diagnosis: fractures in three cervical vertebrae, seven spinal bones, and the right shoulder blade — injuries so severe that many doubted he could ever ride again.

“I’d broken my arm and ankle before, but this time my neck and back were broken — I couldn’t move anything. It was like, ‘What just happened?’ The pain was beyond anything I’d ever experienced.”

After nearly a year of rehabilitation, Kitamura returned to the track — only to find opportunities scarce and results elusive.

“Of course it was tough. I was getting mounts, but I couldn’t deliver results. And if you can’t win, people stop asking you to ride their best horses — that’s just how it works. So I focused on doing what I could, one step at a time — thinking about what I needed to do to win, acting on it, and stacking up those small efforts.”

His sincere, never-say-no attitude — accepting any race offer, no matter how small — slowly began to bear fruit. And three years after his comeback, in June of this year, he finally stood at the top as a Japanese Derby-winning jockey. After the race, many fellow riders rushed to congratulate him — heartfelt gestures from those who knew the immense struggles he had endured since his near career-ending accident.

More details about Kitamura’s journey — from his years of hardship to his triumph as a Derby jockey, and his thoughts as he faces the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, the ultimate test — are featured in the September 19 issue of FRIDAY (Oct. 3–10 double issue) and in the premium edition FRIDAY GOLD.

From the October 3 and 10, 2025, issue of “FRIDAY”