From Stable Boss to Staff Member, Sakae Kunieda Says He’s Not Ready to Leave Horses Behind

The celebrated trainer who won 23 grade 1 races makes the surprising transition to stable groom!

“I’ve actually become much healthier. Through my daily routine, I really feel that my body has become much fitter. After all, when you’re physically active, you get hungry, so every meal tastes great.”

Saying this with a smile is Sakae Kunieda (71), the legendary horse trainer who won numerous major races both in Japan and overseas.

Kunieda reached the mandatory retirement age this year and stepped down as a trainer, but the second life he chose afterward surprised many people. Rather than taking it easy, he decided to become an ordinary stable groom (helper) at another stable—that of trainer Shigeyuki Kojima. His reason was remarkably simple:

“I just want to keep being with horses.”

When this reporter visited Kojima Stable, the staff were busily working around the wash area. Among them was Kunieda, dressed in a white polo shirt and black cap. Carrying large buckets in both hands, he expertly washed horses at the wash rack. While younger staff members moved around him, he quietly focused on his own work. Even with heavy buckets full of water, he walked briskly and purposefully down the stable aisle.

The job of a stable groom is physically demanding. Work begins before dawn while it’s still dark, and tasks such as carrying heavy water buckets require considerable strength. It might seem like grueling labor for someone in his seventies, but Kunieda laughs it off.

“Physical labor is one of the best things you can do for your health.”

He continued:

“Because my body gets tired, I sleep really well. And when I’m focused on the work, I don’t have time to think about unnecessary things.”

In the horse racing world, a trainer is essentially also a business manager. Trainers must consider the wishes of horse owners, supervise stable staff, coordinate with jockeys, and constantly deal with management responsibilities and human relationships. Now that he has been freed from those pressures, Kunieda says he no longer has those worries.

“When you’re leaving things to other people, there are always frustrating moments when things don’t go the way you want. But now I handle the horses myself, so I’m completely stress-free and feel unstoppable. If you think about it, it’s the same as going to the gym to work out. And on top of that, I get paid for it. What’s not to love?”

The moment he realized just how extraordinary the legendary mare almond eyes was

A horse racing enthusiast since junior high school, Kunieda chose to attend Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology simply because it was close to Tokyo Racecourse. While earning his veterinary qualifications, he joined the university’s equestrian club and spent his days riding horses. After graduation, an upperclassman from the club introduced him to a position as an assistant trainer at the Miho Training Center.

“Back then, racing stables still had a strong apprentice system, almost like a sumo stable. It felt like a completely different world from ordinary society. So I never imagined I’d actually end up working in this industry.”

His love of horse racing and horses naturally led him into the racing world. Perhaps that’s why he felt no hesitation about taking a job as an ordinary stable groom after reaching retirement age. Asked whether he minded going from being the boss to being just another employee, Kunieda answered matter-of-factly:

“It doesn’t bother me at all. Things just happened to work out that I became a trainer. In the end, no matter what your position is, the essence of the job is the same.”

Although Kunieda speaks modestly about the work, his career record as a trainer is remarkable: 1,141 victories from 9,644 starts in Japan and overseas, including 23 Grade 1 wins and 74 graded stakes victories.

The first horse that comes to mind when recalling memorable runners is Black Hawk.

“He was the horse that gave me my first Grade 1 victory—the 1999 Sprinters Stakes. That win was the major turning point that helped me gain momentum as a trainer.”

And then, of course, there is Almond Eye, who captured nine Grade 1 victories, including races overseas.

“The first time I watched Almond Eye train at the training center, I was genuinely stunned. Just watching her canter, I remember thinking, ‘What is this?’ She’s the only horse before or since that has ever given me that kind of shock from a simple canter.

When she won the Japan Cup in a phenomenal world-record time, I honestly wondered whether the timing equipment was broken. To tell the truth, I really wanted to take her to both the Japanese Derby and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.”

Despite having experienced glory that secured his place in racing history and the excitement of the sport’s biggest stages, Kunieda now sees himself simply as an ordinary stable groom working at Kojima Stable. Rather than dwelling on his past achievements, he has fully embraced his new role.

“It’s fine if people want to take it easy after retirement. But I think you should spend your later years doing something you truly enjoy and can be satisfied with. For me, that has always been horses.”

The former master trainer now spends his days doing what he loves most—simply caring for the horses he has always cherished.

From the July 10, 2026 issue of “FRIDAY”