Tenno Sho Autumn: Croix du Nord to Be Ridden by C. Demuro as Questions Emerge Over Yūichi Kitamura’s True Standing

C. Demuro had already ridden him in a workout last fall

The 174th Tenno Sho (Autumn), a 2,000-meter turf race, will be held at Tokyo Racecourse on November 1.

All eyes are on the showdown between Masquerade Ball, aiming to win the race for a second consecutive year with leading jockey Christophe Lemaire, 47, in the saddle, and Croix du Nord, seeking to claim both the Spring and Autumn editions of the Tenno Sho. As this is a rematch between the first- and second-place finishers of the 2025 Japan Derby, excitement is running especially high.

At the same time, what has stirred up racing fans is the decision to end Croix du Nord’s partnership with jockey Yuichi Kitamura, 40, who had ridden the horse since its debut. Together, they had recorded seven wins and two second-place finishes in 11 starts. It was announced that world-renowned jockey Cristian Demuro, 34, would take over the ride.

“Some racing fans were wondering, ‘Why break up the partnership?’ Even though Croix du Nord finished second to Meisho Tabaru in the Takarazuka Kinen, he had won two of the three major spring races for older horses—the Osaka Hai, Tenno Sho (Spring), and Takarazuka Kinen, which carry a ¥300 million bonus. Opinions were sharply divided on social media and elsewhere,” said a race-section reporter for a sports newspaper.

Nevertheless, those within the horse racing industry have taken the change of jockey in stride. An official at the Ritto Training Center explained:

“The switch was already part of the plan.”

The official continued:

“Last autumn, Croix du Nord was scheduled to go straight from the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, where he finished 14th, to the Japan Cup. The decision to run him was made while carefully monitoring his condition. In an unusual move, Cristian Demuro rode him in his final workout before the Japan Cup. Kitamura rode him in the actual race, but the decision to have Demuro work him had already been made. At the time, trainer Takashi Saito explained that he wanted to hear Demuro’s impressions of the horse without any preconceived notions. Demuro, who had won the Arc in 2020 and 2023, judged that the horse was in good enough condition to race without any problems. I believe the stable had already asked him to ride the horse in that workout with an eye on the bigger picture, including overseas campaigns in spring 2026 and domestic plans for the autumn.”

In other words, it seems the stable had been looking for the right moment to switch to Demuro in the future. In fact, rumors of a jockey change had reportedly already been circulating at the training center even before the Takarazuka Kinen.

“#Desk” has become his trademark

“In the Tenno Sho (Spring), the race before the Takarazuka Kinen, Croix du Nord pulled hard on the downhill stretch of the hill during the first lap of the 3,200-meter race. It was his first time tackling that course and distance, so there was some reason for it, but it looked as though the horse and jockey were not in sync, causing him to waste stamina. He only narrowly beat the second-place horse by a nose. The stable became concerned and began exploring the possibility of switching to Cristian Demuro. Perhaps that was why the announcement of the jockey for the Takarazuka Kinen was delayed. However, Demuro was unavailable, so Kitamura ultimately remained in the saddle,” said the Ritto Training Center source quoted earlier.

The Takarazuka Kinen was held on heavy ground amid torrential rain just before the race, which some described as almost miraculous. Yutaka Take, riding Meisho Tabaru, a horse known for its strength on heavy ground, led the horse to a second consecutive victory. Croix du Nord finished second, beaten by a neck.

“He got a good start, moved forward, and positioned himself just behind Meisho Tabaru in second place before making his move in the home stretch. Kitamura said, ‘His balance was a little off at the fourth corner,’ but the overall impression was that Croix du Nord had put in a strong performance despite losing,” said the sports newspaper reporter quoted earlier.

Nevertheless, the fact remains that he missed out on the spring triple crown. This raises the question of how Kitamura is viewed within the racing community.

“There’s a story that, when he was a young jockey, he was unhappy with a stewards’ decision and lifted a nearby desk. But he’s certainly not a violent person (laughs). Even today, if you search for Yuichi Kitamura online, the hashtag ‘#Desk’ comes up. It has practically become his trademark. But these days, the media regard him as a genuinely good person. That has been especially true since he returned to racing after a serious injury in May 2021, following a one-year-and-one-month absence. He is always gentle and courteous when speaking to the media after races, and his assessments of horses are spot-on. He’s the very picture of a good guy. He is also highly regarded by the horse’s owner, Sunday Racing Co., Ltd.,” said a veteran reporter for a specialist horse racing publication.

Kitamura was a soccer-loving boy in elementary school, had relatively little experience with horseback riding, and failed his first entrance examination for the Japan Racing Association’s Racing School. He is a hard worker who steadily honed his skills and earned the trust of those around him. He has also received the Fair Play Award three times, in 2012, 2016, and 2023.

“Kitamura’s philosophy is to let a horse run naturally and win without putting unnecessary strain on it. He’s not the type to aggressively fight for position right from the start. The Tenno Sho (Autumn) is held on a tricky course where the first turn comes almost immediately after the start. That may be one reason for the change of jockey. The stable is surely determined to win the autumn triple crown for older horses—the Tenno Sho (Autumn), Japan Cup, and Arima Kinen—and secure the Horse of the Year title,” said the sports newspaper reporter quoted earlier.

In the past, Teruya Yoshida, the head of the powerful Shadai racing group, once described world-leading jockey Frankie Dettori on a horse racing program as the Tiger Woods of the racing world, adding:

“When he rides, it makes a five-length difference.”

Will this change of jockey prove to be a blessing for Croix du Nord—or will it turn out otherwise?