Jockey Kazushi Kimura initially had no ride for the opening day of the G1 American Oaks at Santa Anita, but that changed when Antonio Fres was injured during the seventh race, leaving Fres’s mount, Ambaya, without a rider. Kimura, who was available, seized the chance and impressed with his performance. His skillful riding earned him the Jockey of the Week honor from December 22nd to 28th, an award recognizing significant achievements by jockeys who are members of the Jockeys Guild, which has represented over 1,050 jockeys in the U.S. since 1940.
On the rescheduled opening day, Kimura started strong with a victory in race two aboard Secured Freedom, trained by Tim Yakuteen. Later, Ambaya’s trainer Jonathan Thomas, noticing Kimura had no rides late in the day, invited him to take Ambaya, a 3-year-old filly with strong training credentials. Thomas encouraged Kimura to watch the filly’s previous races and expressed confidence in her potential, saying, “If you go the wrong way, you can win.”
Kimura confidently guided Ambaya, who started from post position 4 with 12-1 odds, running inside fifth before moving outside near the stretch. Ambaya surged between favorites Cliff, ridden by Jose Ortiz, and Will Flavian Prat to take the lead in the final furlong and win the downhill 1 1/4 mile turf race in 2:01.02. Kimura remarked that Ambaya was smooth out of the gate, making it easy to find a good position, and trainer Thomas praised Kimura’s elegant riding.
Originally from Hokkaido, Japan, Kimura relocated to Canada in 2018 to compete at Woodbine, winning Canada’s Sovereign Award for Outstanding Apprentice Jockey in 2018 and the Eclipse Award for Outstanding North American Apprentice in 2019. He earned the Sovereign Award for Outstanding Jockey for three consecutive years—2021, 2022, and 2023. After competing at Santa Anita for three winters and returning from a foot injury in March, Kimura decided to stay in California and celebrated his 1,000th North American win on September 20, 2025, at Los Alamitos.
Other contenders for Jockey of the Week included Javier Castellano, who won two stakes at Gulfstream Park; Antonio Fres, winner of the Matisse Mile (G2); Juan Hernandez, winner of the La Brea (G1); and Joel Rosario, winner of the Malibu (G1).
Fan Take: Kazushi Kimura’s rise underscores the global talent flowing into American horse racing, adding exciting new dimensions to the sport. His dedication and success story inspire fans and aspiring jockeys alike, promising a bright future for competitive racing.
