Juuryoku Piero wins the Oaks, giving Seina Imamura first Grade 1 victory by a central female jockey

2026-05-24

Juuryoku Piero, ridden by jockey Seina Imamura, won the 87th Oaks, also known as the Yushun Himba, a Grade 1 race over 2,400 metres on turf, held on the 24th at Tokyo Racecourse. In a race featuring 18 3-year-old fillies, Imamura became the first female jockey in Japanese racing history to ride in a classic race and secured victory. It was also the first Grade 1 win by a female jockey based in the central racing circuit.

Imamura debuted in 2022 and has since set records, including a central circuit female-jockey record of 51 wins that year, the most in a single year. This was her first victory in her third ride in a Grade 1 race. After the race, she said with joy, 'It feels like I am dreaming.'

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