Yutaka Take marks 40 years as a professional jockey on March 1. He has 4,637 JRA wins.
What happened?
Take began his career on March 1, 1987, as a retained jockey for Sakujiro Takeda's stable.
He set a Japan Racing Association rookie record with 69 wins in his first season.
Take rode his first group 1 winner in the 1988 Kikka Sho with Super Creek at Kyoto Racecourse.
Why it matters for Yutaka Take
Take was crowned the JRA's leading jockey for the first time in 1989.
He has won the title 18 times since.
Take has won 84 premier grade races at the JRA, including a record six wins in the Japanese Derby.
What comes next?
Take won an allowance for two-time winners aboard Kentucky-bred Body Blow at Hanshin Racecourse on March 1.
He is determined to keep riding as long as possible.
Take turns 57 on March 15, born in Kyoto as the son of Kunihiko Take, who won 1,163 races as a jockey and 375 races as a trainer.
Take has won nine top-level races overseas, beginning with the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp in 1994.
He has had a long and successful career, with many notable wins and achievements.
Take's experience and skill have made him a legendary rider in the world of horse racing