Keiba Kate on the Japanese Derby 150 staters

Be really pleased to be joined by Kate Hunter at Keiba.

Kate KEIBA Kate on Twitter. You can go find her there.

Or if you're traveling in the Tokyo metropolitan area, you can

find her as well. Kate, how are you?

I'm doing all right. Hey, so we wanted to have you on

and and whenever I need to meet someone, I send Mike.

What was it like meeting Mike? It was a lovely experience.

How about that? There you go, See.

How about that? Kate comes on immediately lies

to us. How about that?

So you can find her again at Kate on Twitter.

She's here with the teddy bear with the.

I mean frankly tell people what you're doing here.

I'm not even going to introduce it.

I'll. I'll leave it a little more

open-ended. What what is your role here?

Kentucky Derby 150. Week Well I'm here working for

Churchill Downs as their Japan kind of field coordinator.

Churchill Downs hired me to help recruit horses for the for the

Kentucky Derby and for races here in general.

So I I live in Japan and so I kind of and Santa Anita even New

York and but I also work for static Cup the world and Dubai

World Cup. So with these Japanese horses I

travel all over the world kind of helping them on in the

quarantine areas and kind of get them help them get them ready

for race day and the best I can cause the happy horse people

make happy horses and happy horses race faster.

So that's kind of my gig and so here I'm taking care of the

three Japanese that are here for this year.

We've got Forever Young who won the UA Derby, so coming over

with 100 points from there. And then we've got TO Password,

who won the Fukudu Stakes in Japan, the last race of the

Japan road to the Kentucky Derby, making him the in invitee

and then his stablemate TO Sandoni, who's going to be

running in the Alan Shiba. I saw TO Sandoni this morning

coming out of the track with Forever Young.

And TO password they were. All three together did.

TO password come out as well. Yeah, they.

Were together. Looked away, I guess tell people

why that's happening because I I think people see the videos on

Twitter or whatever and all the Japanese horses are hanging out

in the mile shoot and they're not mingling and all these

things and everyone goes, oh, these Japanese folks, they're

these trainers are doing it differently and they're doing

this, this and this. There's actually just a simple

logistic reason, isn't it? Yeah, well we're we're based in

the quarantine barn and the quarantine barn is asphalt.

We've got a we've got lovely rubber padding.

So it's it's absolutely safe for the horses.

But if you're going to walk your horse for 30 minutes to warm up

or 30 minutes to cool down, you're probably not going to

want to do it on hard rubber and asphalt.

So they've decided to and and Churchill Downs has been kind

enough to allow us to to train in the chute so they can be

walking on the softer, you know, dirt surface.

It's it's better for their legs, it's better for their condition.

It's it's better in a lot of ways.

It's a fascinating thing to watch them work as well.

So forever young. For example, it is Monday of

Derby week. That horse, I think, went around

the track three times this morning.

No, he would have. He only did.

Basically he only does about a lap and 1/2.

A lap and a half. OK, only American horses.

That would be like the workout of the century is there, have

you, have you gotten to talk to trainers?

Is there a just a different emphasis on, you know, just

longevity, just these horses, you know, going a mile and a

half on a Monday at random times?

No, I don't. I don't think so necessarily.

Like I'm at least what I've what I've witnessed.

I haven't seen honestly that much difference except for maybe

the breeze speeds like they tend to like blow out here a lot more

I think like really like breeze their horses at racing speeds

almost and the Japanese are a lot more conservative especially

when a horse is racing back-to-back and they will,

they'll do theirs. They'll actually do their harder

work so further out then. So like Sandoni and TO password

really had their blow out before they got here and so then

they're not that. So they're not going to really

do much this week that they're going to have a depending on the

rain either Tuesday or Wednesday they'll they'll go out and

they'll you know they'll they'll kick on a little bit more.

But I think the Japanese really like to do something like what I

well the Japanese do it they call it juggle.

Juggle which is basically 15 seconds, 15 seconds which I was

kindly informed is a 2 minute lick here.

OK, got. It it's the exact same thing.

Got it. OK.

So I don't think that there is. What was the name of it again?

I like that. OK, so that's literally going

151515. Yeah.

And in this backside lingo would be a 2 minute lick.

So like they they they'll start off slower in their breezes.

They they, they kind of look at their breezes from a little like

we're going to go OK six furlongs, we're going to go the

1st, 1st and you know first two furlongs 15 seconds.

Then each additional furlongs speeded up one bit at a time and

then blow out kind of that last furlong only And so like and

they don't go after the wire and so there are a few differences

but I I think ultimately there's most of the the maintaining of

the horse. The day-to-day maintenance of

the horse probably isn't that much.

Now it does differ stable to stable like our horses, the

horses that we have here right now, the way these trainers work

they don't do the same kinds of things that you saw Crown Pride

do or Dermisotakaki do where they would go in there in the

chute and do figure eights for everyone today.

That's right. But that's those, that's that's

trainer style got it And so the the the trainers differ as.

Well I was going to ask you about that and and Kate hunter

with us at Cava Kate on on Twitter for I I was at the

Preakness in 21 when France go to Ina Ran and I don't know if

you remember that race at all but they they warm the horse up

by walking in the figure eights on turf and I remember standing

there and I didn't know anything at the time about it and I

remember thinking is the horse OK is he freaked out by the

crowd are they doing these kinds of things And it turned out it

was just part of the warm up. Process, essentially.

You mean the day of the race? Yeah, no, that was a CEM issue.

So Japanese horses currently are under they are imported in the

United States under the USJCEM waiver.

CEM is a type of horse STD that currently there is no testing

agreement between Japan and America.

So when they come over here, they have to be monitored by a

vet the entire time and to make sure there's no unauthorized

sexual activity. And while that is obviously no

one's goal here is to have any unauthorized.

Sexual, except for Lanai when he was.

Here, yeah, Lonnie, Lonnie. Lonnie was a bit special.

I would say there are about 200,000 people coming this.

Weekend. Yeah, different, but go.

Ahead, yes, but so there there is the horses.

The horses, anyway. We got her to smile.

We got. Very unimpressed.

We. Usually try to keep the horses

they try to keep in their pants most of the.

Time. There it is.

So the but because of that in that in that particular instance

we were told to stay back because the in that state, each

state that's supposed to be, it's supposed to be the same.

The USDA, yeah each state always kind of has their own little

thing. And so in at that at that time

what they wanted us to do is stay separate.

They wanted us to arrive early and get saddled early before all

the other horses go out on the turf first and then wait.

And so all the other horses would saddle and the other

horses would leave and then we were allowed to leave.

Even though we were racing together.

They didn't want us, they didn't want us close together.

So I'd I'd say the horse in my opinion I think that negatively

impacted him. I agree.

So I mean I'm I'm personally pushing to get CEM testing in

Japan because if we can do that it it it'll make the USDA day

day. They love not having to monitor

us anymore because I keep bringing more and more Japanese

over, so I'm. I'm Churchill's not going to

stop that process either. They seem very committed to the

Japanese. Role, absolutely.

I mean right, right now the right now when it comes to

monitor the whole CEM issue, the the balls kind of in Japan's

court, got it because they've got to make sure that they have

the facilities to test. They have to basically do a nice

little swab and then you know you do like 3 swabs and then get

the results back and even fly over.

They do it in Europe sometimes if you're making a decision last

minute, like for the Breeders Cup, there's monitoring set up

anyway and so like European, some will test in advance but

some will change their mind last minute.

OK, yeah, I'm going to go to the Breeders Cup, show up and then

they'll be they'll be in the same boat.

But if we can so like those those short term kind of special

event things, it's not that big of a deal.

Doing it here for the Kentucky Derby the way it is, it's not

that big of a deal. But for a lot of these smaller

tracks and things like that, it it and like Pimlico as well, it

does become a big deal and it does have a negative impact on

bringing Japanese horses over. So we've we've been talking

about 2021. It was a huge year for Japanese

racing. They go to the Breeders Cup.

They win two races in the Breeders Cup for the first time

ever break the over 13 streak. What was that day like for you?

Like just like knowing that they're like a proud Mama.

I mean we both have coached and I've Yeah, right.

And you know, when you're start to click and they're like, oh,

like we're breaking, we're breaking through a barrier.

It's pretty special. I mean, I got to imagine.

Absolutely. I mean I kind of when when

Love's only you one, I kind of like I was like Yep, Yep, Yep,

cause like that we were expecting that, like that was

the expected result. So it's kind of like everything

went and only. In horse racing, by the way, is

that is that celebrated right, The expected thing, actually?

That's like all right. There we go.

Yes, that that, that, that, that, that's what we were

expecting. But it was Marshall Lorraine

that really got me. I think when in the when in the

staff like she did that would that would that felt a little

more. I don't know if it was the the

dirt aspect of it being an American or just the thrill of

holy moly, you know getting up there to win like that when she

was like 50 to one or something. So that that that was extra

special. But it was wonderful to you know

be able to. My whole goal was to basically

help bring the Japanese over here so that there have these

opportunities to reach these heights, to win these big races

that they never otherwise would have tried to bother coming to

because they have dreams, hopes and they want to win the

Kentucky Derby, they want to win the Breeders Cup.

You know, being horsemen in this international industry, it's

like you've you've got the same dreams as everybody else.

They just had never had a path before.

And so my goal is to make that path and to give them as many

tools as I can so that they can then take their own experience

and expertise and win those races.

And you've done an incredible job.

I mean, I think, I'm sure you're not going to brag on yourself.

You might. All right, let's go.

Because I think, like just talk about the progression that's

occurred since you've been involved with the Japanese

racing program and to where we are today.

We're Louie and I are firm believers that we are sooner

rather than later going to have a Japanese horse, if not this

year by the way, going to win this race.

They're going to win the Kentucky Derby and be taken

seriously. So just what what has happened?

What is, what have been some of the major breakthroughs?

Talk about that trans that progression.

I think the I mean if if you if if you want a deep dive you can

go back and and since like the even the early 50s I think it

was like the Washington like International Invitational or

something or some kind of big intervention where they brought

over on boats Japanese horses to compete in races here in the

United States. So there is actually a storied

long history of Japanese horses making the long journey over

here to to to, you know, make it happen.

But like there there was a, there was a lull laughter, while

I think, you know, there's the Japanese got their breeding

program kind of in progression and things really started coming

together. And for them, they kind of felt

like if they needed to win in places like Hong Kong first, if

they can win over in Asia, OK, then maybe we can go out then.

Then they can kind of start thinking about Europe and

America. And then they started winning in

the Middle East more. I like, I'm like, all right, so

we've expanded through the Asia's now we can kind of start

expanding elsewhere and I mean obviously that they always try

to go for the the Ark in France because that's kind of their

turf Holy Grail they're. Not alone in that, yeah.

But there's a lot of dirt horses in Japan and I think it's a

niche that's really kind of under serviced.

And so you know, I I think in the past couple of years, I mean

what I do in Japan is I go racing every weekend.

I go to the training centers two or three times a month.

You know, seeing these trainers, talking to them, getting to know

them. And you know I go to these big

events, I send them newsletters and I'm, I'm constantly kind of

not necessarily in their face, but I'm always like I I am the

advertisement. So when I'm walking around, they

send me like, oh, Kate, yeah, I was thinking about going to

Keeneland to to buy some horses or OK, I I I want to talk to you

about the Breeders Cup Philly and Mayor Sprint.

I might have a horse for that. I'm like, all right, well and so

like all of all of the information I've sent out, I've

made a, a website in Japanese that basically my goal is to

demystify American horse racing. Because so much is I I don't

know if it's gatekeeping, I don't know what it is.

But so much is just like you learn it when you get there.

And the Japanese are get really scared with that.

They don't, they don't like doing what they don't know what

they don't know and can't see. And I can respect that and I I

feel the same way. I get terrified.

So I, I I'm basically made a a picture guidebook to American

horse racing for them to be able to access and use and it kind

of, you know, familiarize itself with the process.

And I think that all of those things combined, plus knowing

that they've got someone physically there in America,

myself coming with them to support them throughout the

process. And advocate for them.

That's huge. Yeah, and to to make sure like,

oh, that you want to go out while they're harrowing.

Well, let me talk to you know Jamie and see what we can do

about walking you bound around the backside and getting you in

the chute so you can warm up instead of in the barn and you

know and and negotiate those things for them and make it a

little bit easier. And I think that's made out of

huge, huge impact because if you look at the Breeders Cup last

year we had nine horses that came over from Japan.

But in the previous years, all of it always since the beginning

of the Breeders Cup, there were only nine horses.

So I went, I went from that to in one, nine in one go.

So I I think it's working. Yeah, absolutely it is.

She's Kate Hunter. Her name text, says Japan

coordinator racing. How about that?

She joins us here on ESPN 680-1057.

You have a shirt. You have a jacket on, excuse me,

that mentions Derma Soda Gawke and Mandarin Hero.

Obviously Derma Soda Gawke goes through the UAE Derby last year.

Like like Forever Young. This year Mandarin Hero ran in

the Santa Anita Derby, right. And so and frankly ran a

fantastic race in the Santa Anita Derby.

Do you see a scenario where you know, I, I think the the the

Japan, Arabian Peninsula thing is established and people are

going to continue to do that? I think you're nodding.

I think, you know, that's an obvious one is, is California

sort of the gateway for Japanese horses or could you see like a

bluegrass runner or a, you know, a Florida Derby runner,

something like? That well, there was a brief

time where we were considering the Bluegrass for Forever Young

as an option, but CEM got in the way.

Unfortunately, just is. That just hover at Keeneland.

Well, yeah. Well, the cost for the owner for

to come over CEM can be quite large.

Like they don't have, like Keeneland unfortunately doesn't

have the same quarantine facilities as Churchill does

because then you have to kind of build it.

You didn't have to build an entire.

We'd have to take a whole barn away from Keeneland because they

have to be isolated. And you know, Keeneland's in the

middle of their meat so that they're packed.

So it's not necessarily financially.

They're getting ready for a sale and all.

Those everything just doesn't, you know.

But if if we could get CEM fixed then it wouldn't be a problem.

So, but I think if we can get, if we can nip CEM in the bud,

I'd say you'll see a lot more Japanese 3 year olds coming over

here for the the prep races. Is your sense of trainers want

that and it's it's more of a regulatory issue?

It's more it, yeah, because I think CEM adds financial

burdens, CEM adds quarantine burden, training burden, all all

these kinds of things where you can't necessarily do things the

exact way you want to that you have less freedom.

Like someone has to like in some states they would actually seal

the horse in the stall. So lock them in the stall

basically. And so the a vet would you'd

have to pay a vet to come and cut and supervise you while you

do anything with a horse anytime.

So if you're feeding the horse three times a day, you got to

come have a horse come through time, a vet come three times a

day and none of the vets want to do that either.

So but I think if we can get that fixed and I I am, I'm

pushing the you know, Japanese racing association a lot of

people to kind of work on that because we can get that fixed.

I think you'll see a lot more. You know, over Thanksgiving

weekend here after the Breeders Cup run the Clark.

Yeah, I've always thought Japanese horses would actually

do really well in that kind of race.

Well, that that that again kind of comes down to the the CEM

because they can't fly with other horses, so they'd have to

have a private charter. So you're looking at the money

there. Unbelievable.

So it's like I I feel like I've done pretty well with the

limitations that I've had. I have on me getting horses to

come over, but if I can break down that last door, I think

there'll be a lot more than, probably more than I can handle.

Yeah, the Takane Yagi Barn and the Yagi Barn, you mentioned

that there are differences in the training styles, barn to

barn obviously like there are here.

What what stands out is the big difference between those two.

Well, at the moment they seem they're they're kind of doing

the same thing. So I mean how he's got the

experience in the sense that he won the Two Breeders' Cup races

and he came here last year with Continuar, who unfortunately had

to scratch. Can you?

Tell us about him a little bit. It just, you know if someone

goes to sees his like they see you hockey, they go to equibase.

He doesn't exist, right? I mean, which is of course a

ridiculous thing. What?

What can you tell us about him? I mean, this is this you just

said two breeders coupling. I mean that's that's something

else. Same day, not.

Not a bad Saturday, yeah? Tell us about him.

What's his place in Japanese racing, for example?

Well, he is probably one of the most prolific prolific

international trainers to come out of Japan.

I mean it's so many of the trainers are I really enjoy

traveling overseas and Hideo Kimori who I've come over with

like with horses like Franz, Codena he he kind of set that

path forward. He was one of the first trainers

to kind of really expand his sights out outside.

And yeah, Huggies really followed in those footsteps and

but in his own style and if you Google him you'll understand

what I mean by style with his illustrious number of hats.

I think he has a whole room. It's just hats.

He actually there's a horse box in there that we're not allowed

to really put stuff in there because it's just his hats in

the in the barn. So he he's got hats in the barn,

but in his sense of style and his he does such a good job he's

he's able to really cultivate horses and really bring out

their best at at any age because he's had champion 2 year old.

He's a great 2 year old, he's a great three-year old.

He's a great 7 year olds. So he's really able to to to to

get the most out out of the race horses that are under his care.

That's awesome, Kate. How do people find what you are

working on? My job How do people find?

The best way to find you are socials or whatever.

Yes. How to find me?

Well, please don't come find me. Speak up, Honor.

Sorry, that's a radio term. I apologize for that.

Leave Kate alone. I'm like Mike Adolfo do the

harassing. Yeah, but.

No, Twitter's fine and feel free to message me.

I've had people ask me questions and want to know more about.

Japanese. Oh, fantastic.

And I'm I'm more than happy to answer them because I think

there's a lot of misconceptions out there about Japanese horse

racing and I don't know if who's who might be spreading the the

the wrong information but but like I I think and and also I

mean the the JRA themselves are very kind people in the New York

office they New York office here and I'm sure that if anyone had

any any interest they could probably call their maybe they

call it maybe they want me to have to tell everyone to call

their office but you could call their and but like they have an

English website I think it's called japanracing dot JP and

there's loads of information about Japanese racing there.

You can watch racing in Japan there see their PPS and all that

information that you might want to see on like it racing each

week. I think Japanese racing.

When I first got to Japan 17 years ago, I think I was like

one of like two people tweeting about it and I had like a a

weird little like I it was like when Apple had their iweb app, I

had a blog and I was like the only person talking about it.

Like it really wasn't that big and and now it's huge.

Everyone seems to love Japanese racing and that that's really

nice and I think that that excitement from overseas really

is encouraging for me because you know, you don't want to

bring, you know the Japanese over here and everyone get angry

at you, but like I, I took the jockey do you say and the guys

over to Wagner's for? Breakfast one day.

And they they they were just like, looking around the walls

going, Oh my God, Sunday silence.

Oh my God Oh my God. Oh, so they found.

The future? Japanese.

Absolutely. He he just he revolutionized it.

And so just being able to look around and see all of this Derby

history and then there was just a whole bunch of just locals

that would come up and be like, are you oh, can I get a picture?

Like they were asking for autographs.

They're asking for pictures and it was, it felt really special.

So to be a bracelet that. Diarrhea after eating Wagners.

Oh, what are we doing here? I knew that was coming up at

some point. Everything was good.

It was delicious. The Wagers is fantastic.

We will get you out of here on this. 17 years living in Japan.

When you come to the United States, is there something that,

like you get off the plane, you're like, I need this, or is

there like a restaurant you got to hit or anything like that?

The two things that I try to eat that most of when I'm in America

are sandwiches. Cause Japan just doesn't.

Do it. Not a sandwich culture.

Yeah, right. And the Mexican food, Cause

Japan doesn't really do Mexican food either.

There's not a lot of Mexicans in in Japan, but like Mexican food

and there you go, yeah. Sandwiches.

Luckily, the Japanese have a fine cuisine.

We'll. Do they do have?

They do have to. At least.

Say this OK? Is it true 'cause this is what I

will? Tell you, here we go.

That boil actually is really good sushi.

I do not know. I don't are.

You not Sushi eats the. Mexican food when she say what

are you doing? Yeah, I I get tacos too.

I typically I personally, and this is no offense that any

sushi restaurants out here in Louisville.

I I I don't eat Japanese food when I'm in in America.

I agree with because I've been spoiled and I I I'm and I'm very

picky. OK so but when I do go I like to

get the really weird rolls because they're usually very

tasty and they don't do that in Japan.

OK. Yeah, right.

All right. Well, she's Kate Hunter at Kaba.

Kate Odd Twitter, thank you so much for joining us.

I I got to say, the best part of that Breeders' Cup was the

celebrations after the wings. So if we get a forever young

type celebration, Oh my gosh, like people are going to fall in

love immediately with Japanese racing.

There there will be a lot of excitement.

I mean, even the groom when he was walking around the in the

paddock and at the UA Derby, I was taking photos of everybody

and walking around and he he winked at me.

And so I'll be looking for that wink this time this Saturday.

There you. Go All right, well, TO password

the 10 the ten spot and of course in 11 will be forever

young. They won.

They won Japanese trains, you all.

Won the draw, I mean. I don't think, oh, I agree.

That's a great spot on the draw. What was funny is she with the

the groom, like right before they put, I was like, you know

what, what, what position do you want?

He's like 7-8 or 11, And I'm like, why?

I'm like, 'cause they're cool. And then they'll said they're

cool numbers and they, they pulled out and said 11 and I'm

like, holy shit. And Oh yeah, and and he was just

and he was like, he was shocked. He's like, Oh my God.

And so I have a picture of him hugging the hugging his little.

Yeah, he's. He's had some, he's had some

beers, all red face. He's just like, yay, you've

never seen a man more in love with with getting I.

Love the idea that there's a groom a couple beers deep at the

Kentucky Derby draw. I like that.

I like that a lot. I like it a.

Lot well it was, it was we had a lot of fun in the new paddock,

it's awesome paddock area and and the food was good and so was

the alcohol. Another like $5 billion.

We'll have a made on here. How about that?

Thanks. Let's just Kate on her.

Kaba, Kate Odd Twitter. Kate, thanks so much.