A tragic accident at the Sonoda Racecourse in Amagasaki, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan, claimed the life of Kosuke Matsumoto, a 43-year-old Japanese jockey, on Monday, January 13, 2025. The incident happened during an early morning training session at around 5:50 a.m.
The Hyogo Prefectural Horse Racing Association reported that the incident started when a horse that had finished its training suddenly bolted on its way back to the stable. The panicked horse charged back onto the track, colliding with Matsumoto’s horse and another, leading to all three jockeys being thrown off their horses.
Matsumoto was found unconscious at the scene by emergency medical personnel. He was quickly transported to a nearby hospital in Amagasaki City, where he was in cardiopulmonary arrest. Despite extensive medical efforts, Matsumoto never regained consciousness and was declared dead seven hours after the accident. The other two jockeys involved in the collision, in their 30s and 40s, suffered minor injuries and bruises.
The Amagasaki police department wasted no time in launching an investigation into the circumstances of the accident. Their initial report issued on Monday confirmed that Matsumoto had suffered severe head trauma when he “hit his head hard on the ground” following the collision. They also noted that he was in critical condition and remained in cardiopulmonary arrest during his emergency treatment at the hospital.
Matsumoto’s horse racing career began in 2002 in the National Association of Racing (NAR) circuit, a series of racetracks owned and operated by local governments in Japan. His career, spanning 21 years, saw him achieve 261 victories from 7,624 races on the NAR circuit, separate from Japan’s most prestigious venues such as Tokyo Racecourse managed by the Japan Racing Association (JRA).
A Japanese racing publication, Netkeiba, reported that Matsumoto was well-respected and liked by trainers and jockeys, and loved by those involved in the sport.
In response to the tragedy, the Sonoda Racecourse administration organized a moment of silence before Tuesday’s races, marking the start of their regular racing program and acknowledging the loss of the veteran jockey.
The National Association of Racing, where Matsumoto spent his entire career, operates 14 tracks owned by local governments across Japan. These tracks are part of a separate racing circuit from the JRA’s venues in Tokyo, Nakayama, Kyoto, and Hanshin, which host the country’s Grade 1 races. Though considered second-tier to the JRA, the NAR circuit offers continuous racing opportunities at regional venues throughout the country.
The inherent risks of horse racing were underscored earlier in 2024 with two other racing fatalities. In April, Japanese jockey Kota Fujioka, 35, died from injuries to his head and chest after falling at Hanshin Racecourse. Fujioka, a winner of over 800 Japan Racing Association-sanctioned races, was the first jockey to die in a JRA racing accident since 2004. A week before Fujioka’s death, 23-year-old Italian jockey Stefano Cherchi also passed away due to injuries sustained in a fall during a race in Australia.
