43-year-old Japanese jockey, Kosuke Matsumoto, tragically lost his life following a three-horse collision during a training session at Sonoda Racecourse in Amagasaki, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. The incident occurred on Monday, January 13, 2025, around 5:50 a.m. as part of routine morning exercises.
The Hyogo Prefectural Horse Racing Association stated that the accident sequence was initiated by a horse that had finished its training but suddenly ran out of control while being led back to the stable area. The horse unexpectedly rushed back onto the track, crashing into Matsumoto’s ride and a third horse, resulting in all three riders being thrown off.
Emergency medical teams found Matsumoto unconscious at the accident site. He was rushed to a nearby hospital in Amagasaki City in a state of cardiopulmonary arrest. Despite exhaustive medical efforts, Matsumoto did not regain consciousness and was declared dead seven hours post-incident. The other two jockeys involved in the crash, aged in their 30s and 40s, survived with minor injuries and bruises.
The local Amagasaki police initiated an immediate probe into the accident. Their initial report released on Monday confirmed that Matsumoto sustained critical head injuries when he “hit his head hard on the ground” during the collision. The report noted that Matsumoto was in severe cardiopulmonary arrest during his emergency treatment at the hospital.
Matsumoto started his horse racing career in 2002 on the National Association of Racing (NAR) circuit, a group of racecourses owned and managed by local governments in Japan. This circuit is distinct from Japan’s premier venues, like Tokyo Racecourse, which fall under the Japan Racing Association (JRA). Over his 21-year career, Matsumoto achieved 261 victories from 7,624 races on the NAR circuit.
“He was involved in training from early in the morning until the last minute, and was well-liked by trainers and jockeys, and was loved by those involved,” reported Netkeiba, a Japanese racing publication.
In response to the tragedy, the administration at Sonoda Racecourse arranged a moment of silence before Tuesday’s races, marking the start of a scheduled three-day race meeting and acknowledging the veteran jockey’s untimely demise.
The NAR, where Matsumoto spent his entire career, operates 14 racecourses owned by local governments across Japan. These racecourses form a separate racing circuit from the JRA’s tracks such as Tokyo, Nakayama, Kyoto, and Hanshin that host the country’s Grade 1 races. Though considered second-tier to the JRA, the NAR circuit offers year-round racing opportunities at various regional venues across Japan.
Earlier in 2024, the risks inherent in horse racing were brought to the forefront with two other racing fatalities. In April, 35-year-old Japanese jockey Kota Fujioka, passed away from head and chest injuries after a fall at Hanshin Racecourse. Fujioka, with over 800 victories in Japan Racing Association-sanctioned races and participation in more than 10,000 races, was the first jockey to die in a JRA racing accident since 2004. Just a week prior to Fujioka’s death, 23-year-old Italian jockey Stefano Cherchi died due to injuries from a fall during a race in Australia.
