Ryuji Wada
Japanese jockey
Ryuji Wada
Wada in 2023 (Tokyo Racecourse)
Personal information
Native name
和田竜二
NationalityJapanese[1]
Born (1977-06-23) 23 June 1977 (age 48)[1]
Shiga, Japan[1]
OccupationJockey
Height165 cm (5 ft 5 in)[1]
Weight50 kg (110 lb)[1]
Horse racing career
SportHorse racing
Career wins1464 (JRA)
88 (NAR)
Significant horses
T. M. Opera O, Wonder Acute, Mikki Rocket
YouTube information
Channel
  • 和田竜二の引退競走馬を追う‼︎
Years active2022–present
GenreHorse racing
Subscribers72.9 thousand
Views5,412,401
Last updated: Jun 17, 2025

Ryuji Wada (和田竜二, Wada Ryūji) (born June 23, 1977) is a Japanese jockey and future trainer, as well as a YouTuber affiliated with the Ritto Training Center of the Japan Racing Association. He is also the vice-president of the Japan Jockey Club [ja] (JJC) and chief of the JJC's Kansai branch.

Profile

Ryuji's father Mamoru was a groom who first took care of Toyo Seattle [ja] at the stable of Yoshiharu Matsunaga, and later Yamanin Kingly [ja] at Hiroshi Kawachi [ja]'s stable.[2] Ryuji's elder brother, Yuich is also a groom and was in charge of Durandal [ja].[3] His nephew, Tsubasa [ja], is also a jockey.[3]

Ryuji debuted in 1996 as a jockey hired by the stable of Ichizo Iwamoto [ja], and made his first victory in March 16 of that year with S.T. Top.[4] On December of that same year, he became the first of his peers to win a graded race by winning the Stayers Stakes with Sage Wells.[5] He finished that year with a total of 33 wins, and as a result was awarded the Chuo Keiba Kansai Kisha Club Sho [ja], which is the equivalent for the Rookie Jockey Award for jockeys in Kansai (Ritto).[6]

Ryuji won his first Grade 1 race in 1999 with T. M. Opera O, who won the Satsuki Shō that same year.[7] In the following year, the two went on to win an unprecedented grand slam by winning 8 consecutive grade races (Kyoto Kinen, Hanshin Daishoten, Tenno Sho (Spring), Takarazuka Kinen, Kyoto Daishoten, Tenno Sho (Autumn), Japan Cup, and Arima Kinen).

Wada won his 800th victory on November 4, 2012, at Kyoto Racecourse with Radiare.[8] The following day, Wada won his first Grade 1 race since 2001 when he won the JBC Classic held at Kawasaki Racecourse with Wonder Acute [ja].[9]

Wada became the 16th JRA jockey to enter a total of 13,000 races on December 21, 2014, with A Shin Heading.[10]

Wada became the 30th JRA jockey to win 1,000 races with Wave Hero on May 8, 2016.[11]

Wada won his first JRA Grade 1 race in 17 years later winning the 59th Takarazuka Kinen in 2018.[12] He also won the Kawasaki Kinen the following year with Mitsuba [ja].

On March 26, 2022, Wada won the 10th Nakayama race of the day with Delicada, making him the 24th JRA jockey ever to win a total of 1,400 races.[13]

Wada became the vice-president of the Japan Jockey Club in May 2023 as well as the president of the Kansai Branch after the preceding president, Yuichi Fukunaga, retired.[14]

On December 11, 2025, Wada announced his retirement as a jockey and his intention to transition to horse training. He was one of four individuals to pass the JRA's trainer examination that year, one of them being fellow jockey Yusuke Fujioka [ja].[15] Both Wada and Fujioka are scheduled to retire as jockeys on February 28, 2026.[16]

Grade 1 Victories

JapanJapan

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "和田竜二 ｜ 競馬騎手の公式サイト ｜ TEAM GRIP(チームグリップ)". TEAM GRIP. Retrieved 2023-10-12.
  2. ^ "キングリー和田父　打倒竜二／ＪＣダート". 日刊スポーツ. 2011-11-30. Retrieved 2014-08-18.
  3. ^ a b "サラブレッドルーキー岩崎翼が羽ばたく". 日刊スポーツ. 2013-07-30. Retrieved 2014-08-18.
  4. ^ "和田竜二のプロフィール". netkeiba.com. Retrieved 2016-04-23.
  5. ^ "和田騎手＆岩元師の師弟コンビでメモリアル達成!!". 競馬ラボ. 2010-01-30. Retrieved 2014-08-18.
  6. ^ "平成２７年度「中央競馬関西放送記者クラブ賞」の決定について" (PDF). 日本中央競馬会. 2015-12-27. Retrieved 2016-04-23.
  7. ^ "「だって乗っているのが僕ですから」テイエムオペラオー"覇王"前夜の1ハロン…和田竜二が語る伝説のダービー秘話「あの感触は今も残っています」". Number Web. 文藝春秋. 2023-05-26. Retrieved 2023-06-14.
  8. ^ "和田竜二騎手 ＪＲＡ通算８００勝達成". ラジオNIKKEI. 2012-11-04. Retrieved 2014-08-18.
  9. ^ "【ＪＢＣクラシック】ワンダーアキュート　５馬身ちぎった初Ｇ１". スポニチAnnex. 2012-11-06. Retrieved 2014-08-18.
  10. ^ "開催競馬場・今日の出来事". Japan Racing Association (in Japanese). 2014-12-21. Archived from the original on 2014-12-21. Retrieved 2015-03-21.
  11. ^ "和田竜二騎手、JRA通算1000勝達成". netkeiba.com. 2016-05-08. Retrieved 2016-05-26.
  12. ^ "【宝塚記念】ミッキーロケットがV!和田騎手はオペラオー以来17年ぶりのJRA・G1制覇". サンスポZBAT！競馬. 2018-06-24. Retrieved 2018-06-24.
  13. ^ "和田竜二騎手がＪＲＡ通算１４００勝を達成！". サンスポZBAT! (in Japanese). 2022-03-26. Retrieved 2023-10-12.
  14. ^ 松山崇 (2023-07-31). "【相談者：和田竜二騎手】騎手クラブの副会長として"本気"の相談「騎手の立場を守っていくために…」". netkeiba.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-10-12.
  15. ^ "和田竜二、藤岡佑介が調教師試験合格！騎手引退へ ともにJRA通算1000勝超え ― スポニチ競馬Web". スポニチ競馬Web (in Japanese). Retrieved 2025-12-11.
  16. ^ "和田竜二、藤岡佑介の2騎手は本人申請により免許の始期は来年3月1日付 最後の騎乗は土曜日に". 東スポ競馬 (in Japanese). 2025-12-11. Retrieved 2025-12-12.
  • Ryuji Ｗada on Twitter
  • 和田竜二の引退競走馬を追う‼︎ – Wada's YouTube channel
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