The Call That Made the 2013 Japanese Derby Unforgettable (ft. Epiphaneia, Logotype, Kizuna… and a Dog?)

IRL Horses

The Japanese Derby is the pinnacle of Japanese horse racing. It is not only the winner that is remembered, but also the entire race, including how it unfolds, the condition of each horse before and after, and the stories that brought them to this prestigious stage.

But in 2013, the Japanese Derby was remembered not only for its contenders, but also for the voice on television, the announcer’s call.

That voice belonged to Tatsuya Aoshima (青嶋達也), one of Fuji Television’s most experienced announcers, who was entrusted with calling the race and setting the stage for this defining moment in Japanese horse racing.

Announcer Aoshima was known for his rapid-fire calls. His speaking speed was so fast that some said only he could go through every horse’s name and position twice in a 1,200-meter race, which usually lasts around one minute.

That trait earned him the nickname “Aoshima Bakushin O,” a reference to one of the greatest sprinters in Japanese horse racing, Sakura Bakushin O (サクラバクシンオー).

And just like Sakura Bakushin O, the intensity of his calls and the concentration it demanded sometimes led to mistakes or moments where he struggled to find the right words, especially in races beyond 1,600 meters.

The 2013 Japanese Derby, run over 2,400 meters at Tokyo Racecourse, became legendary in some way because of that.

The 2013 Japanese Derby marked the 80th running of the race, and it was expected to be something special, bigger and more exciting than ever before.

And the field that year definitely lived up to the hype.

The most favorite horse was Kizuna (キズナ), who had already shown an unbelievable burst of power in his previous two graded race wins. On his back was the legendary Yutaka Take, who had already won the Derby four times and was looking to break his own record.

The second favorite was Logotype (ロゴタイプ), winner of the G1 Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes the previous year and the Satsuki Sho earlier that season. This time, he was ridden by the Italian jockey Cristian Demuro.

The third favorite was Epiphaneia (エピファネイア), a rising star who had won a graded race the previous December and finished runner-up in the Satsuki Sho. On his back was Yuuichi Fukunaga, the very same jockey who had guided his mother, Cesario (シーザリオ), through her career.

There was also Codino (コディーノ), who had never finished worse than third in his six starts, five of them in graded races;

Hiraboku Deep (ヒラボクディープ), the winner of the Derby trial, the G2 Aoba Sho;

Meikei Pega Star (メイケイペガスター), winner of the G3 Kyodo Tsushin Hai;

and Meiner Ho O (マイネルホウオウ), winner of the G1 NHK Mile Cup.

One after another, they stand among the very best of the 7,197 horses of their generation.

Hoping to witness their beloved stars give their all on the track, more than 120,000 fans filled the stands, while countless others tuned in from home to watch the race.

And in a thunderous roar, the gates to hope and glory opened.

Now, here's the race clip. Let’s follow Aoshima’s call and dive into those intense two and a half minutes!

0:10
「祈りを込めで、節目の第80回日本ダービー、スタートを切りましたそろったいいスタートをきりました！」

“With hopes and prayers carried into this moment, the milestone 80th Japanese Derby is off! And it’s a clean, even break for all!”

After the start, Apollo Sonic and Samson’s Pride went straight to the front. Logotype settled on the inside of the leading group, with Epiphaneia in mid-pack. And where is our top contender, Kizuna?

0:40
「キズナはここ、後ろから三頭目白い帽子...一番人気キズナ、ディープ産駒武豊は後ろから三頭目です。」

“Kizuna is here, third from the back, the white cap… the favorite, Kizuna, Deep Impact’s colt Yutaka Take, is third from the rear.”

Yeah, Yutaka Take is all the way at the back... Wait, Deep Impact’s colt, Yutaka Take? Well, his last Derby win did come with Deep Impact, that’s for sure...

As the race went on, Aoshima once again ran through the positions of the main contenders, calmly.

0:59
「さぁ、このあたりで一度落ち着いて、ダービー初騎乗のロゴタイプ、ゼッケン8番クリスチャン・デムーロ...」

“Alright, let’s settle down for a moment… Logotype, making his first ride in the Derby, on number 8, Cristian Demuro…”

Wait, did he just say Logotype became a jockey and started riding Demuro?

Down the backstretch, Meikei Pega Star suddenly surged to the front, and announcer Aoshima caught the moment and spoke up right on cue. And then—

1:25
「...ここにロゴタイプ。クリスチャン・デムーロ、皐月賞馬...」

“…And here comes Logotype. Cristian Demuro, the Satsuki Sho winner horse”

Look now who’s riding who again?

As the crowd was still trying to process it, Epiphaneia suddenly ran into trouble just as Aoshima called his name.

1:35
「...あと内でエピファネイア...**おっと！大丈夫か！？福永大丈夫か！？**立て直した！そしてその外タマモベストプレイ。...」

“…And on the inside, Epiphaneia… Woah! Is he alright?! Fukunaga, is he okay?! He recovered! And just to his outside is Tamamo Best Play…”

Epiphaneia suddenly stumbled in the middle of the pack. Thankfully, he stayed on his feet and kept going, or it could have turned into a serious accident right in front of everyone watching live.

But Aoshima’s emotions shifting from surprise, to concern, and then back to calm composure were really something else.

As they approached the final turn, Aoshima declared that the race entering its final stage:

1:55
「そんなに先頭から最後方18頭、差は、ありません。しかし、またここから600あります！..................キズナが追い始めた武豊。...」

“From front to back, all 18 runners are still tightly packed, there’s barely any gap between them. But there’s still 600 meters to go! ..................Kizuna starts to move, Yutaka Take!”

Rather than building up his voice and emotion, announcer Aoshima left a long, long pause in his call. For "Aoshima Bakushin O”, maybe 2,400 meters really is a long way to go.

2:07
「さぁそしてロゴタイプはこう位置につけている、前とは5、6馬身の位置にいます青い帽子。さぁ直線向いた、世代の頂点へ！一生に一度晴れ舞台日本ダービー！」

“And Logotype is holding the high ground, about five or six lengths behind the leader is the blue cap. They turn for home toward the pinnacle of their generation! The Japanese Derby, a once-in-a-lifetime stage!”

The clash in the final stretch was fierce. The leaders fought desperately to hold their advantage, while the late chargers unleashed their true strength, swallowing up the field one by one. For the 80th Japanese Derby, this was really a race worthy of its name.

2:16
「400を切った！高低差200ｍの坂！試練の坂！...」

“Under 400 to go! The 200-meter-high climb! A true test of strength!”

But this 200-meter climb was not what we expected for the 80th Japanese Derby. It wasn’t just a hill, it's a wall! Ah… so that was Logotype’s “high ground,” wasn’t it? The strength of a two-time G1 winner was not something to be overlooked…

After passing the 200-meter mark, Epiphaneia finally caught up to the leader, but at the same time, another dark shadow was closing in fast on his outside.

2:29
**「さぁ、横一線だ！横一線！大外キズナ！大外キズナ！**真ん中に………いぬが！？大外キズナ！大外キズナ！キズナが捉えた！キズナカッター！！！武豊ダービー5勝！」

“They’re all in a line! Neck and neck! Kizuna on the far outside! Kizuna on the far outside! In the middle.………a dog?! Kizuna on the far outside! Kizuna on the far outside! Kizuna takes the lead! Kizuna wins!!!!! Yutaka Take wins his fifth Derby!"

So the “dark shadow” was actually a dog, running at around 65 to 70 km/h as it hunted down Epiphaneia… what a shame it couldn’t hold off Kizuna... just kidding! Come on! What do you mean there’s a dog between Epiphaneia and Kizuna?!

Also, why does his call of “Kizuna wins!!!!!!” sound like he’s activating an ultimate move called “Kizuna Cutter”?!

Beyond Aoshima’s interesting and emotional call, it was a truly remarkable achievement for Yutaka Take to claim his fifth Derby victory, and for Kizuna to follow in his father’s footsteps and win the Derby. Kizuna’s story is really worth an article of its own.

And Aoshima’s call only made the race feel even more special, carrying it to a whole new level of emotion.

It’s no easy task for an announcer to liven up the atmosphere while maintaining a professional and precise call during a race, so a few mistakes are only natural.

And in the end, it was that passion, along with the imperfections in Aoshima’s call, that made this race unforgettable for countless horse racing fans, cementing it as a true classic in the sport’s long history.

Now that Epiphaneia and Logotype have become Umamusume, when will Kizuna and that mysterious “dog” show up too?

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My past work:

Stories of Soma Nomaoi Horses After the 2011 Tohoku Earthquake

Queen Spumante: Let the Hidden Star Shine Across the Sky!

T M Precure: Let the Light Shatter the Impossible!

The Versailles Kingdom: A Story of Versailles Resort Farm and Rose Kingdom

Sanei Thank You: The Sorrow Known Only By Jizō

The Root of the Undefeated Triple Tiara: Daring Tact’s Journey to Her Debut

African Gold: In Search of the Golden Eggs

Meiner Fanrong: A Never-Ending Dice Journey

Oguri Roman: A Silver Bloom in the Shadow