Having secured an impressive 10 rides on Saturday’s Mouttet Mile race day, featuring an 11-race card, Japanese-born, Canadian-based jockey Daisuke Fukumoto is determined to make a mark at Caymanas Park. Scheduled to partner with the Richard Azan-trained Perfect Brew in the prestigious Mouttet Mile, which boasts a purse of US$150,000, Fukumoro aims to leave a lasting impression on the richest race in the English-speaking Caribbean.

A friend of renowned former champion jockey Shane Ellis, Fukumoto shared the positive feedback he received from Ellis, encouraging him to experience the vibrant horse racing culture in Jamaica. “I am friends with Shane Ellis, who rides, and I talked to him, and he said that I should come here because it is a great track, and the people are very nice out here, so I just came here,” revealed Fukumoto.

Impressed by the grandeur of the track, Fukumoto, a native of Japan, is eager to showcase his riding skills to the Jamaican audience. “The track looks good and it’s big, so I just want to go out there and ride and show everyone my talent in Jamaica,” he expressed with enthusiasm.

Excited about the prospect of riding at Caymanas Park, Fukumoto declared his ambitious goal of winning the prestigious Mouttet Mile. “I am excited to ride here, and I want to win the big one, the Mouttet Mile,” he asserted confidently.

Acknowledging the unpredictability of horse racing, Fukumoto maintained his focus on success, stating, “I want to win everything because I come here to win races, and I am very serious about that. But in racing, you never know what can happen,” humbly acknowledging the uncertainties of the sport.

With a penchant for triumphing in significant races, Fukumoto expressed his thrill at participating in the Mouttet Mile, widely recognised as the biggest race in Jamaica. “It will be nice if I can win some races on Saturday. I like to win big races, so I am always excited about riding on big race days, and this is the biggest race in Jamaica, so hopefully, I can get lucky and win it on Saturday,” he said optimistically.

Embracing the Caribbean experience for the first time, Fukumoto is relishing the warm weather in Jamaica. “This is my first time in a Caribbean country, and I am enjoying the weather because it is hot and nice out here, and I am loving it,” he shared.

Hailing from Japan, Fukumoto highlighted the cultural familiarity with Jamaica, given the popularity of Jamaican music and the presence of Jamaicans in Canada, making the island nation feel close to him.

His career profile on Equibase shows Fukumoto with 2,586 starts including 273 wins, 267 seconds, and 290 third-place finishes. He has career earnings of $10,949,852. In 2023, thus far, he has ridden 21 winners, and in 2022 – 55, with his best year being 2020 when he had 69 winners.