Japan Derby Fourth-Place Horse Loses in Big Race
Listen to the story
A racehorse called Justin Chicago lost in a major race called the St Lite Kinen. This race is known as a graded race, meaning it is one of the most important races in Japanese horse racing.
Justin Chicago had previously finished fourth in the Japan Derby, one of the biggest races in Japan. Because of this strong result, many fans believed he would do well in the St Lite Kinen. He entered the race as the top favorite, the horse most people expected to win.
However, Justin Chicago did not perform as expected. He failed to reach the leaderboard, meaning he did not finish among the top five horses. This was a surprising result for a horse who had been so popular before the race.
According to reports, the horse's final sprint, the burst of speed horses use near the finish line, was not strong enough this time. He could not catch up with the leading horses in the last part of the race.
The horse's jockey, Yusuke Hara, spoke after the race ended. Jockeys often explain what happened during a race and how the horse performed.
Many racing fans had placed their hopes on Justin Chicago because of his past performance. When he did not finish well, some fans reportedly shouted in shock and disappointment, showing just how surprising the result was.
This kind of unexpected outcome is common in horse racing, where even strong favorites can lose due to conditions on the day, competition, or a horse simply not performing at its best.
Vocabulary6 words
- graded race
- one of the most important types of horse races
- favorite
- the competitor most people expect to win
- leaderboard
- the list of top finishers in a race
- final sprint
- a fast burst of speed at the end of a race
- jockey
- the person who rides a racehorse
- racing fans
- people who follow and support horse racing
Quiz
Answer key
1. He finished fourth in the Japan Derby 2. He was the top favorite but did not finish in the top five 3. True
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
A racehorse called Justin Chicago lost in a major race called the _____.
This race is known as a _____, meaning it is very important.
Justin Chicago had previously finished _____ in the Japan Derby.
He entered the race as the top _____.
He failed to reach the _____, meaning he did not finish among the top five.
The horse's _____ was not strong enough this time.
The horse's jockey, _____, spoke after the race ended.
Many racing _____ had placed their hopes on Justin Chicago.
Discussion questions
- Why do you think favorites sometimes lose important races?
- How do you think fans feel when their favorite horse or team loses unexpectedly?
- Do you follow any sports where surprising results often happen?
- What qualities do you think make a horse successful in racing?