Zoroastro Wins Niigata Kinen Horse Race, Beats Five Grade 1 Winners
Listen to the story
The racehorse Zoroastro has won the Niigata Kinen, a major horse race held in Japan. The victory is significant because Zoroastro defeated five horses that had previously won Grade 1 races.
In horse racing, Grade 1 events are the most important and difficult races. Beating five former Grade 1 winners shows that Zoroastro performed at a very high level in this competition.
The horse was ridden by jockey Mikio Iwata, who guides the horse during the race. This victory marked his sixth graded race win of the year, showing his strong recent form.
For Zoroastro, this was his second career win in a graded race. His trainer, Mr. Miyata, is responsible for preparing the horse for competition. After the race, Miyata said the result matched what he had expected, expressing satisfaction with the horse's performance.
Graded races like the Niigata Kinen attract strong horses and skilled jockeys, making wins against top-level competition especially notable within the racing community.
Vocabulary6 words
- Zoroastro
- the name of the horse that won the race
- Niigata Kinen
- the name of a major horse race in Japan
- Grade 1
- the top and most difficult level in horse racing
- jockey
- the person who rides a horse during a race
- graded race
- an official, important horse race with a ranking level
- trainer
- a person who prepares and takes care of a racehorse
Quiz
Answer key
1. He beat five former Grade 1 winning horses 2. Six 3. It matched what he had expected
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
The racehorse _____ has won the Niigata Kinen, a major horse race held in Japan. The victory is significant because Zoroastro defeated five horses that had previously won _____ races.
In horse racing, Grade 1 events are the most important and difficult races. Beating five former Grade 1 winners shows that Zoroastro performed at a very high level in this _____.
The horse was ridden by jockey Mikio _____, who guides the horse during the race. This victory marked his sixth graded race win of the year, showing his strong recent form.
For Zoroastro, this was his second career win in a graded race. His _____, Mr. Miyata, is responsible for preparing the horse for competition. After the race, Miyata said the result matched what he had expected.
Discussion questions
- Why do you think beating Grade 1 winners makes this victory special?
- What skills do you think a good jockey needs?
- Do you follow horse racing or other animal sports? Why or why not?
- How important is a trainer's role in an animal's success, in your opinion?