PROFILE
| TAKASHI KODAMA |
I STARTED TO BUY YOUNG HORSES AT THE SALES AND USE MY YARD FOR BREAKING AND PRE-TRAINING, TO SELECT GOOD HORSES AND TRY SENDING THE BEST HORSES TO THE MOST SUITABLE RACING COUNTRY.” I really wished I could step up onto the international racing stage as a trainer for these great Japanese owners who had given me fantastic opportunities, but unfortunately I realised I was not good enough as a trainer. I just felt so sad and sad and sad... because I could not give back anything good to these great owners who supported me so much. “And I kept thinking, thinking, thinking… How can I give something good to these owners? What can I do for them? And I realised my plans for their horses on the international racing stage were still not wrong—they could be great plans and opportunities for success; but if I really wished to get these plans going successfully, I should not keep trying to do this as a trainer. I have had to accept I am not good enough to get this done properly and successfully. “It was actually not an easy decision for me as I am still a trainer, and I still have dreams as a trainer. I wish to have runners and winners as a trainer at the great international meetings; I have tried for a few years and failed. But I am not a young boy anymore. I had to make the decision as to how I can be useful for my owners, who have been supporting me kindly for so long, even without success. “So I decided to concentrate on managing their horses, rather than simply training their horses, and to try to make my international plans a success by using better trainers.
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In this way, I can concentrate on using my experience to make a success of my role as racing manager.” Of course, Kodama still trains, but in taking the brave step to send the better horses with ambitious targets to high-profile trainers, a weight has been lifted. It has also opened up further opportunities globally and increased his involvement in more aspects of horse ownership. “I started to buy young horses at the sales and use my yard for breaking and pre-training, to select good horses and try sending the best horses to the most suitable racing country.” His academy produced Turf Laurel, sent to trainer Satoshi Kobayashi in France where she placed in Group company and ran fifth in the Prix de Diane. Tosen Gift also joined Kobayashi and twice won in Listed races. “They were Irish bred, bought at Goffs and broken and pre-trained by me. I knew they were special when they were in my yard, so it was so sad to send them out to another trainer; they were in my first year after I decided to concentrate on managing racing careers. But when they were going well with Kobayashi and I saw their owners smiling, I realised my decision was definitely right. “So I started to try to get proven top-class horses to bring my owners to the top of the international racing stage quickly. In Italy, Mac Mahon and Paiardina were