The Japan Racing Association have released their statistical report for the 2020 season showing that, despite a drop in racetrack attendance of over 85 percent due to COVID-19, turnover continued its upward annual trajectory.
Domestic betting turnover increased for the ninth consecutive year, up 3.4% on 2019, to ¥2,992,750,308,400 (R402 billion).
The pandemic caused a significant drop in attendance with the 288 meetings only attended by 909,970 people in 2020, down from 6,236,197 in 2019.
For 2020, JRA prizemoney was ¥119,538,495,110 (R16,75 billion), which was the highest amount distributed since 2001, and the average per race was ¥34,588,684 (R 4 691 468) over the 3,456 races run by the JRA.
The leading earner for 2020 was Contrail (Deep Impact-Rhodochrosite, by Unbridled’s Song) who won ¥684,843,000 (R92 900 627) in his five starts, while Deep Impact (Sunday Silence-Wind in Her Hair, by Alzao) was again crowned Champion Sire with progeny earnings of ¥8,067,825,500 ( R1 094 289 600)
This was his ninth consecutive Champion Sire title, having won it every year since 2012.
Christophe Lemaire picked up his fourth Jockeys Premiership with 204 wins, while Yoshito Yahagi won the Trainers Premiership with 53 wins.
