"Bloody Foreigner" Jockey Suspends Blog

[Mulboyne]

[Yokohammer]

A volatile mix of persecution complex and envy-grudge seems to be one of the most common reasons many J-folk go off the deep end, and not just in relation to foreigners. Rather than working harder or adjusting their own behavior to get what they want they take the easier route of blaming other people or "shoganai" external causes. Of course there are plenty of people all over the world who do the same thing, but the Japanese seem to have it honed to a fine art.

And yes, "kuso gaijin" definitely requires the harshest of translations. If someone called me that to my face they'd have a crisis situation on their hands.

[Kanchou]

He sounds incredibly jealous... I think he might be the one with the higami/complex.

[Screwed-down Hairdo]

[Yokohammer]

This has reminded me of an incident that involved a similar J-reaction.

Many years ago I participated in an "ekiden" (relay race) around the imperial palace. This was back when I could still actually run without hurting myself .. although I was never fast. There were just a few other foreigners in the race, and when it was over a TV crew began interviewing one of us. The guy hadn't won or anything, but he was obviously having a great time, and was enjoying a can of brew after the run. This incensed one of the Japanese runners so much that he ran over to the TV crew and screamed at them, telling them to interview a Japanese rather than waste their time on a foreigner. Talk about making a bad impression. Anyway, it was the same sort of "netami" driven sentiment.

Not uncommon in these parts, I'm afraid.

Uh-oh, if any of the other FGs who were there are on this forum my cover is probably blown ...

[Coligny]

....against French jockey Anthony Crastus ...

Sound's as French as a Fiat Punto....

Or... Carlita Sarkozy... in fact...

Just adding... nothing... to the debate... sry

[Greji]

Sound's as French as a Fiat Punto....

Or... Carlita Sarkozy... in fact...

Just adding... nothing... to the debate... sry

Sarkozy? Didn't he win the Irish Derby?

[BO-SENSEI]

This incensed one of the Japanese runners so much that he ran over to the TV crew and screamed at them, telling them to interview a Japanese rather than waste their time on a foreigner.

Reminds me of the Osaka Marathon coverage, there was greater attention paid to the first Japanese finalist than to the person who actually won it from Ethiopia, but I don't think the winner cared that deeply and will smile as they hand her her prize money.

[Takechanpoo]

[Behan]

[nottu]

[Greji]

So what's the normal sanction for taking a bad line in a race in Japan?
And what exactly do they mean by that expression?

The line is the course the jockey takes the horse. A bad line would be taking a course that interferes and/or endangers another horse and jockey by reckless riding.

The usual penalty given by the stewards, will be suspension of riding for six racing days, but can go up to 30 days from the stewards. Anything of a more stringent penalty most be given by a disciplinary committee. This committee can increase and or "rule off" the rider, where he could never ride in a race again.

These suspensions may not seem like much, but they are financially damning. A jockey receives 5% of all prize money for any finishes in races. He also receives riding fees under his contract, plus a stipend from the organizers. Since the lowest first place prize money in JRA runs around 3.5 million and down to 350,000 for 5th place and there is a possibility of 12 races a race day, the possibilities for places for those races, plus contract, can make four days to six days, the loss of a lot of dust!

[nottu]

[Greji]

Thanks for the info. I suspected that was the meaning. I don't believe the penalties for interference are as great in the US and Europe as they are for Japan and Australia.
This seems to me to be a good example of Japanese ambivalence-like/dislike with things foreign and foreigners. It is possible that the officials and business side of Japanese horseracing were lenient with the Frenchmen in a bid to accommodate the foreign rider and may have tried to push away from Japan's harsher penalty. At the same time, the jockey got kuso gaijin stoked up and wouldn't have enjoyed the Frenchman's presence in the race even if he was punished inordinately.
If they suspended the Frenchman for a number of days, what would it matter to him? Couldn't he just go back to France?
Anthony Crastus - French?

All modern racing nations are aligned under the Paris Accords for Thoroughbred Racing for these type of rulings. Even those countries who haven't actually signed for reciprocation of penalties honor them anyway as a point of racing honor. If a jock is set down in any country, he is required to get a riding clearance when he leaves that country, to present to the next jurisdiction where he's going to ride. This is mandatory and will show if he has a suspension pending. He will have to serve his suspension where he rides next if not Japan. Yutaka Take got eight days for riding in the Arc a few years back and all though he appealed, the JRA stewards upheld the French stewards ruling and he served his suspension in Japan.

[Mock Cockpit]

I tend to disregard the ramblings of grown adults who have to buy their clothes at Miki House.

[nottu]

[Screwed-down Hairdo]

why do you think that globalization has occurred and is respected, especially in nations with a great deal of national pride in horse racing - US, Ireland, ...?

$$$$$$$$$

[nottu]

[Yokohammer]

Naturally, the first place to look. But since all the money originates with the betters I still wonder why? Does internationalization of the rules and penalties generate more betting and revenue? If so, did the globalization coincide with internet wagering.

I don't know if this has anything to do with it, but there does seem to be some international betting going on. I actually knew a guy here in Japan who's job was to go to the JRA every day and bet on the races for a Hong Kong company. Come to think of it, I don't even know if that's legal, but it was happening for sure.

[Greji]

I don't know if this has anything to do with it, but there does seem to be some international betting going on. I actually knew a guy here in Japan who's job was to go to the JRA every day and bet on the races for a Hong Kong company. Come to think of it, I don't even know if that's legal, but it was happening for sure.

It is not legal and a couple of those type of bookie "assistants" have been arrested in Japan. Japan is the target of most of these larger bookies and/or on-line betting operations because it has the largest betting sales of the horseracing world...

BTW, your mate's betting for a HK company was probably illegal in Hong Kong as well.

[FG Lurker]

[Number11]

Sorry for being a stinking gaijin and asking some questions, but you seem very knowledgeable about this, Greji. That's pretty rare. It seems like everyone is full of crap these days.

I'm curious about the rationale of it being illegal. Do the large betting organizations influence the odds? Is off-track betting legal in Japan? I'm surprised to learn that Japan has the largest sales. I guess "shocked" is a better word.

I've never been to a race in Japan, but I'd like to go. Do you happen to know where boat racing and keirin rank compared to keba?

Thanks in advance for any info.

[Greji]

Sorry for being a stinking gaijin and asking some questions, but you seem very knowledgeable about this, Greji. That's pretty rare. It seems like everyone is full of crap these days.

I'm curious about the rationale of it being illegal. Do the large betting organizations influence the odds? Is off-track betting legal in Japan? I'm surprised to learn that Japan has the largest sales. I guess "shocked" is a better word.

I've never been to a race in Japan, but I'd like to go. Do you happen to know where boat racing and keirin rank compared to keba?

Thanks in advance for any info.

As for JRA keiba, here are the total stats from 1980 forward.....

The order of ranking is 1. JRA, 2. Boat racing, 3. Bicycle racing, 4. NRA horse racing (regional), 5. Motorcycle racing. I have the sales figures, but it's a pain to post them, unless you really need them.

Soccer pools and Lottery are rated separately, but are also considered as a form of government gaming.

First you need to know that gambling is illegal in Japan. Each of the above forms of government gambling has its own law which exempts it from the Criminal Code.

Horse racing has, would you believe: "The Horseracing Law!" This states that the only person who can sell betting on JRA horse racing and NRA (Racing by Local Governments), is JRA and RLG. If anyone else does this, it is a violation of criminal law. It also provides that betting on racing outside on racing outside of Japan is illegal. An example would be a good citizen placing bets in Japan on the Melbourne Cup (quick, hide somewhere Gomi). This is also illegal. Generally speaking, there is an informal worldwide agreement between racing jurisdictions that an individual jurisdiction will not accept bets from within another jurisdiction without the expressed approval of the racing operator of that other jurisdiction. i.e. Hong Kong would not accept bets on racing in Japan, without an agreement of approval between the JRA and the Hong Kong Jockey Club.

JRA has internet and off-course betting, but it is on Japanese racing only and totally controlled by JRA. Again, by law, no one else is allowed these type of operations. Each of the other forms of Government Gambling operate the same way on a much smaller scale.

[Number11]

I know it's a pain in the butt to type out answers to my naive questions, so I do appreciate you taking the time to do it.

Do you have a rough idea of the total amount of money involved in Government Gambling?

[nottu]

[Greji]

However, the only cases I've read about involved the bookmaking operators themselves, not individual players.

Add Credit card companies to that Nottu-chan. What Japan did (originally JRA,) was to go to the credit card companies and tell them that if they allowed their credit cards to be used for placing bets on an internet site for JRA horseracing, the employees of the company would be subject to arrest for aiding and abetting (no pun intended) an illegal bookmaking operation. This would be regardless of where the transaction occurred, the company employees in Japan would be considered accomplices, subject to the butabako. So the internet companies, which 99.99% use credit cards to set up and fund accounts were in turn told by the credit card company that they could not sell to Japan (again easily id'ed by the IP Number) and if they did, the credit card company would cut off their access to all accounts.

Amazing how fast that ended internet betting on J-races.

[nottu]

[Kanchou]

dammit, I can't stop staring at Greji's avatar.

[Greji]

dammit, I can't stop staring at Greji's avatar.

She is completely covered under the YBF constitution and so no waivers are necessary.
AO, before you ask, I will not tell you who she is, or give you her keitai number. The back side looks as good as the front, so eat your heart out.......

[nottu]