Beyond the Finish Line: Retired Racehorses Help Earthquake Survivors Heal

Vodka, Cesario, Victoire Pisa — even people who don't follow horse racing recognize these legendary names. The man who trained those champions has now opened a retirement farm for former racehorses on the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture.

*Vodka winning the 74th Japan Derby, with jockey Hirofumi Shii celebrating with a fist pump — Tokyo Racecourse, 2007.*

*Katsuhiko Sumii (front left) receives an award from then–Prime Minister Shinzo Abe after winning the Japan Derby — Tokyo Racecourse, 2007.*

Katsuhiko Sumii, 61, is a former trainer with the Japan Racing Association (JRA). Known as a master of fillies, he made history in 2007 when Vodka became the first filly in 64 years to win the Tokyo Yushun, aka the Japanese Derby.

Despite his glittering career, Sumii was deeply troubled by what happened to horses after they retired. About 8,000 thoroughbreds are born each year in Japan, but injuries or poor performance mean that, as he puts it, "a significant number" are ultimately culled.

*Victoire Pisa after winning the Dubai World Cup, with Katsuhiko Sumii (second from left) — Dubai, UAE, 2011.*

Katsuhiko Sumii (right), all smiles while holding the winner’s trophy, and jockey Mirco Demuro (third from right) after Victoire Pisa became the first Japanese-trained horse to win the Dubai World Cup — Dubai, UAE, 2011.

A New Beginning in Noto

Having made his living in horse racing, Sumii felt he had a responsibility to act. He left the racing world at 56 and in 2023 opened Suzu Horse Park in Noto, his grandparents' hometown. The farm was created as a place where retired racehorses can live out their days in peace.

Using vacant land in Suzu City and working with local residents, he created a place where horses and people could connect in a relaxed, open setting.

*Suzu Horse Park, founded by Sumii, where horses can graze in open pastures.*

*Horses stroll along the coast near the ranch. Though no longer in training, they get regular exercise to stay healthy.*

Disaster Strikes

Just five months after the farm opened, however, the powerful Noto Peninsula earthquake struck on January 1, 2024, reaching a maximum intensity of 7. Although the horses and staff were unharmed, buildings collapsed and electricity and water were cut off. Staff members slept in their cars as they continued caring for the animals.

The farm reopened to visitors by reservation eight months later, although cracks still remain in the ground. Seven horses are now spending their retirement there.

*Earthquake damage is still visible in cracks in the ranch's parking lot, with a new stable under construction in the background. | A closer look at the new stable under construction.*

Recovering Together

After the disaster, temporary housing was built near the farm, and residents who had grown isolated began visiting to spend time with the horses. Many said they were "comforted by the animals' gentle eyes."

"Here, you don't have to force yourself to socialize," Sumii says. "Just coming to see the horses can be a first step toward leaving your temporary housing."

From the start, Sumii hoped horses could help address local challenges such as depopulation and an aging population. Now, recovery from the disaster has added another layer to that mission.

*The ranch is home to six retired racehorses and one pony.*

Slow Steps

As a trainer, he once worked toward clearly defined race days and deadlines. Now there is no obvious finish line. "It feels like you've turned the fourth corner, only to find another first corner ahead," he says.

A new stable is being built, and a community facility with a shared kitchen — where visitors can see the horses up close — is scheduled to open this summer.

*Katsuhiko Sumii looks out over a temporary storage site for disaster debris beside the ranch. Two years on, the amount of debris has been greatly reduced.*

*Sumii carries tree branches for pasture maintenance, taking on a wide range of tasks he never did during his days as a trainer.*

"My goal is to link Noto's recovery with the creation of an ideal horse farm and pass both on to the next generation," he says.

Two years after the earthquake, this year's zodiac sign is the horse. The finish line may still be far off, but horses and people are moving forward together on the path to recovery.