For jockey Akira Sugawara (23), Nakayama Racecourse holds a special place in his heart as he prepares to challenge for the G1 Sprinters Stakes aboard Toshin Macau. "I grew up at Nakayama, so I'm really motivated to ride a horse with a real chance in a G1 here," he said with determination.

Sugawara was born just minutes away from Nakayama Racecourse. "You could hear the crowd roar from my house," he recalls. As a child, Nakayama was his playground, and it was there that he naturally developed a passion for horse racing, eventually setting his sights on becoming a jockey. Nakayama is truly the foundation of "Jockey Akira Sugawara."

Sugawara remains calm despite the significance of riding in a G1 at Nakayama. He has built a strong partnership with Toshin Macau, having won two graded stakes together. "We've already won the Ocean Stakes at Nakayama, so I just want to make sure I don't get in the horse's way and execute a good race," he said confidently, knowing exactly what needed to be done.

This will also be Sugawara's first major G1 challenge as a G1-winning jockey, having claimed victory in the Takarazuka Kinen aboard Blow the Horn. "Winning one made me hungry for more," he said, looking ahead to the future. Securing that first G1 wasn't the end goal, and now, as he returns to his home course for another G1, the 23-year-old is ready to embark on a new chapter.