(born March 12, 1974; from

Himeji 260px, Himeji City Hall is a city located in Hyōgo Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 525,682 in 227,099 households and a population density of 980 persons per km2. The total area of the city is ...

Hyōgo Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of Honshu. Hyōgo Prefecture has a population of 5,469,762 () and a geographic area of . Hyōgo Prefecture borders Kyoto Prefecture to the east, Osaka Prefecture to th ...

) is a Japanese

jockey A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase (horse racing), steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used ...

who rode the winner of the 2006 Melbourne Cup,

Delta Blues Delta blues is one of the earliest-known styles of blues. It originated in the Mississippi Delta and is regarded as a regional variant of country blues. Guitar and harmonica are its dominant instruments; slide guitar is a hallmark of the s ...

. It was Iwata's first race outside Japan. He debuted in the Hyōgo Keiba, one of the racing organizations in

National Association of Racing The National Association of Racing ( ''Chiho Keiba Zenkoku Kyokai'', or NAR) is the authority for horse races operated by local governments in Japan (Prefectures, cities A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has ...

(NAR). He has started riding in selected events in

Japan Racing Association The Japan Racing Association () is a public company established in Japan under a law to operate Chūō Keiba (中央競馬 Central horse racing) and to manage racecourses, betting facilities, and horse-training facilities in the country. It was ...

(JRA) since 2002. In 2005, Iwata won the 19th World Super Jockey Serie

http://www.diviplus.com/racing-news/iwata-wins-world-super-jockey-series/]. Despite not having passed the written test in the past, he was allowed to transfer to JRA in the following year due to "Ankatsu's Rule". He was awarded JRA most winning-jockey in 2011 and 2012, in races won and money earned. His son, , is also a jockey.

Major wins

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

Melbourne Cup The Melbourne Cup is an annual Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race held in Melbourne, Australia, at the Flemington Racecourse. It is a 3200-metre race for three-year-olds and older, conducted by the Victoria Racing Club that forms part of the ...

- (1) - ''

(2006)'' ----

Hong Kong Hong Kong)., Legally Hong Kong, China in international treaties and organizations. is a special administrative region of China. With 7.5 million residents in a territory, Hong Kong is the fourth most densely populated region in the wor ...

* Hong Kong Sprint - (2) - '' Lord Kanaloa (2012/2013)'' ----

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

* Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes - (1) - ''Seiun Wonder (2008)'' * February Stakes - (1) - ''Testa Matta (2012)'' * Japan Breeding farm's Cup Classic - (1) - ''Time Paradox (2006)'' * Japan Breeding Farms' Cup Ladies' Classic - (1) - ''Sambista (2014)'' * Japan Breeding Farms' Cup Sprint - (1) - ''Dream Valentino (2014)'' *

Japan Cup The is one of the most prestigious horse races in Japan. It is contested on the last Sunday of November, post time of 15:40 at Tokyo Racecourse in Fuchu, Tokyo at a distance of 2400 meters (about miles) run under weight for age conditions with ...

- (3) - '' Admire Moon (2007)'', ''Buena Vista'' ''(2011),'' '' Gentildonna (2012)'' * Japan Dirt Derby - (1) - ''Testa Matta (2009)'' * Kikuka Sho - (1) - ''Delta Blues (2004)'' * Mile Championship - (2) - ''A Shin Forward (2010), Danon Shark (2014)'' *

Oka Sho The is a Grade 1 flat horse race in Japan. The race is restricted to three-year-old Thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a list of horse breeds, horse breed developed for Thoroughbred racing, horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbre ...

- (2) - ''Gentildonna (2012), Let's Go Donki (2015)'' * Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) - (2) - ''Unrivaled (2009), Victoire Pisa (2010)'' * Shuka Sho - (3) - ''Black Emblem (2008), Aventura (2011), Gentildonna (2012)'' *

Sprinters Stakes The is a Grade 1 flat horse race in Japan open to thoroughbreds which are three-years-old or above. It is run over a distance of 1,200 metres (approximately 6 furlongs) at Nakayama Racecourse, and it takes place annually in late September or ea ...

- (1) - ''Lord Kanaloa (2012)'' * Takamatsunomiya Kinen - (1) - ''Lord Kanaloa (2013)'' *

Takarazuka Kinen The Takarazuka Kinen (宝塚記念) is a Grade I flat horse race in Japan for Thoroughbreds aged three and over a distance of 2,200 metres (approximately miles) at Hanshin Racecourse (阪神競馬場) in late June. It is one of the two "All-Sta ...

- (1) - ''Admire Moon (2007)'' *

Tenno Sho The is a horse race held twice a year in Japan, once in the spring and once in the autumn. "Tenno" means "Emperor of Japan". The races are both International Grade 1 races. Prior to the 2007 races, both Tenno Sho races were Japanese domestic Gr ...

(Spring) - (2) - ''Admire Jupiter (2008), Rainbow Line (2018)'' * Tokyo Daishōten - (1) - ''Roman Legend (2012)'' * Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) - (1) - '' Deep Brillante (2012)'' *

Yasuda Kinen The Yasuda Kinen (English: Yasuda Memorial, Japanese and Chinese language: 安田記念) is a Japanese Graded stakes race, International Grade I Thoroughbred horse race held at the Tokyo Racecourse in Tokyo. Raced annually each June, the Yasuda Ki ...

- (2) - ''

Vodka Vodka ( ; is a clear distilled beverage, distilled alcoholic beverage. Its varieties originated in Poland and Russia. Vodka is composed mainly of water and ethanol but sometimes with traces of impurities and flavourings. Traditionally, it is ...

(2008), Lord Kanaloa (2013)'' *

Yushun Himba The , also known as the is a Japanese Conditions races, Grade 1 Flat racing, flat Horse racing, horse race for three-year-old thoroughbred Filly, fillies run over a distance of 2,400 metres (approximately 1 mile 4 furlongs) at the Tokyo Racecours ...

- (1) - ''Nuovo Record (2014)''

References

Japanese jockeys 1974 births Sportspeople from Himeji, Hyōgo Living people {{japan-sport-bio-stub