Taiki Yanagida, a jockey who was known as “Tiger,” died from injuries he sustained during a horse racing accident on Aug. 3, according to multiple reports. He was 28 years old. Yanagida was competing at the Cambridge Jockey Club in New Zealand when he fell from his horse, Te Atatu Pash. He lost his helmet and was then trampled by another horse. Yanagida was rushed to the hospital and had injuries to his brain and spine. He died from his injuries on Tuesday.
According to TMZ Sports, Yanagida is the first jockey to die in a race fall in New Zealand since 2016. “He was such a wonderful young man it really is a tragedy and so hard to watch what his mother and sister here have had to go through,” Yanagida’s racing manager Ted McLachlan told the NZ Herald. This will really hurt the other people in the industry because Taiki was so popular.”
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New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing CEO Bruce Sharrock also reacted to the death of Yanagida.”Our deepest sympathies are with Taiki’s family – his mother Kayano, sisters Chiaki and Ayano, and his grandmother,” Sharrock said. “We share their grief at the loss of such a talented, friendly, and well-liked young man.”
In his career, Yanagida rode 162 winning horses, including 42 last year. In an interview with Raceform, Yanagida talked about how his mom didn’t want him to be a jockey. “I wanted to try and become a jockey but my Mum didn’t agree, she said I must to go to university first,” Yanagida said. “I completed one year at university before I said I was going to Australia to train to be a jockey.”
Social media sent emotional messages to Yanagida after learning about his death. “The team at Auckland Thoroughbred Racing wish to convey deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Taiki Yanagida Taiki had plenty of success at Ellerslie and Pukekohe,” Auckland Thoroughbred Racing, wrote. “We will certainly miss that smiling face!RIP.”
“Very sorry to learn that he did not recover from the fall and succumbed to his injuries,” one fan wrote. “A big loss to his family. We do not have adequate words to console them. Will miss you Taiki Yanagida.Rest, Mate.”
