March 1 marks the annual day Japanese trainers belonging to the Japan Racing Association are required to renew their licenses. This year, Katsuhiko Sumii—one of leading trainers based at JRA's Ritto Training Center—did not apply to renew his license, which officially marks an end to his 21-year career.
Wide Solomon, who finished seventh in the Konan Stakes at Hanshin Feb. 28, was the last horse Sumii saddled.
Sumii, who began training on his own in 2001 after working for both Kentaro Nakao and Kunihide Matsuda as an assistant, won his first grade 1 in 2004 at Kyoto Racecourse when trainee Delta Blues captured the Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger, G1), the final leg of the Japanese Triple Crown,.
Sumii's name rose to prominence in the United States in 2005, when Sumii sent Cesario—winner of the Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks, G1)—to Hollywood Park and won the American Oaks Invitational Stakes (G1T). Sumii is still the only Japan-based trainer to saddle a grade 1 winner in the United States.
In 2006, Delta Blues won the Emirates Melbourne Cup Handicap (G1). As such, Sumii became the first Japanese trainer to win the Australian "race that stops the nation." In another first, Sumii trainee Victoire Pisa won the 2011 Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airline (G1) and became the first horse to claim victory for Japan in the race.
Sumii took the JRA title of leading trainer by prize money earned a total of five times. He won the award in 2005, 2008, 2010, 2013, and 2014.
Sumii will return to his home town, Noto, which is in the Ishikawa prefecture, where he will work as a priest.
