Before Kochi Racecourse's gates opened at 9 am on Monday (March 22) over 3000 people had lined up in anticipation.
The anticipation was the country’s top jockey Yutaka Take and Haru Urara, it’s worst horse, teaming up to try and break a 105 race losing streak.
According to reports by 6 am there were already 40-50 people waiting to enter the course. The race did not start until approximately 4.35 pm.
A 62-Year-Old man who came from Fukuoka Prefecture to see the race said he had bought several tickets as souvenirs.
"I bought 50 100 yen tickets and eight 1000 yen tickets," he said in a report in the Mainichi Daily News today.
"I'm going to give some to my family and hand out others to customers."
The number of visitors to the Kochi course, which is just south-west of Tokyo in Japan, had reportedly reached more than 10,000 people by 11 am -- a record number.
Shortly after noon the Kochi Racing Association's Internet server crashed after receiving a huge number of access attempts.
Unfortunately Haru Urara and Yutaka Take lost the race, making it 106 straight losses for the horse.
"I don't really know why she's so popular," her trainer, Dai Muneishi, told Reuters in an interview earlier this month.
"But I guess the biggest reason is that the sight of her running with all her heart despite having lost more than 100 times gives comfort to people's hearts," he said.
Courtesy Of Standardbred Canada
