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“I don’t know if we each have a destiny, or if we’re all just floating around accidental-like on a breeze, but I think maybe it’s both.” – Forrest Gump

What led Nashville native Kate Hunter to watch the 1997 Kentucky Derby, fall in love with gritty Silver Charm, and follow every step of a magnificent career that led him to become a stallion in Japan?

Hunter visiting Silver Charm in 2025 at Old Friends. (Anne M. Eberhardt/BloodHorse)

What led Hunter to watch a Japanese anime cartoon series called “Sailor Moon” when she was a young babysitter? She became so fascinated by all things Japanese that she attempted to learn the language on her own as a high school senior before majoring in Japanese Studies at Earlham College in Indiana.

What led a young lady from Nashville whose family had no background in racing to move to Japan in 2008 and eventually become an indispensable representative there on behalf of   Breeders’ Cup Ltd. and other American-based racing entities?

Hunter’s career path seems so improbable. And yet it has come so wonderfully together for her, allowing her to have a profound influence on the Breeders’ Cup World Championships and international racing.

She became a permanent resident of Japan in 2019 and said, “That’s always felt like the place I’m supposed to be. While I love coming to the states and being able to show the Japanese people who I’m traveling with my place of origin, Japan is very much home.”

Hunter, 42, has served as a field representative to Japan on behalf of the Breeders’ Cup since 2016. Dora Delgado, executive vice president and chief racing officer for the Breeders’ Cup, emailed the following about Hunter’s impact: “As one of the organization’s key field representatives, Kate’s role extends far beyond traditional outreach. She is the vital link between the Breeders’ Cup and the Japanese racing community, ensuring that top-quality international participation continues to flourish year after year.”

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Aided by the use of West Coast sites that make shipping easier, nine Japan-based runners ventured to Santa Anita Park for the 2023 Breeders’ Cup. A record 19 horses from Japan competed at Del Mar last year. Saudi Cup winner Forever Young, a top contender for the $7 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic, currently leads a solid lineup of eight Japan-based horses after his third-place Classic finish last November at Del Mar.

“The consistency is what I’m really excited about,” Hunter said. “Clearly, the Japanese consider the Breeders’ Cup something they want to target.”

The ever-increasing quality of Japan’s dirt horses has created breakthroughs around the globe, including a victory by 49.90-1 bomb Marche Lorraine in the 2021 Distaff that followed a historic triumph by highly regarded Loves Only You in the Filly & Mare Turf on that same card at Del Mar.

Hunter looks for more ground-breaking victories, sooner rather than later. “Japan is such a small country from a horse perspective compared to the rest of the world,” she noted. “But I think we’ve got some really nice horses this year.”

She describes Forever Young as one of the finest horses she ever laid eyes on. He was part of a scintillating photo finish when he took third in last year’s Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve. He must be viewed as one of the ones for the Classic.

“There’s no doubt in my mind he’s capable of it,” Hunter said. “But, at the same time, this happens to be one of those [Breeders’ Cup] Classics to remember based on who’s in that race and the runners he’s going to be going up against. If he wins, that’s going to make it all that much more.”

Hunter a key representative for Breeders' Cup Ltd. (Eclipse Sportswire)

If he wins, expect Hunter to be jumping for joy with the rest of the connections. Part of her success in convincing owners and trainers to take their shot against the world’s best is her willingness to do whatever is necessary to assist the team.

“What makes Kate’s contribution so remarkable is her attention to every detail, from identifying the right horses for the right races to coordinating the complex logistics that accompany international racing participation,” Delgado said.

Hunter provides various forms written in Japanese that she will translate to English. If someone needs to be picked up at an airport at an odd hour, she is there to greet them with a smile. If a trainer’s horse needs to be cared for in some way, she turns into a self-described “assistant groom.” She can muck stalls with the best of them.

“They appreciate the help,” Hunter said. “If you are constant with that stuff and you prove yourself to be trustworthy and hard-working, they remember that and will return in kind.”

Win or lose, Hunter’s sense of satisfaction runs deep whenever another Breeders’ Cup is over. She returns to Japan, she returns home, knowing her efforts helped bring the world to the World Championships.