Leading Japanese jockey found dead

Japanese jockey Hiroki Goto, 40, was found dead at his home by local police officers Friday, according to The Tokyo Reporter. It is understood the five-time Grade 1-winning rider committed suicide. In 23 years in the saddle, Goto amassed 1447 victories, including the 2010 G1 Yasuda Kinen on board Showa Modern (Jpn) (Air Jihad {Jpn}) and the G1 Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) with Erin Court (Jpn) (Durandal {Jpn})  the following year. He also suffered a number of severe injuries, notably a cracked skull and broken vertebrae in a fall in Sept. 2012, before injuring his vertebrae again in the spring last year. Earlier this week, Goto had been receiving treatment for a sprained vertebrae, the consequence of a fall in the G3 Diamond Stakes in Tokyo, Feb. 21, when his mount fractured a leg. In spite of the injury, the jockey won two races at Kyoto two days later. Goto had rides booked for Feb. 28 and Mar. 1.