| [Semi-OT] Horse racing in Japan (side note for Uma-Musume Pretty Derby) [message #372971] |
Tue, 28 August 2018 21:38  |
Manbow Papa
Messages: 113
Registered: March 2012
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In 2015, Christophe P. Lemaire (France) became a JRA qualified jockey.
He said that Keiba [horse racing] didn't look similar to the races in
the world. Keiba gathers much more spectators who worship horses and
jockeys alike. There is a large screen in every racetrack. It's like a
video game he used to play when he was young. Race in Japan is more fun
than anywhere. That's why he moved to Japan.
One possible reason of the worship is, I think, Shinto's view of the
world where everything has a spirit, and humans and animals are equal.
People look both horses and jokeys like a pop star.
In recent 40 years or so, Japan got some very good sires like Northern
Taste(CAN), Sunday Silence(USA), Tony Bin(IRE), Harbinger(GB), Brian's
Time(USA) etc. Japan also got mares of good pedigree like Northern
Dancer(USA), Secretariat(USA), Mr.Prospector(USA) etc. Their Japan breed
offsprings like Deep Impact, Stay Gold, Heart's Cry, Special Week, Daiwa
Major etc have also become good sires.
The facilities and training methods have been refined too. All the
environment have made Japan's racehorses world competitive. Now it's not
rare for Japan trained horses to win great races oversea.
Silence Suzuka (b.1994) was one of the best racehorse in history.
Sunday Silence (leading sire in 1994-2007) was his sire.
He was a small colt and grew slowly. At age 3, he won an overwhelming
victory in the first race. But he was still immature and hadn't been
trained well. He only won 3 races out of 9 in the year.
In the next year, 1998, he had matured enough and won all 6 races easily
until November. In Novermber, he took part in a classic race Tenno-sho
(2000m). He went ahead of other horses by 10 lengths already before he
approaches to the 3rd corner. Everybody believed he would win and begun
to expect how much margin he could get at the goal this time. Suddenly,
though, tragedy struck him when his left foreleg's finger root bone was
shuttered. Screaming of 130,000 fans filled the racetrack. He stopped
the race and there was no hope to heal. The doctor put him out of his
misery afterwards. The cause of the injury is unknown.
I watched the race on TV real time, and was shocked very much by the
accident. More so for his death when I come to know that a horse can't
live without the ability to walk.
Staffs and breeders were totally discouraged by the tragedy. TAKE
Yutaka, his main jockey, cried like a child and drunk wine all the
night. Fans were overwhelmed by the grief and offered flowers to the
deceased. Their cards said "Please rest in peace, Silence Suzuka".
His best race is Mainichi Oukan (1800m), October, 1998. Silence Suzuka
had won all races of the year so far. His opponents, El Condor Pasa and
Grass Wonder also won all races. 130,000 spectators gathered in the
Tokyo racetrack. Silence Suzuka passed 1,000m as quick as 57.7sec
like a miler leaving second group by 5 lengths. Near the 3rd corner,
Grass Wonder moved early to get close to him, but couldn't catch him.
Next, El Condor Pasa dashed in the front straight to catch him. But
Silence Suzuka sped up further and won over him by 2.5 lengths. His
time 1:44.9 is very close to the course record. The 3rd horse was 5
lengths behind El Condor Pasa. Silence Suzuka was the only horse that
defeated El Condor Pasa in Japan's races.
A year later, El Condor Pasa won two races in France and got second
place to Montjeu(FR) by 1/2 lengths in la Coupe de l'Arc de triomphe
(2400m). He got 134 pounds of classification that was world second best
and it is still Japanese horse's best in history. If Silence Suzuka
were survived from Tenno-sho, he would have won over Montjeu by 2
lengths in comparison. Montjeu got 135 pounds. If one length lead
corresponds to 1.5 pounds, Silence Suzuka would have got 138 pounds
that would make him the world best racehorse.
About two months later, Montjeu come to Tokyo to take part in Japan Cup
(2400m). Montjeu wasn't in the best condition for a long travel. Special
Week that was a half-brother of Silence Suzuka won the race by 1.5
lengths to Indigenus from Hong Kong. High Rise(UAE) was 3rd and Montjeu
was 4th, 2.1/4 lengths behind Special Week. El Condor Pasa didn't enroll
the race.
The end of the year, Special Week retired from the races. He got 10
victories out of 17 races and made a new record of total earnings of
1,092 million yen (US$ 982 million by current rate). Since the stable
and main jockey are same, Special Week had never run with Silence Suzuka
in a same race. El Condor Pasa retired same time and become a sire.
But only 3 years later, he died for volvulus leaving some good colts.
--
/ Ishikawa Kazuo /
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