Adorable (horse)

Adorable
アドラーブル
BreedThoroughbred
SireNorthern Taste
GrandsireNorthern Dancer
DamEcorche
DamsireBig Spruce
SexMare
Foaled(1989-03-28)28 March 1989[1]
Died23 April 2005(2005-04-23) (aged 15)[1]
CountryJapan
ColorChesnut
BreederShadai Farm
OwnerHaruo Negishi
TrainerMinoru Kobayashi
Record9: 3-2-1
Earnings¥225,459,000[2]
Major wins
Yushun Himba (1992)[3]

Adorable (アドラーブル, Hepburn: Adorāburu, 28 March 1989 – 23 April 2005)[1] was a Japanese Thoroughbred racehorse who won the second leg of Japanese Triple Tiara, the Yushun Himba, in 1992. Her total earnings were ¥225,459,000 after her racing career.[2]

Background

Adorable was foaled on March 28, 1989, at the Shadai Farm, from the mare Ecorche, a foal of Big Spruce. She was sired by Northern Taste, a leading sire in Japan for 10 consecutive years.[3] Her grandsire, Northern Dancer, was a double crown winner of the US Triple Crown and a leading sire in many countries.[4]

Racing career

1991: Three-year-old season[a]

On July 13, Adorable made her debut race at the Niigata Racecourse. She was ridden by Katsumi Shiomura and finished first with an overwhelming six lengths over Union Boy.[5] At her next race, she competed in the Sapporo Sansai Stakes, along with thirteen other horses. Although she was the second most popular, with Nishino Flower being the favorite, she had finished lower, placing 9th.[6] After that, it was decided that she would run on a dirt race, with a different jockey this time, Mikio Matsunaga. Despite the changes, she still failed to win, only placing third.[7]

1992: Four-year-old season

In her second season, she returned to a turf race, the Kobai Sho. Now with a different jockey, Yoshyuki Muramoto, she had placed higher than her previous race last year, now second, just behind Kogane Tesco.[7] She then returned to a dirt track once again, although it only made her perform worse as she placed lower than bettors anticipated, 7th among 14 runners.[7] Afterwards, she switched to a turf race for the last time, now with the Tulip Sho, which was formerly an open race. With an odds of 14.8 (3rd favorite), she finally achieved victory against Nishino Flower by three and-a-half lengths.[8]

At the first leg of Triple Tiara, the Oka Sho, she had lost again from Nishino Flower with the same margin as her previous race.[9] On the Yushun Himba, she won by half a length against Sanei Thank You.[10] She then went and lost in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup, finishing fourth, just behind Nishino Flower by three-fourth lengths.[11]

Racing Record

Adorable's racing career was quite short, spanning only from July 13, 1991, until November 15, 1992. During that time, she won three races, only one of which is a G1 race.[7][12]

Date Track Race Grade Distance
(Condition)
BK (PP) Entry Odds
(Favored)
Finish Time Margin Jockey Winner (Runner-up)
1991 – three-year-old season
Jul 13 Niigata 3YO Debut 1000m (Heavy) 5 (5) 10 3.3 (2) 1st 0:57.9 -1.0 Katsumi Shiomura (Union Boy)
Jul 28 Sapporo Sapporo Sansai Stakes G3 1200m (Firm) 7 (11) 14 7.4 (2) 9th 1:12.1 1.6 Katsumi Shiomura Nishino Flower
Dec 1 Hanshin 3YO ALW (1 Win) 1200m (Fast) 8 (12) 12 10.1 (3) 3rd 1:14.1 0.3 Mikio Matsunaga Tai Dreamer
1992 – four-year-old season
Jan 6 Kyoto Kobai Sho OP 1200m (Good) 6 (11) 16 20.1 (8) 2nd 1:10.8 0.2 Yoshiyuki Muramoto Kogane Tesco
Feb 2 Kyoto Kanzakura Sho ALW (1 Win) 1200m (Sloppy) 3 (3) 14 2.2 (1) 7th 1:12.5 1.3 Yoshiyuki Muramoto Nishino Olivia
Mar 15 Hanshin Tulip Sho OP 1600m (Good) 8 (14) 14 14.8 (3) 1st 1:38.5 -0.6 Yoshiyuki Muramoto (Nishino Flower)
Apr 12 Hanshin Oka Sho G1 1600m (Firm) 6 (11) 18 14.7 (6) 2nd 1:38.1 0.6 Yoshiyuki Muramoto Nishino Flower
May 14 Tokyo Yushun Himba G1 2400m (Firm) 1 (2) 18 15.1 (4) 1st 2:28.9 -0.1 Yoshiyuki Muramoto (Sanei Thank You)
Nov 15 Kyoto Queen Elizabeth II Cup G1 2400m (Firm) 4 (7) 18 12.2 (5) 4th 2:27.8 0.7 Yoshiyuki Muramoto Takeno Velvet

  Dirt

Breeding Career and Death

Adorable had foaled a total of 9 horses. Her leading progeny, Emocion (horse), is the winner of 1999 Kyōto Kinen.[13]

She later died on April 23, 2005.[1]

Pedigree

Pedigree of Adorable, chestnut mare, 28 March 1989[14]
Sire
Northern Taste
ch. 1971
(CAN)
Northern Dancer
b. 1961
(CAN)
Nearctic
(CAN)
Nearco (ITY)
Lady Angela (GB)
Natalma
(USA)
Native Dancer (USA)
Almahmoud (USA)
Lady Victoria
dk.b. 1962
(CAN)
Victoria Park
(CAN)
Chop Chop (USA)
Victoriana (USA)
Lady Angela
(GB)
Hyperion (GB)
Sister Sarah (GB)
Dam
Ecorche
dk.b. 1982
(USA)
Big Spruce
dk.b. 1969
(USA)
Herbager
(FR)
Vandale (FR)
Flagette (FR)
Silver Sari
(USA)
Prince John (USA)
Golder Sari (USA)
Idmon
ch. 1975
(USA)
Dr. Fager
(USA)
Rough'n Tumble (USA)
Aspidistra (USA)
Arachne
(USA)
Intentionally (USA)
Molecombe Peak (GB) (Family: 14-c)

Notes

  1. ^ Prior to Japan's conversion to the international age system for racehorses in 2001, they used an old system called "kazoedoshi", hence the one year difference of horses in some races.

References

  1. ^ a b c d "アドラーブル". 競走馬のふるさと案内所 (in Japanese). Retrieved 18 January 2026.
  2. ^ a b Japan Bloodhorse Breeders' Association. "Adorable(JPN)". jbis.jp. Retrieved 18 January 2026.
  3. ^ a b NET DREAMERS, Co., Ltd. "Adorable | Horse Profile, Pedigree, Form, Race Record". en.netkeiba.com. Retrieved 18 January 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ Conway, Terry (13 November 2023). "Northern Dancer: A 'Pocket Battleship' Who Became a Worldwide Influence". America's Best Racing. Retrieved 18 January 2026.
  5. ^ NET DREAMERS, Co., Ltd. "3yo Debut Full Result | 14 JUL 1991 R3 Niigata Racing Information (JRA)". en.netkeiba.com. Retrieved 18 January 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  6. ^ NET DREAMERS, Co., Ltd. "札幌3歳ステークス レース結果 | 1991年7月28日 札幌11R". db.sp.netkeiba.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 18 January 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  7. ^ a b c d NET DREAMERS, Co., Ltd. "Adorable Race Record and Form". en.netkeiba.com. Retrieved 18 January 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  8. ^ NET DREAMERS, Co., Ltd. "(OP) Full Result | 15 MAR 1992 R10 Hanshin Racing Information (JRA)". en.netkeiba.com. Retrieved 18 January 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  9. ^ NET DREAMERS, Co., Ltd. "(G1) Full Result | 12 APR 1992 R10 Hanshin Racing Information (JRA)". en.netkeiba.com. Retrieved 18 January 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  10. ^ NET DREAMERS, Co., Ltd. "(G1) Full Result | 24 MAY 1992 R10 Tokyo Racing Information (JRA)". en.netkeiba.com. Retrieved 18 January 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  11. ^ NET DREAMERS, Co., Ltd. "(G1) Full Result | 15 NOV 1992 R10 Kyoto Racing Information (JRA)". en.netkeiba.com. Retrieved 18 January 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  12. ^ Japan Bloodhorse Breeders' Association. "Race Records | Adorable(JPN)". jbis.jp. Retrieved 18 January 2026.
  13. ^ NET DREAMERS, Co., Ltd. "Adorable All Progeny | Horse Profile". en.netkeiba.com. Retrieved 18 January 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  14. ^ Japan Bloodhorse Breeders' Association. "Five-generation Pedigree Table | Pedigree | Adorable(JPN)". jbis.jp. Retrieved 18 January 2026.