Yamanin Zephyr
| Yamanin Zephyr ヤマニンゼファー | |
|---|---|
| Breed | Thoroughbred |
| Sire | Nihon Pillow Winner |
| Grandsire | Steel Heart |
| Dam | Yamanin Policy |
| Damsire | Blushing Groom |
| Sex | Stallion |
| Foaled | 27 May 1988[1] |
| Died | 16 May 2017 (aged 28)[1] |
| Country | Japan |
| Color | Bay |
| Breeder | Nishikioka Farm |
| Owner | Hajime Doi |
| Trainer | Hironori Kurita |
| Record | 20: 8-5-2 |
| Earnings | ¥596,209,600[2] |
| Major wins | |
| Yasuda Kinen (1992, 1993) Keio Hai Spring Cup (1993) Tennō Shō (Autumn) (1993)[3] | |
| Awards | |
| JRA Award for Best Older Male Horse (1993) JRA Award for Best Horse By Home-bred Sire (1993) JRA Award for Best Sprinter or Miler (1993)[3] | |
Yamanin Zephyr (ヤマニンゼファー, Hepburn: Yamanin Zefā, 27 May 1988 – 16 May 2017)[1] was a Japanese Thoroughbred racehorse who won the Tennō Shō (Autumn) in 1993 and the Yasuda Kinen in 1992 and 1993. He had multiple awards and accumulated a total of ¥596,209,600 after his racing career.[2]
Background
Yamanin Zephyr was a bay horse with a white star born on May 27, 1988 at the Nishikioka Farm, foaled by Yamanin Policy. He was sired by Nihon Pillow Winner, who was also a multiple G1 winner. His grandsire, Steel Heart, is an Irish-bred racehorse.[3]
After his victory in the Yasuda Kinen in 1992, he and his father became the second generation of father and son to win it.[4]
Racing career
1991: Four-year-old season[a]
Yamanin Zephyr made his debut race on March 9 at the Nakayama Racecourse. With an odds of 69.1 (12th favorite), he finished first by two lengths over Never Song.[5] He also won his next race by a nose with a finishing time of 1:12.0.[6] At his next race, the now-defunct Crystal Cup, he only placed in third. He later returned to a dirt race but ultimately finished in seventh despite being the third favorite.[7][8] In December, he achieved victory once again where he barely won by a nose against Onward Wood.[9] At the Sprinters Stakes, he failed to advance further, placing seventh.[7]
1992: Five-year-old season
He returned on January 6 where he placed second in the Sunrise Stakes. Afterwards, he won his next dirt race but only finished third in the Keio Hai Spring Cup.[7] On the Yasuda Kinen, he won by three-quarter lengths, marking it as his first G1 victory.[10] He then finished in second at the Centaur Stakes and fifth at the Mile Championship. He ran again in this year's Sprinters Stakes and finished second.[7]
1993: Six-year-old season
In his six-year-old season, he finished in second at the Yomiuri Milers Cup, while he placed in fifth at the Nakayama Kinen. Later on, he won both the Keio Hai Spring Cup and the Yasuda Kinen for the second time. After placing sixth in the Mainichi Ōkan, he won his third and G1 race at the Autumn Tennō Shō. After finishing in second at the Spring Stakes, he was retired.[7]
Racing record
At the start of his career, Yamanin Zephyr mostly competed in dirt races, until he completely transitioned to turf in mid-1992. After the change, he also had a different jockey, Katsuharu Tanaka. He was ridden by seven different jockeys throughout his career.[7][8]
| Date | Track | Race | Grade | Distance (Condition) |
Bracket (Position) |
Entry | Odds (Favored) |
Finish | Time | Margin | Jockey | Winner (Runner-up) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 – four-year-old season | ||||||||||||
| Mar 9 | Nakayama | 4YO Debut | 1200m (Sloppy) | 7 (13) | 16 | 69.1 (12) | 1st | 1:11.9 | -0.3 | Masahiro Yokota | (Never Song) | |
| Mar 30 | Nakayama | 4YO | ALW (1 Win) | 1200m (Good) | 7 (9) | 11 | 3.2 (2) | 1st | 1:12.0 | 0.0 | Masahiro Yokota | (Meisei Heart) |
| Apr 13 | Nakayama | Crystal Cup | G3 | 1200m (Firm) | 2 (2) | 14 | 7.9 (4) | 3rd | 1:09.0 | 0.4 | Norihiro Yokoyama | Kalista Glory |
| Oct 26 | Tokyo | 4YO+ | 1200m (Sloppy) | 4 (4) | 12 | 4.7 (3) | 7th | 1:12.0 | 1.1 | Norihiro Yokoyama | Kyoei Brand | |
| Dec 1 | Nakayama | 4YO+ | 1200m (Fast) | 4 (4) | 12 | 3.5 (2) | 1st | 1:11.8 | 0.0 | Seiji Ebisawa | (Onward Wood) | |
| Dec 15 | Nakayama | Sprinters Stakes | G1 | 1200m (Firm) | 6 (11) | 16 | 42.3 (10) | 7th | 1:08.6 | 1.0 | Seiji Ebisawa | Daiichi Ruby |
| 1992 – five-year-old season | ||||||||||||
| Jan 6 | Nakayama | Sunrise Stakes | 1200m (Fast) | 4 (7) | 16 | 3.5 (1) | 2nd | 1.10.9 | 0.1 | Seiji Ebisawa | Symboli Garuda | |
| Feb 2 | Kyoto | Rashomon Stakes | 1200m (Good) | 8 (12) | 13 | 4.6 (2) | 1st | 1:10.8 | -0.1 | Seiki Tabara | (Meisho Homura) | |
| Apr 25 | Tokyo | Keio Hai Spring Cup | G2 | 1400m (Firm) | 6 (8) | 13 | 45.1 (8) | 3rd | 1:21.7 | 0.1 | Katsuharu Tanaka | Dynamite Daddy |
| May 17 | Tokyo | Yasuda Kinen | G1 | 1600m (Firm) | 8 (18) | 18 | 35.2 (11) | 1st | 1:33.8 | -0.1 | Katsuharu Tanaka | (Kamino Cresse) |
| Sep 13 | Hanshin | Centaur Stakes | G3 | 1400m (Firm) | 7 (11) | 14 | 4.4 (2) | 2nd | 1:23.2 | 0.4 | Katsuharu Tanaka | My Super Man |
| Nov 22 | Kyoto | Mile Championship | G1 | 1600m (Firm) | 5 (9) | 18 | 6.7 (3) | 5th | 1:34.0 | 0.7 | Katsuharu Tanaka | Daitaku Helios |
| Dec 20 | Nakayama | Sprinters Stakes | G1 | 1200m (Firm) | 1 (2) | 16 | 6.4 (4) | 2nd | 1:07.8 | 0.1 | Katsuharu Tanaka | Nishino Flower |
| 1993 – six-year-old season | ||||||||||||
| Feb 28 | Hanshin | Yomiuri Milers Cup | G2 | 1600m (Firm) | 7 (9) | 12 | 3.3 (2) | 2nd | 1:37.0 | 0.6 | Seiki Tabara | Nishino Flower |
| Mar 14 | Nakayama | Nakayama Kinen | G2 | 1800m (Firm) | 7 (11) | 14 | 5.6 (2) | 4th | 1:47.3 | 0.3 | Seiki Tabara | Movie Star |
| Apr 24 | Tokyo | Keio Hai Spring Cup | G2 | 1400m (Firm) | 6 (7) | 12 | 3.9 (2) | 1st | 1:21.0 | -0.2 | Yoshitomi Shibata | (Shinko Lovely) |
| May 16 | Tokyo | Yasuda Kinen | G1 | 1600m (Firm) | 7 (14) | 16 | 5.4 (2) | 1st | 1:33.5 | -0.2 | Yoshitomi Shibata | (Ikuno Dictus) |
| Oct 10 | Tokyo | Mainichi Ōkan | G2 | 1800m (Firm) | 4 (5) | 13 | 3.8 (2) | 6th | 1:46.4 | 0.9 | Yoshitomi Shibata | Shinko Lovely |
| Oct 31 | Tokyo | Tennō Shō (Autumn) | G1 | 2000m (Firm) | 4 (8) | 17 | 11.7 (5) | 1st | 1:58.9 | 0.0 | Yoshitomi Shibata | (Sekitei Ryu O) |
| Dec 19 | Nakayama | Sprinters Stakes | G1 | 1200m (Firm) | 5 (8) | 14 | 2.2 (1) | 2nd | 1:08.3 | 0.4 | Yoshitomi Shibata | Sakura Bakushin O |
Dirt
Stud career
He became a stud in Rex Stud and has sired a total of 554 foals. Some of his descendants are listed below.[3][11][4]
Legend:
- c: colt
- f: filly
| Foaled | Name | Sex | Major wins |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Sanford City | c | Musashino Stakes |
| 1996 | Hizen Hokusho | c | Tokyo Autumn Jump |
| 2000 | Passion Carry | c | New Year's Cup |
He retired in his stud duties at the age of 21 and was castrated before being moved to Nishikioka Farm.[4]
Retirement and death
During his retirement, Yamanin Zephyr had a calm temperament and a good appetite. A farm staff member and Yamanin Zephyr's caretaker said, "When he was a stud, there were stories that he would glare at other horses, so he could be a bit noisy when he first came back to this ranch. However, once he started living a more relaxed life, he has developed a gentler personality. He follows a rhythm of letting out to graze every morning after 5am, collecting at 3-4pm, feeding, and grooming. He is in a daze when he is being groomed".[12]
The staff also added, "Zephyr is a small horse, but when I think about how hard he ran and achieved such results, I realize what an incredible horse he is. I hope he will take it easy from now on and live a long, healthy life. Lots of fans will come to see him in the summer, so I hope they will see him in good health".[12]
Yamanin Zephyr later passed away on May 16, 2017 at the age of 29 as a result of complications from old age.[13]
Pedigree
| Sire Nihon Pillow Winner dk.b. 1980 (JPN) |
Steel Heart dk.b. 1972 (IRE) |
Habitat (USA) | Sir Gaylord (USA) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Little Hut (USA) | |||
| A. 1 (GB) | Abernant (GB) | ||
| Asti Spumante (GB) | |||
| Nihon Pillow Event b. 1974 (JPN) |
China Rock (GB) | Rockfella (GB) | |
| May Wong (FR) | |||
| Lite Flame (JPN) | Rising Flame (IRE) | ||
| Green Light (JPN) | |||
| Dam Yamanin Policy ch. 1981 (JPN) |
Blushing Groom ch. 1974 (FR) |
Red God (USA) | Nasrullah (GB) |
| Spring Run (USA) | |||
| Runaway Bride (GB) | Wild Risk (FR) | ||
| Aimee (GB) | |||
| Haya Moyu dk.b. 1968 (JPN) |
Guersant (FR) | Bubbles (FR) | |
| Montagnana (FR) | |||
| Miss Tarumae (JPN) | Hakuryo (JPN) | ||
| Badminton (GB) (Family: 1-m) |
Notes
- ^ Prior to Japan's conversion to the international age system for racehorses in 2001, they used an old age notation called "kazoedoshi", where horses are considered one year old at birth. Because of this, they are one year older compared to horses from other countries, despite biologically having the same age.
References
- ^ a b c ヤマニンゼファー. 競走馬のふるさと案内所 (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 10 January 2026. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
- ^ a b "Yamanin Zephyr (JPN)". jbis.jp. Japan Bloodhorse Breeders' Association. Archived from the original on 3 December 2025. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
- ^ a b c d "Yamanin Zephyr | Horse Profile, Pedigree, Form, Race Record". en.netkeiba.com. NET DREAMERS, Co., Ltd. Archived from the original on 14 November 2025. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
- ^ a b c ヤマニンゼファーが種牡馬を引退. 競走馬のふるさと案内所 (in Japanese). 2 October 2009. Archived from the original on 13 July 2024. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
- ^ "4yo Debut Full Result | 09 MAR 1991 R7 Nakayama Racing Information (JRA)". en.netkeiba.com. NET DREAMERS, Co., Ltd. Archived from the original on 28 January 2026. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
- ^ "4yo ALW (1 Win) Full Result | 30 MAR 1991 R7 Nakayama Racing Information (JRA)". en.netkeiba.com. NET DREAMERS, Co., Ltd. Archived from the original on 28 January 2026. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
- ^ a b c d e f "Yamanin Zephyr Race Record and Form". en.netkeiba.com. NET DREAMERS, Co., Ltd. Archived from the original on 28 January 2026. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
- ^ a b "Race Records | Yamanin Zephyr(JPN)". jbis.jp. Japan Bloodhorse Breeders' Association. Archived from the original on 28 January 2026. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
- ^ 4歳以上900万下 レース結果 | 1991年12月1日 中山12R. db.sp.netkeiba.com (in Japanese). NET DREAMERS, Co., Ltd. Archived from the original on 28 January 2026. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
- ^ "(G1) Full Result | 17 MAY 1992 R10 Tokyo Racing Information (JRA)". en.netkeiba.com. NET DREAMERS, Co., Ltd. Archived from the original on 11 October 2025. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
- ^ ヤマニンゼファー. 優駿達の蹄跡 (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 30 December 2025. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
- ^ a b ヤマニンゼファーを訪ねて～錦岡牧場. 競走馬のふるさと案内所 (in Japanese). 1 June 2016. Archived from the original on 3 May 2023. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
- ^ ヤマニンゼファー死亡、29歳. news.netkeiba.com (in Japanese). NET DREAMERS, Co., Ltd. 16 May 2017. Archived from the original on 19 January 2026. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
- ^ "Five-generation Pedigree Table | Pedigree | Yamanin Zephyr(JPN)". jbis.jp. Japan Bloodhorse Breeders' Association. Archived from the original on 28 January 2026. Retrieved 28 January 2026.