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Katsuragi Ace

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Katsuragi Ace
カツラギエース
Katsuragi Ace with his jockey, Katsuichi Nishiura, during the 1984 Japan Cup.
SireBoysie Boy[1]
GrandsireKing's Troop[1]
DamTanino Venture[1]
DamsireVenture[1]
SexStallion[1]
Foaled24 April 1980[1]
Died3 July 2000(2000-07-03) (aged 20)[2]
CountryJapan
ColourDark Bay[1]
BreederSentaro Katayama
OwnerIchizo Node
Racing colours
TrainerKazumi Domon
Record22: 10-4-1[1]
Earnings¥401,683,400[1]
Major wins
Kyoto Shimbun Hai (1983)
Sankei Osaka Hai (1984)
Keihan Hai (1984)
Takarazuka Kinen (1984)
Mainichi Okan (1984)
Japan Cup (1984)
Awards
JRA Award for Best Older Male Horse (1984)
Last updated on 12 July 2024

Katsuragi Ace (Japanese: カツラギエース, Hepburn: Katsuragi Eesu; 24 April 1980 – 3 July 2000) was a Japanese Thoroughbred racehorse best known for winning the 1984 Japan Cup, becoming the first Japanese-trained horse to win the race. He won twice as a two-year-old and three times in the following year, but was well beaten by his contemporary Mr. C. B. in all three legs of the Japanese Triple Crown. In the first half of 1984 he won the Grade II Sankei Osaka Hai, the Grade III Keihan Hai, and the Grade I Takarazuka Kinen. In the autumn of 1984 he defeated Mr. C. B. in the Grade II Mainichi Okan and overcame a top-class international field to win the Japan Cup. He was retired to stud in 1985 but had little success as a breeding stallion. He died in 2000 at the age of twenty.[2]

Background

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Katsuragi Ace was a dark bay or brown horse with a white star and snip bred in Japan by Sentaro Katayama. His sire was Boysie Boy, an Irish-bred colt who raced in Europe and produced his best performance when finishing second to Habitat in the 1969 Prix du Moulin. He later stood as a breeding stallion in Australia and Japan. Katsuragi Ace's dam Tanino Venture was a Japanese-bred daughter of the British stallion Venture, whose wins included the Middle Park Stakes, St James's Palace Stakes and Sussex Stakes. Tanino Venture was descended from the influential British broodmare Polly Flinders.[3] During his racing career Katsuragi Ace was trained by Kazumi Domon. He was ridden in all of his early race by Hiroki Sakiyama.

Racing career

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1982: two-year-old season

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Katsuragi Ace made a successful racecourse debut by winning a maiden race over 1200 metres at Hanshin Racecourse on 19 September. After finishing second to Mejiro Mont Cenis over 1400 metres at the same track on 3 October he won the Rindo Tokubetsu over 1200 metres at Kyoto Racecourse two weeks later. On his final appearance of the year he finished third to Mejiro Mont Cenis over 1600 metres on 27 November.[1]

1983: three-year-old season

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Katsuragi Ace began his second season by finishing unplaced over 1600 metres at Kyoto in February and then won the Shunran Sho at Hanshin in March. At Nakayama Racecourse in April he contested the Satsuki Sho (the first leg of the Japanese Triple Crown) and finished unplaced behind Mr. C. B. On 8 May he recorded his most important success up to that point when he won the NHK Hai (the forerunner of the NHK Mile Cup) over 2000 metres at Tokyo Racecourse. Three weeks later he finished sixth behind Mr. C. B. in the Tokyo Yushun.[4] He ended the first half of his season by finishing sixth to Nihon Pillow Winner over 1400 metres at Chukyo Racecourse on 26 June.[1]

After a summer break, Katsuragi Ace returned on 2 October and finished second to Suzuka Koban in the Kobe Shimbun Hai at Hanshin. Katsuichi Nishiura took over from Sakiyama when the colt appeared in the Kyoto Shimbun Hai three weeks later and won from Lead Hoyu and Dokan Yashima. Nishiura rode Katsuragi Ace in all of his subsequent races. The colt ended his season by finishing unplaced behind Mr. C. B. in the Kikuka Sho at Kyoto on 13 November.[4]

1984: four-year-old season

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In 1984 the system of Graded stakes races was introduced in Japan. On his first run as a four-year-old Katsuragi Ace finished fourth in the Naruo Kinen at Hanshin on 11 March and then won the Grade II Sankei Osaka Hai on 1 April, beating the Queen Elizabeth II Commemorative Cup winner Long Grace. On 13 May at Kyoto he defeated Sunny Ciboulette (Hanshin Futurity Stakes) and the mare Global Dyna to win the Grade III Keihan Hai. On his next appearance the colt was moved up to Grade I class for the Takarazuka Kinen over 2200 metres at Hanshin on 3 June. He won by one and a quarter lengths from Suzuka Koban, with Global Dyna taking third place. Three weeks later he ended his spring and summer campaign by finishing fifth in the Takamatsunomiya Cup at Chukyo Racecourse.[1]

On 7 October Katsuragi Ace returned in the Grade II Mainichi Okan over 1800 metres at Tokyo and defeated Mr. C. B. by a head.[4] In the autumn edition of the Grade I Tenno Sho three weeks later he finished fifth of the fifteen runners behind Mr. C. B. On 25 November, in front of a crowd of 112,000 at Tokyo, Katsuragi Ace was one of fourteen horses to contest the fourth running of the Japan Cup and started a 40/1 outsider.[5] The three previous editions of the race had been won by two horses from North America (Mairzy Doates and Half Iced) and one from Europe (Stanerra).[6] The Japanese runners were headed by Mr. C. B. and Symboli Rudolf meaning that the race featured the first showdown between two Triple Crown winners in Japanese racing history. The overseas challengers included Strawberry Road, Kiwi and Bounty Hawk (VRC Derby) from Australasia, Majesty's Prince from America and the British-trained gelding Bedtime. Wearing a distinctive white hood, Katsuragi Ace went to the front soon after the start and opened up a big lead, but appeared to weaken approaching the final turn and faced several challengers early in the straight. He rallied strongly in the closing stages, however, and won by one and a half lengths from Bedtime, with Symboli Rudolf in third, Majesty's Prince fourth and Mr. C. B. unplaced.[5][7]

On his final racecourse appearance, Katsuragi Ace was invited to contest the Arima Kinen at Nakayama on 23 December. He finished second to Symboli Rudolf, with Mr. C. B. in third.

Racing form

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Katsuragi Ace won ten races and scored five more podiums out of 22 starts. In the debut year of graded stakes system in 1984, Katsuragi Ace snatched five graded race in one year. This year eventually became his final season. This data is available based on JBIS and netkeiba.[8][9]

Date Track Name Grade Distance Finished Time Jockey Winner (2nd Place)
1982 - two-year-old season
19 September 1982 Hanshin 3 yo Debut[a] 1200m 1st 1:10.4 Hiroki Sakiyama (Clear Lancer)
3 October 1982 Hanshin Hagi Tokubetsu 1400m 2nd 1:23.1 Hiroki Sakiyama Mejiro Mont Cenis
16 October 1982 Kyoto Rindo Tokubetsu 1200m 1st 1:10.3 Hiroki Sakiyama (Takenohien)
27 November 1982 Kyoto Radio Tampa Hai Sansai Stakes 1600m 3rd 1:36.6 Hiroki Sakiyama Mejiro Mont Cenis
1983 - three-year-old season
20 February 1983 Kyoto 4 yo stakes 1600m 13th 1:39.8 Hiroki Sakiyama Uzumasaryu
19 March 1983 Hanshin Shunlan Prize 2000m 1st 2:04.5 Hiroki Sakiyama (Persepolis)
17 April 1983 Nakayama Satsuki Sho 八[b] 2000m 11th 2:10.4 Hiroki Sakiyama Mr. C.B.
8 May 1983 Tokyo NHK Hai 2000m 1st 2:02.9 Hiroki Sakiyama (Bruderban)
29 May 1983 Tokyo Tokyo Yushun 八 2400m 6th 2:30.7 Hiroki Sakiyama Mr. C.B.
26 June 1983 Chukyo Chukyo 4 yo Tokubetsu 1400m 2nd 1:23.0 Hiroki Sakiyama Nihon Pillow Winner
2 October 1983 Hanshin Kobe Shimbun Hai 2000m 2nd 2:01.1 Hiroki Sakiyama Suzuka Koban
23 October 1983 Kyoto Kyoto Shimbun Hai 2000m 1st 2:02.0 Katsuichi Nishiura (Lead Hoyu)
13 November 1983 Kyoto Kikuka Sho 八 3000m 20th 3:12.6 Katsuichi Nishiura Mr. C.B.
1984 - four-year-old season
11 March 1984 Hanshin Naruo Kinen GII 2500m 4th 2:35.1 Katsuichi Nishiura Hashi Rodi
1 April 1984 Hanshin Sankei Osaka Hai GII 2000m 1st 2:00.6 Katsuichi Nishiura (Long Grace)
13 May 1984 Kyoto Keihan Hai GIII 2000m 1st 2:02.1 Katsuichi Nishiura (Sunny Cypruce)
3 June 1984 Hanshin Takarazuka Kinen GI 2200m 1st 2:12.4 Katsuichi Nishiura (Suzuka Koban)
24 June 1984 Chukyo Takamatsunomiya Hai GII 2000m 5th 2:04.4 Katsuichi Nishiura Kyoei Rare
7 October 1984 Tokyo Mainichi Okan GII 1800m 1st 1:47.5 Katsuichi Nishiura (Mr. C.B.)
28 October 1984 Tokyo Tenno Sho (Autumn) GI 2000m 5th 1:59.5 Katsuichi Nishiura Mr. C.B.
25 November 1984 Tokyo Japan Cup GI 2400m 1st 2:26.3 Katsuichi Nishiura (Bedtime)
23 December 1984 Nakayama Arima Kinen GI 2500m 2nd 2:33.1 Katsuichi Nishiura Symboli Rudolf
  1. ↑ The age counting for horses in Japan was based on the East Asian age reckoning until it was changed to international standards in 2001, with foals starting at the age of 1.
  2. ↑ Denotes a race belonging to the "Eight Great Races" (Hachidaikyousou), considered the most prestigious races in Japan, proceeding the introduction of the graded system in 1984.

Stud record

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Katsuragi Ace was retired from racing to become a breeding stallion. His only Graded Stakes winner was the mare Yamanin Marine who won the Grade II Sankei Sports Sho Yonsai Himba Tokubetsu in 1991.[10] The stallion died of heart failure on 3 July 2000.[2]

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An anthropomorphized version of the horse appears as a playable character in Uma Musume Pretty Derby, voiced by Natsumi Fujiwara.[11][12]

Pedigree

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Pedigree of Katsuragi Ace (JPN), brown stallion 1980[13][14]
Sire
Boysie Boy (IRE)
1965		 King's Troop (GB)
1957		 Princely Gift Nasrullah
Blue Gem
Equiria Atout Maitre
Epona
Rising Hope (GB)
1951		 The Phoenix Chateau Bouscaut
Fille de Poete
Admirable Nearco
Silvia
Dam
Tanino Venture (JPN)
1971		 Venture (GB)
1957		 Relic War Relic
Bridal Colors
Rose o' Lynn Pherozshah
Rocklyn
Abbey Bridge (GB)
1958		 Entente Cordiale Djebel
Herringbone
British Railways Umidwar
Euston (Family 14-c)[3][13]

References

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  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Japan Bloodhorse Breeders' Association. "Katsuragi Ace". jbis.jp. Archived from the original on 12 July 2024. Retrieved 13 July 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 "ジャパンカップ１９８４「カツラギエースの奇跡」〈５〉人生が変わった世界のニシウラ" [Japan Cup 1984 "The Miracle of Katsuragi Ace" <5> Nishiura's Life Changed]. スポーツ報知 (in Japanese). 24 November 2018. Retrieved 7 July 2026.
  3. 1 2 "Pretty Polly – Family 14-c". Thoroughbred Bloodlines. Archived from the original on 16 February 2020. Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  4. 1 2 3 Japan Bloodhorse Breeders' Association. "Mr. C.B." jbis.jp. Archived from the original on 17 November 2015. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  5. 1 2 UPI staff (26 November 1984). "Katsuragi Ace, a 40-to-1 shot". UPI.
  6. ↑ DRF staff (24 November 2010). "Mairzy Doates Recalls Yanks in Japan Cup". Daily Racing Form. Archived from the original on 17 November 2015. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  7. ↑ Joel Else (23 October 2011). "Racing: Boom time for Japanese stock: A rising turf power is buying". The Independent. Archived from the original on 17 November 2015. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
  8. ↑ "年度別累計成績／主な成績 | 競走成績 | カツラギエース" [Cumulative Results by Financial Year / Major Results | Racing Results | Katsuragi Ace]. www.jbis.or.jp. Retrieved 6 July 2026.
  9. ↑ "カツラギエース (Katsuragi Ace) | 競走馬データ" [Katsuragi Ace | Racehorse Data]. netkeiba (in Japanese). Retrieved 6 July 2026.
  10. ↑ Japan Bloodhorse Breeders' Association. "Stallion Reports – Katsuragi Ace". jbis.jp.
  11. ↑ "『ウマ娘』で★3育成ウマ娘「カツラギエース」が本日より出走！". 週刊アスキー (in Japanese). 10 July 2023. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  12. ↑ "カツラギエース｜ウマ娘 プリティーダービー 公式ポータルサイト｜Cygames". ウマ娘 プリティーダービー 公式ポータルサイト (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2 December 2025. Retrieved 1 December 2025.
  13. 1 2 "Five-generation Pedigree Table". JBIS-Search. Archived from the original on 12 July 2024. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  14. ↑ "PEDIGREE (5-GEN)". netkeiba.com. Archived from the original on 12 July 2024. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
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