Sakura Chitose O (Japanese: サクラチトセオー, Hepburn: Sakura Chitose Ō; 11 May 1990 – 30 January 2014) was a Japanese Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He competed from 1992 to 1995, recording nine wins in twenty-one starts, including the Tenno Sho (Autumn) in 1995. He received the JRA Award for Best Older Colt or Horse for his performances that year.
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Background
Sakura Chitose O was a bay horse bred in Shizunai, Hokkaido, by Tanioka Bokujo. He was sired by Tony Bin, an Irish-bred stallion who won the 1988 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe before standing in Japan. His dam, Sakura Clear, was a daughter of the influential sire Northern Taste.
He was owned by Sakura Commerce Co. and trained by Katsutaro Sakai at the JRA's Miho Training Center. Throughout his racing career, he was primarily ridden by jockey Futoshi Kojima.
Racing career
1992–1993: Early career
Sakura Chitose O debuted on October 11, 1992, at Tokyo Racecourse, winning his maiden race on the turf. He won a subsequent allowance race at Nakayama Racecourse in December.
In the spring of 1993, he contested the NHK Hai (GII), finishing third behind My Shinzan. He subsequently entered the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby, GI) in May, where he finished eleventh behind Winning Ticket.
1994: Four-year-old season
Returning in 1994, Sakura Chitose O won the Nakayama Kinen (GII) in March, securing his first graded stakes victory. In September, he contested the Keio Hai Autumn Handicap (GIII). Ridden by Hitoshi Matoba, he won the race and set a new Japanese record for 1600 meters on turf with a time of 1:32.1.
He finished sixth in his first attempt at the Tenno Sho (Autumn) in October, and sixth in the Arima Kinen (GI) in December.
1995: Five-year-old season
Sakura Chitose O began his 1995 campaign by winning the American JCC (GII) in January. In May, he contested the Yasuda Kinen (GI). Starting as the favorite, he finished second, losing by a nose to the UAE-trained horse Heart Lake.
In June, he ran in the Takarazuka Kinen (GI). During the race, he was positioned near Rice Shower when the latter suffered a catastrophic injury and fell. Sakura Chitose O avoided physical contact but was visibly affected by the incident, losing his momentum and finishing seventh behind Dantsu Seattle.
On October 29, 1995, Sakura Chitose O entered the Tenno Sho (Autumn) (GI) at Tokyo Racecourse. Ridden by Kojima, he was positioned near the rear of the field for the majority of the race. In the final straight, he accelerated on the outside, overtaking the leader Genuine in the final strides to win by a nose. This victory marked his first GI win and made him and his half-sister Sakura Candle (who won the Queen Elizabeth II Cup that same year) the seventh pair of siblings to win GI races in Japan since the grading system was introduced in 1984.
He made his final start in the Arima Kinen (GI) on December 24, 1995, finishing third behind Mayano Top Gun. He was officially retired following this race.
Statistics
The following table details all 21 starts of Sakura Chitose O's racing career based on official netkeiba and JBIS records.
Stud career
Following his retirement, Sakura Chitose O stood at the Shizunai Stallion Station in Hokkaido. He later moved to Rex Stud in Shinhidaka. He sired 5 graded stakes winners during his stud career. He was retired from stud duties in 2011 and spent his remaining years as a pensioner at Shinwa Bokujo. He died of old age on January 30, 2014, at the age of 23.
In popular culture
Sakura Chitose O is depicted as an anthropomorphic character in the multimedia franchise Umamusume: Pretty Derby, developed by Cygames.
Notable progeny
1997 crop
Leger Regulus – Radio Nikkei Sho Nisai Stakes (GIII)
1999 crop
Namura Thanks – Diamond Stakes (GIII)
2001 crop
Namura Rouge – Hanshin Spring Jump (J-GII)