Friendship (horse)

Friendship フレンドシップ
Friendship in 2006 at the Japan Dirt Classic
Breed	Thoroughbred
Sire	French Deputy
Grandsire	Deputy Minister
Dam	Friendly Beauty
Damsire	Stalwart
Sex	Stallion
Foaled	May 5, 2003
Country	Japan
Colour	Bay
Breeder	Shadai Farm
Owner	Teruya Yoshida
Trainer	Katsuhiko Sumii
Record	15: 4-3-0
Earnings	95,759,000 JPY
Major wins
Japan Dirt Derby (2006)
Last updated on May 18, 2026

Friendship (フレンドシップ; foaled May 5, 2003) is a Japanese Thoroughbred Racehorse. In 2006, he won the 8th Japan Dirt Classic.

Background

Friendship was foaled on May 5, 2003, by the Shadai Farm. He was a bay stallion by French Deputy out of Friendly Beauty by Fredaq. During his racing career, he was owned by Teruya Yoshida and trained by Katsuhiko Sumii.

Racing career

Friendship made his debut in a turf maiden race at Sapporo Racecourse, ridden by Shinji Fujita, on August 21, 2005. He finished 7th in that race behind future Arima Kinen winner Matsurida Gogh. He was entered into two additional turf races later that year, but finished off the board in both.

In 2006, he was ridden by Marco Monteriso in a dirt maiden race at Kyoto Racecourse. Perhaps benefiting from the switch to dirt, the colt put up a commendable performance, finishing second by a neck. Friendship raced, without a break, on another dirt maiden race, and again took second place. After a one‑week break, he was sent to Kokura for another dirt maiden race, where he delivered his first victory. Following roughly a month of rest and training, he ran in and won an Allowance race at Hanshin Racecourse, beating the runner-up by 0.6 seconds. The following month he was entered into the Open class Fukuryu Stakes, taking the first place one again. Riding that momentum, he took on the Hyogo Championship in May. Although Friendship was considered the favourite to win, Grace Tiara, the winner of the previous year's Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun, beat him by a neck.

Later that year he was entered into the Grade 1 Japan Dirt Classic, a race which had been won by his stablemate, Kane Hekili, the year prior. The stable requested the services of Hiroyuki Uchida—a renowned jockey based at the local Ohi Racecourse, who had already amassed numerous victories that year in inter-regional stakes races across the South Kanto circuit. Sent off as the second favorite behind Nike Earthwork, winner of the Unicorn Stakes, he settled in third place as Thank You Win, winner of the Haneda Hai, set the pace. He overtook Bamboo Ere, who had moved to the front from second position at the midway point of the straight, and went on to win by over a length. The victory marked his first graded stakes win, as well as his first Grade 1 win; It was also Uchida's first win in the race, and trainer Katsuhiko Sumii's second consecutive victory.

Following his victory in the Japan Dirt Derby, preparations began for his participation on the Derby Grand Prix (now merged with the Kozukata Sho). however, he was diagnosed with a bowed tendon, and entered an extended hiatus. He returned to racing after one year and three months, entering the Aldebaran Stakes On October 28, 2007 where finished 15th in a field of 16 horses. He went on to contest five more open-class races, but finished nearly last in all of them. His registration as a racehorse was finally canceled on September 17, 2008.

In his retirement, he did not stand at stud, and instead became a riding horse.

Statistics

The following form is based on information from JBIS-Search and netkeiba.

Date	Racecourse	Name	Grade	Distance/Type	Field	Finished	Jockey	Time	Winner (2nd place)
August 21, 2005	Sapporo	2yo Debut		Turf 1800m	13	7th	Shinji Fujita	1:54.9	Matsurida Gogh
September 10, 2005	Sapporo	2yo Maiden race		Turf 1500m	14	12th	Shinji Fujita	1:32.8	Meine Giada
January 8, 2006	Kyoto	3yo Maiden race		Dirt 1800m	14	2nd	Marco Monteriso	1:53.9	Captain Vega
January 14, 2006	Kyoto	3yo Maiden race		Dirt 1800m	11	2nd	Marco Monteriso	1:51.9	Inspire
January 28, 2006	Kokura	3yo Maiden race		Dirt 1700m	11	1st	Marco Monteriso	1:49.4	(Meisho Shaft)
March 4, 2006	Hanshin	3yo Allowance		Dirt 1800m	13	1st	Yuga Kawada	1:54.9	(Sunrise Lexus)
April 2, 2006	Nakayama	Fukuryu Stakes	OP	Dirt 1800m	12	1st	Hirofumi Shii	1:54.3	(Marubutsu Lead)
May 4, 2006	Sonoda	Hyogo CS	G2	Dirt 1870m	11	2nd	Hirofumi Shii	2:01.2	Grace Tiara
July 12, 2006	Ohi	Japan Dirt Derby	G1	Dirt 2000m	14	1st	Hiroyuki Uchida	2:06.1	(Bamboo Ere)
October 28, 2007	Kyoto	Aldebaran Stakes	OP	Dirt 1800m	16	15th	Andreas Suborics	1:54.7	Wonder Speed
November 17, 2007	Kyoto	Topaz Stakes	OP	Dirt 1800m	16	15th	Andreas Suborics	1:53.6	Long Pride
December 8, 2007	Nakayama	Shiwasu Stakes	OP	Dirt 1800m	16	13th	Hayato Yoshida	1:53.6	Silence Boy
December 23, 2007	Hanshin	Betelgeuse Stakes	OP	Dirt 2800m	16	12th	Koshiro Take	2:03.0	Wonder Speed
July 27, 2008	Niigata	Kanetsu Stakes	OP	Dirt 1800m	13	11th	Yuichi Fukunaga	1:53.2	Meisho Shaft
August 10, 2008	Kokura	KBC Hai	OP	Dirt 1700m	15	13th	Shigefumi Kumazawa	1:47.4	Smart Falcon

Pedigree

Pedigree of Pedigree of Friendship (JPN)
2003

Sire French Deputy (USA) 1992	Deputy Minister 1979	Vice Regent 1967	Northern Dancer 1961
			Victoria Regina 1958
		Mint Copy 1970	Bunty's Flight 1953
			Shakney 1964
	Mitterand 1981	Hold Your Peace 1969	Speak John 1958
			Blue Moon 1948
		Laredo Lass 1971	Bold Ruler 1954
			Fortunate Isle 1959
Dam Friendly Beauty (USA) 1992	Stalwart 1979	Hoist the Flag 1968	Tom Rolfe 1962
			Wavy Navy 1954
		Yes Dear Maggy 1972	Iron Ruler 1965
			Yes Dear 1963
	Fredaq 1986	Raise a Native 1961	Native Dancer 1950
			Raise You 1946
		Smart Steppin 1981	Nijinsky 1967
			Smartaire 1962