Lovcen (horse)

Lovcen
ロブチェン[1]
Lovcen after the 2026 Japanese Derby
BreedThoroughbred[1]
SireWorld Premiere[1]
GrandsireDeep Impact[1]
DamSongwriting[1]
DamsireGiant's Causeway[1]
SexColt[1]
Foaled (2023-04-09) April 9, 2023[1]
CountryJapan[1]
Colour Dark Bay[1]
BreederNorthern Farm[1]
OwnerForest Racing
TrainerHaruki Sugiyama
JockeyKohei Matsuyama
Record5: 4-0-1[1]
Earnings¥ 640,320,000[1]
Major wins
Hopeful Stakes (2025)
Japanese Classic Race wins:
Satsuki Sho (2026)
Tokyo Yushun (2026)
Last updated on May 31, 2026

Lovcen (Japanese: ロブチェン; foaled April 9, 2023) is a Japanese racehorse most well known for winning the Japanese Double Crown (the Satsuki Shō and Tōkyō Yūshun) in 2026.[1]

Background

Lovcen is a dark bay colt with no white markings bred by Northern Farm. He was sired by Kikuka-shō and Spring Tennō Shō winner World Premiere, and his dam, Songwriting, is a winless mare out of multiple Grade 3 winner and Canadian Champion Older Female Horse of 2011 Embur's Song.[2] As a weanling, he was offered at the Northern Farm Mixed Sale and was bought by Kazumasa Kobayashi for 21 million yen.[3] He was sent into training with Haruki Sugiyama, who also trained Justin Palace and 2020 Triple Tiara winner Daring Tact.

Lovcen is named for the mountain range of the same name in Montenegro.[3]

Racing career

Two-year-old season (2025)

Lovcen after winning the Hopeful Stakes

Lovcen made his debut on November 9th, 2025 over 2000 meters on a soft track at Kyoto Racecourse with Kohei Matsuyama in the saddle. Leading the entire way, he pulled away in the final straight to win by three lengths in front of second place Alpenglow. In an interview conducted after the race, Matsuyama remarked that "I was worried about the start, but the entire time he felt good to ride, and he was strong at the end. It might not be a good point of reference for the future since the track was heavy today, but I'm glad that he could hold the distance."[4]

On December 27th, Lovcen made his second and final start of the year in the Hopeful Stakes. Leading up to the race, his connections were confident, and said that his experience on heavy ground would serve him well on race day in Nakayama.[5] He was sent off as the seventh favorite in a field of sixteen, Lovcen settled mid-pack and made a strong charge in the final 200 meters, surging past fourth favorite Forte Angelo in the final strides to win by three quarters of a length. His jockey, Matsuyama, told interviewers after the race, "I'm very happy. Last year, trainer Sugiyama and I got second in this race with Giovanni, and because of that I was able to win in this way today. Unconsciously, I welled up with tears."[6]

Three-year-old season (2026)

Lovcen at the post-victory ceremony of the Japanese Derby

Lovcen started the season off with the Kyodo Tsushin Hai, a race that Sugiyama chose intending to "test out if he can run a counter-clockwise course" and also to give an interval to the horse between the Satsuki Shō and the Tōkyō Yūshun.[7] During the race, he made a good start but quickly fell back in to the middle of the pack. The horse started to move up on the final stretch, but was unable to catch up to Realize Sirius, who set a new race record, and was also passed by Bereshit, ultimately finishing third.[8][9][10]

His next race would be the first jewel of the Japanese Triple Crown, the Satsuki Shō. He was sent off as the weak favorite at 4.0 odds in a field of eighteen. Both his jockey and his trainer expressed confidence leading up to the race, with his assistant trainer commenting that transport was not an issue, and that he was eating well and had been slowly improving since the Kyodo Tsushin Hai.[11][12] Leading the entire race, he pulled away in the final stretch after a fast-paced race to win it by 3⁄4 of a length over rival Realize Sirius. Lovcen's victory broke the record set by Museum Mile the year before in 2025; it was broken by half a second. After the race, jockey Kohei Matsuyama spoke about the fierce duel between Lovcen and Realize Sirius in the final stretch, saying, "There was a moment when it looked like we might get past, but he fought back. He showed real toughness. His final kick is exceptional, and he also has the stamina to win in record time, like today."[13]

Following the Satsuki Shō, he continued on the path of the Triple Crown to the Japanese Derby. He drew the outside post of 17, and was sent off as the favorite at 2.7 odds.[14] Lovcen broke well from the gate, and was held mid-pack by jockey Kohei Matsuyama for the majority of the race before rallying in the final meters to win by a head over Peintre Naif, with a finishing time of 2:22.7.[15] He became the first Derby winner for jockey Matsuyama, owner Forest Racing,[16] and trainer Haruki Sugiyama.[17] Lovcen became the first to achieve the Double Crown since Contrail in 2020, and is the first horse since Wagnerian to win from gate 17.

Racing statistics

The following form is based on information available on netkeiba.com and JBIS-Search.[18][19]

Date Track Race Grade Distance

(Condition)

 Entry HN Odds

(Favored)

 Finish Time Margins Jockey Winner

(Runner-up)

2025 – two-year-old season
Nov 9 Kyoto 2YO Debut 2,000 m (Soft) 8 4 2.9 (2) 1st 2:04.5 -0.5 Kohei Matsuyama (Alpenglow)
Dec 27 Nakayama Hopeful Stakes GI 2,000 m (Firm) 16 7 19.8 (7) 1st 2:01.0 -0.1 Kohei Matsuyama (Forte Angelo)
2026 – three-year-old season
Feb 15 Tokyo Kyodo Tsushin Hai GIII 1,800 m (Firm) 9 3 4.2 (3) 3rd 1:45.5 0.0 Kohei Matsuyama Realize Sirius
Apr 19 Nakayama Satsuki Shō GI 2,000 m (Firm) 18 4 4.0 (1) 1st R1:56.5 -0.2 Kohei Matsuyama (Realize Sirius)
May 31 Tokyo Tōkyō Yūshun GI 2,400 m (Firm) 18 17 2.7 (1) 1st 2:22.7 0.0 Kohei Matsuyama (Peintre Naif)


Legend:
  Turf

Notes:

Pedigree

Pedigree of Lovcen[20][21]
Sire
World Premiere
2016 dk. b.		 Deep Impact
2002 b.		 Sunday Silence Halo
Wishing Well
Wind in Her Hair Alzao
Burghclere
Mandela
2000 ch.		 Acatenango Surumu
Aggravate
Mandellicht Be My Guest
Mandelauge
Dam
Songwriting
2013 dk. b.		 Giant's Causeway
1997 ch.		 Storm Cat Storm Bird
Terlingua
Mariah's Storm Rahy
Immense
Embur's Song
2007 b.		 Unbridled's Song Unbridled
Trolley Song
Embur Sunshine Bold Ruckus
Vevila (Family 3-g)[22]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 "Lovcen(JPN)". JBIS-Search. Retrieved 2026-02-15.
  2. ↑ "Embur's Song (ON)". Equibase.com. Archived from the original on 2022-04-10. Retrieved 2026-02-15.
  3. 1 2 "ロブチェン 公益財団法人 ジャパン・スタッドブック・インターナショナル". studbook.jp.
  4. ↑ "ワールドプレミア産駒ロブチェンが父へJRA初Vプレゼント 松山騎手「強かったです」/新馬戦 - 2歳馬特集 | 競馬 : 日刊スポーツ". nikkansports.com.
  5. ↑ "【ホープフルS・厩舎直送】新種牡馬ワールドプレミアにJRA初勝利を届けたロブチェンは試金石の一戦". 東スポ競馬. December 22, 2025. Archived from the original on January 20, 2026. Retrieved February 15, 2026.
  6. ↑ "【ホープフルS】ロブチェンGI昇格後初2戦2勝2歳中距離王者 来春クラシックへ視界良好 松山弘平騎手「思わずこみ上げてくるものがありました」". サンスポZBAT! (in Japanese). 2025-12-28. Retrieved 2026-02-15.
  7. ↑ "ホープフルS勝ち馬ロブチェンは共同通信杯で始動 杉山晴師「左回りを試すというのが一番（の理由）」". サンスポZBAT! (in Japanese). 2026-01-21. Retrieved 2026-02-15.
  8. ↑ "【共同通信杯結果】リアライズシリウスが押し切り重賞2勝目 GI馬ロブチェンは3着". netkeiba (in Japanese). 2026-02-15. Retrieved 2026-02-15.
  9. ↑ "【共同通信杯】スタートが「誤算でした」松山弘平騎手悔やむ ホープフルS覇者ロブチェンは3着どまり". UMATOKU (in Japanese). Hochi Shimbun. 2026-02-15. Retrieved 2026-02-15.
  10. ↑ "【共同通信杯】（東京）リアライズシリウスが後続の猛追を凌ぎ切り勝利". ラジオNIKKEI (in Japanese). 2026-02-15. Retrieved 2026-02-15.
  11. ↑ "【皐月賞・生情報】ロブチェンは2度目のGⅠ制覇へ「変わらず、いつも通りやるだけです」". 東スポ競馬 (in Japanese). 2026-04-18. Retrieved 2026-04-18.
  12. ↑ "【皐月賞・直前情報】ロブチェン輸送の疲れ見せず「この先どんどん大きなタイトルを」". 日刊スポーツ (in Japanese). 2026-04-19. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
  13. ↑ ""Even I'm surprised," Matsuyama doubles up as Lovcen shows grit to win G1 Satsuki Sho in record time | Horse Racing News". netkeiba. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
  14. ↑ "TOKYO YUSHUN (JAPANESE DERBY) G1". netkeiba. Retrieved 2026-05-30.
  15. ↑ "TOKYO YUSHUN (JAPANESE DERBY) G1". netkeiba. Retrieved 2026-05-30.
  16. ↑ "Horse Search Results". netkeiba. Retrieved 2026-05-30.
  17. ↑ "Horse Search Results". netkeiba. Retrieved 2026-05-30.
  18. ↑ "Lovcen Race Record and Form". netkeiba. Retrieved 2026-02-15.
  19. ↑ "Race Records | Lovcen(JPN)". JBIS-Search. Retrieved 2026-02-15.
  20. ↑ "Five-generation Pedigree Table". JBIS-Search. Retrieved 2026-02-15.
  21. ↑ "PEDIGREE (5-GEN)". netkeiba. Retrieved 2026-02-15.
  22. ↑ "Satchel - Family 3-g". Bloodlines.net. Archived from the original on 17 May 2012. Retrieved 2012-10-07.
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