Miho Shinzan

Miho Shinzan
ミホシンザン
Miho Shinzan in 2006
BreedThoroughbred
SireShinzan
GrandsireHindostan
DamNapoli Jo O
DamsireMoutiers
SexStallion
Foaled(1982-04-16)16 April 1982
Died4 December 2014(2014-12-04) (aged 32)
Urakawa, Hokkaido, Japan
CountryJapan
ColourBay
BreederNisshin Bokujo
OwnerKanji Tsutsumi
TrainerTomojiro Tanaka
JockeyMasato Shibata
Record16: 9-1-4
Earnings¥484,679,200
Major wins
Spring Stakes (1985)
Kyoto Shimbun Hai (1985)
American Jockey Club Cup (1987)
Nikkei Shō (1987)
Tennō Shō (Spring) (1987)
Japanese Classic Race wins:
Satsuki Shō (1985)
Kikuka Shō (1985)
Awards
Best 4-Year-Old Colt (1985)
Best Japanese-Bred Horse (1985, 1986, 1987)

Miho Shinzan (Japanese: ミホシンザン, Hepburn: Miho Shinzan; 16 April 1982 – 4 December 2014) was a Japanese Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He competed from 1985 to 1987, recording nine wins in sixteen starts, including the Satsuki Shō (GI) and Kikuka Shō (GI) in 1985, and the Tennō Shō (Spring, GI) in 1987.[1] He won two legs of the Japanese Classic Triple Crown but missed the Tōkyō Yūshun (Japanese Derby) due to injury, earning him the nickname "the phantom triple crown horse."[2] He was the most successful racehorse sired by Shinzan, the 1964 Japanese Triple Crown winner, and was described as "Shinzan's greatest masterpiece."[3]

Background

Miho Shinzan was a bay horse bred in Urakawa, Hokkaido, by Nisshin Bokujo.[1] He was sired by Shinzan, the 1964 Japanese Triple Crown winner and a leading Japanese-bred stallion, and his dam was Napoli Jo O, a daughter of the French-bred stallion Moutiers.[4] His racing name combines the "Miho" prefix used by owner Kanji Tsutsumi, whose company was based near the Miho Training Center, with the name of his sire Shinzan.[1] He was owned by Kanji Tsutsumi and sent into training with Tomojiro Tanaka at the JRA's Miho Training Center.[1] His regular jockey was Masato Shibata, who had first been inspired to become a jockey after watching Shinzan win the 1964 Tōkyō Yūshun.[5]

Racing career

1985: three-year-old season (four-year-old by Japanese reckoning)

Miho Shinzan debuted on January 6, 1985, in a maiden race on the turf at Nakayama Racecourse, winning by nine lengths.[6] He won the Suisen Sho (Allowance) at Nakayama in February and the Spring Stakes (GII) at Nakayama in March, defeating Scrum Dyna by 1.75 lengths.[6]

On April 14, he won the Satsuki Shō (GI) at Nakayama by five lengths, becoming the twelfth horse to win the race undefeated.[6] Three days later, he was diagnosed with a fracture of the left third carpal bone, forcing him to miss the Tōkyō Yūshun (Japanese Derby) and ending his bid for the Triple Crown.[5]

He returned in September, finishing fifth in the St. Lite Kinen (GIII) at Nakayama.[6] He won the Kyoto Shimbun Hai (GII) at Kyoto Racecourse in October and the Kikuka Shō (GI) at Kyoto in November, defeating Suda Hawk by 1.25 lengths to complete the Classic double.[6] He finished second in the Arima Kinen (GI) at Nakayama in December, beaten four lengths by Symboli Rudolf.[6]

1986: four-year-old season

Miho Shinzan finished sixth in the Nikkei Shō (GII) at Nakayama in March, after which a recurrence of his previous fracture was discovered, forcing him to miss the spring season.[5] He returned in October, finishing third in the Mainichi Ōkan (GII), Tennō Shō (Autumn, GI), Japan Cup (GI), and Arima Kinen (GI) in four consecutive starts.[6]

1987: five-year-old season and retirement

Miho Shinzan won the American Jockey Club Cup (GII) at Nakayama in January, his first victory in fourteen months.[6] He won the Nikkei Shō (GII) at Nakayama in April by five lengths.[6] On April 29, he won the Tennō Shō (Spring, GI) at Kyoto, defeating Nishino Raiden by a nose in a photo finish, recording his third Grade 1 victory.[6]

He was retired from racing in October 1987 after developing tendonitis in his right foreleg during training.[5]

Statistics

The following table details all 16 starts of Miho Shinzan's racing career based on official netkeiba and JBIS records.

Date Distance (Condition) Race Class Course Odds
(Favourite)
Field Finish Time Jockey Winning
(Losing)
Margin
Winner
(2nd Place)
Ref
1985 – three-year-old season
Jan 6 Turf 1600 m (Firm) 4-Y-O Newcomer Maiden Nakayama 2.9 (1st) 16 1st 1:36.1 Masato Shibata –1.5 (Makino Hata) [6]
Feb 23 Turf 2000 m (Good) Suisen Sho Allowance Nakayama 2.0 (1st) 11 1st 2:02.6 Masato Shibata –0.4 (Monte Japan) [6]
Mar 24 Turf 1800 m (Good) Spring Stakes GII Nakayama 2.1 (1st) 11 1st 1:49.5 Masato Shibata –0.3 (Scrum Dyna) [6]
Apr 14 Turf 2000 m (Good) Satsuki Shō GI Nakayama 3.9 (1st) 22 1st 2:02.1 Masato Shibata –0.8 (Scrum Dyna) [6]
Sep 29 Turf 2200 m (Heavy) St. Lite Kinen GIII Nakayama 1.8 (1st) 10 5th 2:21.0 Masato Shibata 1.5 Tiger Boy [6]
Oct 20 Turf 2200 m (Firm) Kyoto Shimbun Hai GII Kyoto 1.9 (1st) 13 1st 2:14.5 Masato Shibata –0.3 (Speed Hero) [6]
Nov 10 Turf 3000 m (Good) Kikuka Shō GI Kyoto 2.3 (1st) 18 1st 3:08.1 Masato Shibata –0.2 (Suda Hawk) [6]
Dec 22 Turf 2500 m (Firm) Arima Kinen GI Nakayama 5.9 (2nd) 10 2nd 2:33.8 Masato Shibata 0.7 Symboli Rudolf [6]
1986 – four-year-old season
Mar 30 Turf 2500 m (Soft) Nikkei Shō GII Nakayama 1.4 (1st) 12 6th 2:36.5 Masato Shibata 1.3 Chestnut Valley [6]
Oct 5 Turf 1800 m (Firm) Mainichi Ōkan GII Tokyo 2.6 (1st) 8 3rd 1:46.6 Masato Shibata 0.6 Sakura Yutaka O [6]
Oct 26 Turf 2000 m (Firm) Tennō Shō (Autumn) GI Tokyo 2.1 (1st) 16 3rd 1:59.0 Masato Shibata 0.7 Sakura Yutaka O [6]
Nov 23 Turf 2400 m (Firm) Japan Cup GI Tokyo 7.5 (4th) 14 3rd 2:25.2 Masato Shibata 0.2 Jupiter Island [6]
Dec 21 Turf 2500 m (Good) Arima Kinen GI Nakayama 2.3 (1st) 12 3rd 2:34.2 Masato Shibata 0.2 Dyna Gulliver [6]
1987 – five-year-old season
Jan 25 Turf 2200 m (Firm) American Jockey Club Cup GII Nakayama 1.5 (1st) 6 1st 2:15.4 Masato Shibata –0.2 (Suzu Parade) [6]
Apr 5 Turf 2500 m (Firm) Nikkei Shō GII Nakayama 2.2 (1st) 7 1st 2:33.8 Masato Shibata –0.8 (Jusaburo) [6]
Apr 29 Turf 3200 m (Firm) Tennō Shō (Spring) GI Kyoto 1.3 (1st) 10 1st 3:20.4 Masato Shibata –0.2 (Asahi Emperor) [6]

Stud career

Following his retirement, Miho Shinzan entered stud at Tanigawa Bokujo in Urakawa, Hokkaido, in 1988.[1] His most successful offspring was My Shinzan, winner of the 1993 NHK Hai (GII) and 1995 Asahi Challenge Cup (GIII).[7] He also sired Grand Shinzan, winner of the 2001 Aichi Hai (GIII).[7] He was retired from stud duty in 2002 and spent his remaining years as a pensioner at Tanigawa Bokujo.[5] He died of heart failure on December 4, 2014, at the age of 32.[8]

Pedigree

Pedigree of Miho Shinzan (JPN)
Sire
Shinzan (JPN)
1961
Hindostan (GB)
1946
Bois Roussel Vatout
Plucky Liege
Sonibai Solario
Udaipur
Haya Nobori (JPN)
1949
Hayatake Theft
Hiryu
Dai Go Bachanam Beauty Tournesol
Bachanam Beauty
Dam
Napoli Jo O (JPN)
1975
Moutiers (FR)
1958
Sicambre Prince Bio
Sif
Ballynash Nasrullah
Ballywellbroke
Tai-Tai (GB)
1969
Will Somers Tudor Minstrel
Queen's Jest
Anneiv Vienna
Singing Sister
  • Miho Shinzan is inbred 5 × 5 to Gainsborough (sire side) and 5 × 5 to Nearco (dam side).[4]
  • His sire Shinzan won the 1964 Japanese Triple Crown and was a leading Japanese-bred stallion.[4]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "ミホシンザン (Miho Shinzan) - Profile & Race Record". JBIS Search (in Japanese). Japan Bloodhorse Breeders' Association. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  2. ↑ "「幻の三冠馬」ミホシンザンが死亡、32歳". netkeiba (in Japanese). 4 December 2014. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  3. ↑ ""シンザンの最高傑作"ミホシンザン大往生 32歳老衰、眠るように…". Sponichi Annex (in Japanese). 5 December 2014. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 "ミホシンザン - 5代血統表". JBIS Search (in Japanese). Japan Bloodhorse Breeders' Association. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 "ミホシンザン "最強"の継承者". Yushun (in Japanese). Japan Racing Association: 55–61. July 2006.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 "ミホシンザン 競走成績". netkeiba (in Japanese). Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  7. 1 2 "種牡馬情報:世代・年次別|ミホシンザン". JBIS Search (in Japanese). Japan Bloodhorse Breeders' Association. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  8. ↑ "ミホシンザン死ぬ 天皇賞・春など制す". Nikkei (in Japanese). 4 December 2014. Retrieved 27 July 2026.