Tsurumaru Tsuyoshi

Tsurumaru Tsuyoshi ツルマルツヨシ
Tsurumaru Tsuyoshi as a lead horse at Kyoto Racecourse in 2006.
Breed	Thoroughbred
Sire	Symboli Rudolf
Grandsire	Partholon
Dam	Sweet Cielo
Damsire	Conquistador Cielo
Sex	Stallion
Foaled	(1995-04-06)6 April 1995
Died	2 August 2026(2026-08-02) (aged 31)
Country	Japan
Colour	Dark Bay
Breeder	Symboli Stud
Owner	Takao Tsuruda
Racing colours
Trainer	Hisao Nibun
Jockey	S. Fujita T. Sato
Record	11: 5-0-1
Earnings	¥174,280,000
Major wins
Asahi Challenge Cup (1999) Kyoto Daishoten (1999)

Tsurumaru Tsuyoshi (Japanese: ツルマルツヨシ, Hepburn: Tsurumaru Tsuyoshi; 6 April 1995 – 2 August 2026) was a Japanese Thoroughbred racehorse active from 1998 to 2000. He was considered the last big star of Symboli Rudolf's progeny. His most notable wins include the 1999 Asahi Challenge Cup and Kyoto Daishoten.

Background

Tsurumaru Tsuyoshi was foaled on 6 April 1995 at Symboli Farm. His sire, Symboli Rudolf, won the Japanese Triple Crown undefeated and sired numerous other graded winners including Tokai Teio. His dam Sweet Cielo was a daughter of Conquistador Cielo who won several graded races including the 1982 Belmont Stakes and Met Mile.

Racing career

Tsurumaru Tsuyoshi made his debut in 1998 in a race for 4-year-olds without a win at Kyoto Racecourse, securing a victory in his first start. Afterward, partly due to his delicate constitution, he alternated between racing and rest periods; however, starting in the summer of 1999—when he turned 5—he began to compete consistently, winning the Asahi Challenge Cup in the fall and becoming a graded stakes winner. In his next start, the Kyoto Daishoten, he defeated top contenders such as Mejiro Bright, T. M. Opera O, Stay Gold, and Special Week to claim victory. In the Tenno Sho (Autumn), he was backed as the second favorite to win and emerged as one of the leading contenders on the GI circuit; however, after finishing fourth in the 44th Arima Kinen that same year, he developed an osteochondroma and entered another long layoff, not returning to racing until the following fall. In the Arima Kinen, his second consecutive appearance in the race, he was withdrawn from the race on the final straight. He had ruptured the suspensory ligament in his left front leg and was diagnosed as having lost his ability to race, leading to the decision to retire him from racing.

Racing form

The following racing form is based on information available on JBIS search and netkeiba.com.

Date	Racecourse	Race	Grade	Distance	Gate	Odds	Fav.	Fin.	Time	Margin	Jockey	Winner (Runner-Up)
1998 – three-year-old season
2 May	Kyoto	Four-Year-Old Maiden	Maiden	1,800m	5	6.7	5	1st	1:25.6	-0.2	S.Fujita	(T.M.Tiger)
9 Nov	Kyoto	Osakayama Tokubetsu	Pre-OP	1800m	4	18.5	8	5th	1:47.3	0.4	S.Fujita	Sunday Sarah
28 Nov	Chukyo	Inuyama Tokubetsu	Pre-OP	2000m	10	5.2	2	1st	2:02.1	-0.6	T.Sato	(State Fellow)
1999 – four-year-old season
17 Jan	Kyoto	Inari Tokubetsu	Pre-OP	2000m	4	Scratched					S.Fujita	Suehiro Commander
6 Jun	Chukyo	Mikawa Tokubetsu	Pre-OP	1800m	8	2.3	1	1st	1:48.8	-0.4	S.Fujita	(Elegant More)
25 Jul	Kokura	Kitakyushu Kinen	G3	1800m	4	5.9	3	3rd	1:46.0	0.4	S.Fujita	Eishin Vincennes
12 Sep	Hanshin	Asahi Challenge Cup	G3	2000m	1	7.0	5	1st	1:59.5	-0.2	S.Fujita	(Meisho Odo)
10 Oct	Kyoto	Kyoto Daishoten	G2	2400m	4	13.4	4	1st	2:24.3	-0.1	S.Fujita	(Mejiro Bright)
31 Oct	Tokyo	Tenno Sho (Autumn)	G1	2000m	17	6.0	2	8th	1:58.6	0.6	S.Fujita	Special Week
26 Dec	Nakayama	Arima Kinen	G1	2500m	10	12.1	6	4th	2:37.3	0.1	S.Fujita	Grass Wonder
2000 – five-year-old season
8 Oct	Kyoto	Kyoto Daishoten	G2	2400m	9	11.9	3	6th	2:26.7	0.7	S.Fujita	T. M. Opera O
24 Dec	Nakayama	Arima Kinen	G1	2500m	1	13.1	4	DNF			S.Fujita	T. M. Opera O

Legend
  Turf   Dirt

Retirement and death

Upon retirement, the decision was made not to have Tsurumaru Tsuyoshi become a breeding stallion. After recuperating at the Miyazaki Convalescent Center, he underwent castration surgery, followed by training to transition to a lead horse at Kyoto Racecourse. In 2002, he made his debut as a lead horse on the opening day of the 5th Kyoto racing meet, even leading the Kyoto Daishoten, much to the delight of fans. Ultimately, the condition of Tsurumaru Tsuyoshi's legs became a cause for concern among staff, and he retired from the position at the conclusion of the 4th Kyoto meet in 2007.

Upon his second retirement, with funding from the Retired Racehorse Care and Exhibition Program, he spent some time at a riding club in Miyazaki City, Miyazaki Prefecture. Beginning in 2012, he was supported by the Tsurumaru Tsuyoshi Association, established by Shigeo Nakanishi, with others who had served as his stablehands during his racing career. In November 2017, he was moved to Yoshino Ranch in Aya Town, Higashimorokata District, Miyazaki Prefecture, where he was kept until his passing.

Tsurumaru Tsuyoshi died on 2 August 2026, at Yoshino Ranch, where he was grazing. He was 31. Nakanishi announced the news of his death on his blog that afternoon.

In popular culture

An anthropomorphized version of Tsurumaru Tsuyoshi appears in Umamusume: Pretty Derby and is voiced by Yoshino Aoyama. In the franchise, Tsurumaru Tsuyoshi is characterized as having a weak constitution as per her real-life counterpart, but its depiction is exaggerated as violent coughing fits and being shown feeling sick in her victory animations in the mobile game. She is highly conscious about her health as a result, and makes various smoothies to address her various illnesses.

Pedigree

Pedigree of Tsurumaru Tsuyoshi

Sire Symboli Rudolf 1981	Partholon 1960	Milesian 1953	My Babu 1945
			Oatflake 1942
		Paleo 1953	Pharis 1936
			Colonice 1940
	Sweet Luna 1972	Speed Symboli 1963	Royal Challenger 1951
			Sweet Inn 1958
		Dance Time 1957	Palestine 1947
			Samaritaine 1949
Dam Sweet Cielo 1987	Conquistador Cielo 1979	Mr. Prospector 1970	Raise a Native 1961
			Gold Digger 1962
		K D Princess 1971	Bold Commander 1960
			Tammy's Turn 1965
	Change Water 1969	Swaps 1952	Khaled 1943
			Iron Reward 1946
		Portage 1952	War Admiral 1934
			Carillon 1939