Yukino Bijin
| Yukino Bijin ユキノビジン | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Yukino Bijin racing at the 1993 Queen Elizabeth II Cup. | |
| Breed | Thoroughbred |
| Sire | Sakura Yutaka O |
| Grandsire | Tesco Boy |
| Dam | Fatima |
| Damsire | Royal Ski |
| Sex | Mare |
| Foaled | March 10, 1990 |
| Died | July 22, 2016 |
| Country | Japan |
| Color | Chestnut |
| Breeder | Murata Farm |
| Owner | Yukikatsu Arai |
| Racing colors |  |
| Trainer | Toshio Kubota |
| Jockey | Masahiko Onodera Isao Sugawara Toshihiko Kobayashi Tomio Yasuda Yukio Okabe |
| Record | 10: 6-2-0 |
| Earnings | ¥159,000,000 JPY |
| Major wins | |
| Queen Stakes (1993) | |
Yukino Bijin (Japanese: ユキノビジン, Hepburn: Yukino Bijin; March 10, 1990 – July 22, 2016) was a Japanese racehorse and broodmare.[1] Her major victory was the 1993 Queen Stakes. In the same year’s Oka Sho and Yushun Himba, she finished second behind Vega in both races. With a chestnut coat resembling that of her sire, Sakura Yutaka O, and a pure white, ribbon-like braid in her mane, she was highly popular among female fans and was described as a "beautiful girl" and a "good-looking horse."[2][3]
Racing career
1992: three-year-old season
On August 10, 1992, Yukino Bijin made her debut at Morioka Racecourse with Masahiko Onodera in the saddle and won his debut race.[4] Although her background in regional racing would later receive significant attention, she was originally scheduled to join a central racing stable from the start. However, there happened to be no available stalls at Toshio Kubota’s stable where she was supposed to be housed and her owner, Yukikatsu Arai, expressed his intention to "run her on dirt as a 3-year-old." Consequently, she made her debut at Iwate Racecourse on the condition that she would "remain there until a stall became available at Kubota’s stable."[5][3] Writer Reiko Matsunaga described this situation as "a regional racing 'temporary star.'"[5] She won her second and third races under jockey Isao Sugawara, making it three consecutive victories, and entered the Nambu Koma Sho; however, in that race, she finished fifth behind Ebisu Sakura[6] who would go on to win the Kikata Sho.[4]
1993: four-year-old season
At age four, Yukino Bijin was transferred to the Central circuit. Her first race after the transfer was the Crocus Stakes, but she was rated low as the ninth favorite in a field of ten. Furthermore, the owner’s plan to have Yukio Okabe ride her after the transfer had not materialized by this point, so she was ridden by Tomio Yasuda.[7] In the race, she defied the odds, leading from start to finish and beating the second-place finisher, Biko Alpha, by three lengths to win her Central debut.[7][4] Her next race came after a long layoff: the Oka Sho in April. Entering the race as the fifth favorite, she finished second, tied with Vega on time. In the subsequent Yushun Himba, she again raced near the front but allowed Vega to claim the Fillies’ Double Crown, finishing second for the second consecutive time.[4] During the spring of her four-year-old season, the condition of her hip joint was not ideal; however, the fact that she was able to put up a close fight against Vega under those circumstances suggested that she had the potential for even greater success if her condition improved.[8] After the Yushun Himba, there were plans for her to run in the Radio Nikkei Sho, but she was instead sent to rest.[9] In the fall, she resumed racing with the Queen Stakes, where she won by two lengths over Hokuto Vega, living up to her status as the favorite.[4] In her first race under jockey Okabe, the Queen Elizabeth II Cup, she finished in 10th behind Hokuto Vega, but in the Turquoise Stakes at the end of the year, she secured victory by a length and a half over Alpha Cute.[4] After that, due in part to a fracture in the pastern of her left front leg, she never raced again,[10] and in September 1994, she was removed from the race register and retired to become a broodmare.[11]
Racing form
The following racing form is based on information available on JBIS search[12] and netkeiba.com.[13]
| Date | Racecourse | Race | Grade | Distance | Gate | Odds | Fav. | Fin. | Time | Margin | Jockey | Winner (Runner-Up) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 – three-year-old season | ||||||||||||
| Aug 10 | Morioka | Three-Year-Old Newcomer | Maiden | D 850m | 2 | 1 | 1st | 0:53.0 | -1.0 | Masahiko Onodera | (Mitaka Passer) | |
| Aug 31 | Morioka | Three-Year-Old Thoroughbreds | D 1420m | 4 | 1 | 1st | 1:33.8 | -1.0 | Isao Sugawara | (Tohoku Grass) | ||
| Sep 14 | Morioka | Beginners C1 | D 1100m | 1 | 1 | 1st | 1:09.5 | -0.6 | Isao Sugawara | (Sakamoto Rookie) | ||
| Oct 10 | Mizusawa | Nambu Koma Sho | Listed | D 1600m | 9 | 2 | 5th | 1:46.5 | 0.5 | Toshihiko Kobayashi | Ebisu Sakura | |
| 1993 – four-year-old season | ||||||||||||
| Feb 27 | Nakayama | Crocus Stakes | OP | T 1600m | 8 | 34.3 | 9 | 1st | 1:34.9 | -0.5 | Tomio Yasuda | (Biko Alpha) |
| Apr 11 | Hanshin | Oka Sho | G1 | T 1600m | 2 | 15.6 | 5 | 2nd | 1:37.2 | 0.0 | Tomio Yasuda | Vega |
| May 23 | Tokyo | Yushun Himba | G1 | T 2400m | 9 | 8.8 | 3 | 2nd | 2:27.6 | 0.3 | Tomio Yasuda | Vega |
| Oct 3 | Nakayama | Queen Stakes | G3 | T 2000m | 13 | 2.4 | 1 | 1st | 2:02.3 | -0.3 | Tomio Yasuda | (Hokuto Vega) |
| Nov 14 | Kyoto | Queen Elizabeth II Cup | G1 | T 2400m | 9 | 4.0 | 3 | 10th | 2:26.2 | 1.3 | Yukio Okabe | Hokuto Vega |
| Dec 18 | Nakayama | Turquoise Stakes | OP | T 1800m | 6 | 1.9 | 1 | 1st | 1:49.4 | -0.2 | Yukio Okabe | (Alpha Cute) |
Legend
D = Dirt
T = Turf
Retirement
Breeding career
After her racing career ended, Yukino Bijin began her breeding career at Murata Ranch, producing a total of 12 foals (9 colts and 3 fillies) over the course of 15 years.[11] However, she never produced a winner of a graded stakes race at either the national or regional levels. Although her conception rate was good, she suffered from poor hoof health, and her legs would ache when she became pregnant; consequently, she retired from breeding in 2010 and continued to live at Murata Ranch as a horse of meritorious service.[11]
| No. | Name | Foaled | Sex | Color | Sire | Races | Wins | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Kanetsu Leaf | 1996 | c | Chestnut | Northern Taste | 4 | 0 | |
| 2nd | Yukino Quasar | 1997 | Generous | 44 | 3 | |||
| 3rd | Yukino Attack | 1998 | Forty Niner | 41 | 1 | |||
| 4th | Yukino Charm | 1999 | f | Bay | Pilsudski | 14 | 1 | Broodmare |
| 5th | Yukino Aether | 2001 | c | Dark bay | Oath | 6 | 3 | |
| 6th | Royal Halo | 2003 | Chestnut | Black Tuxedo | Did not run | |||
| 7th | Maruhachi Doran | 2004 | Dark bay | Winning Ticket | 33 | 2 | ||
| 8th | Laurel Wens | 2005 | Bay | Commander in Chief | 23 | 0 | ||
| 9th | (unnamed) | 2006 | Dark bay | Manhattan Cafe | Pedigree unregistered | |||
| 10th | Fujino Bowgun | 2007 | Bay | Commander in Chief | 8 | 0 | ||
| 11th | Haru Zion | 2008 | f | Chestnut | Timber Country | 8 | 0 | Broodmare |
| 12th | Coindol | 2009 | Dark bay | Lincoln | 19 | 4 | Broodmare |
Death & memorial
In 2016, she failed to recover even during the time of year when her coat would typically begin to shine, and she died of old age in the pasture on July 22.[2] She was 26 years old at the time of her death. In the spring of 2018, following the accidental death of Charm Asleep, another Murata Farm-bred horse who had won the South Kanto Fillies’ Triple Crown. A memorial plaque was erected for her at Yushun Memorial Park alongside that of Charm Asleep, partly as a gesture of gratitude to the fans.[15]
In popular culture
An anthropomorphic version of Yukino Bijin appears in Umamusume: Pretty Derby and is voiced by Nozomi Yamamoto.[16]
Pedigree
| Sire Sakura Yutaka O (JPN) |
Tesco Boy (GB) | Princely Gift (GB) | Nasrullah (GB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Gem (GB) | |||
| Suncourt (GB) | Hyperion (GB) | ||
| Inquisition (GB) | |||
| Angelica (JPN) | Never Beat (GB) | Never Say Die (USA) | |
| Bride Elect (GB) | |||
| Star Highness (JPN) | Your Highness (GB) | ||
| Star Roch (JPN) | |||
| Dam Fatima (JPN) |
Royal Ski (USA) | Raja Baba (USA) | Bold Ruler (USA) |
| Missy Baba (USA) | |||
| Coz o'Nijinsky (USA) | Involvement (USA) | ||
| Gleam (USA) | |||
| Beauty One (JPN) | Dapper Dan (USA) | Ribot (GB) | |
| So Chic (USA) | |||
| Miss Jane (JPN) | Limbo (USA) | ||
| Jane (JPN), (Family: F6-a) |
References
- ↑ "ユキノビジン｜JBISサーチ（JBIS-Search）". www.jbis.or.jp. Retrieved 2026-07-31.
- 1 2 "日刊スポーツ競馬 極ウマ BIGLOBE会員：日刊スポーツ競馬 極ウマ". goku-uma.nikkansports.com. Retrieved 2026-07-31.
- 1 2 "web Furlong 2011【高橋華代子の（続）気になるあの馬は…】第38回 ユキノビジン". www.keiba.go.jp. Retrieved 2026-07-31.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Kansai Keiba Shikiho 1994 Autumn Issue," Keiba Book, Vol. 15, No. 3, p. 1307.
- 1 2 Reiko Matsunaga, "Tohoku Girl Yukino Bijin: Out of Sync in the City," Bessatsu Takarajima Keiba Meiba Dokuhon 3, No. 223, Takarajimasha, 1995, p. 172.
- ↑ "エビスサクラ｜JBISサーチ（JBIS-Search）". www.jbis.or.jp. Retrieved 2026-07-31.
- 1 2 Reiko Matsunaga, "Tohoku Girl Yukino Bijin: Out of Sync in the City," Bessatsu Takarajima Keiba Meiba Dokuhon 3, No. 223, Takarajimasha, 1995, p. 173.
- ↑ "Kansai Horse Racing Quarterly Report, Spring 1994," *Keiba Book*, Vol. 15, No. 1, p. 1319, Keiba Book.
- ↑ "Kansai Horse Racing Quarterly Report, Autumn 1993," *Keiba Book*, Vol. 14, No. 3, p. 1306, Keiba Book.
- ↑ "Kansai Horse Racing Quarterly Report, Autumn 1994," *Keiba Book*, Vol. 15, No. 3, p.1308, Keiba Book.
- 1 2 3 "ユキノビジンを訪ねて～村田牧場 | 馬産地コラム | 競走馬のふるさと案内所". uma-furusato.com. Retrieved 2026-07-31.
- ↑ Japan Bloodhorse Breeders' Association. "Race Records:Lifetime Starts | Yukino Bijin(JPN) | JBIS-Search". www.jbis.jp. Archived from the original on 2022-09-23. Retrieved 2026-07-31.
- ↑ "Yukino Bijin Race Record and Form | Horse Profile". netkeiba. Retrieved 2026-07-31.
- ↑ Japan Bloodhorse Breeders' Association. "Family:Dam Information | Yukino Bijin(JPN) | JBIS-Search". www.jbis.jp. Archived from the original on 2022-09-23. Retrieved 2026-07-31.
- ↑ "チャームアスリープとユキノビジンの馬碑が完成 | (有)村田牧場". pacalla.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 2026-07-31.
- ↑ "ユキノビジン｜ウマ娘 プリティーダービー 公式ポータルサイト｜Cygames". umamusume.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 2026-07-31.
- ↑ "Yukino Bijin Pedigree | Horse Profile". netkeiba. Retrieved 2026-07-31.
- ↑ Japan Bloodhorse Breeders' Association. "Pedigree Summary:Five-generation Pedigree Table | Yukino Bijin(JPN)|JBIS-Search". www.jbis.jp. Archived from the original on 2022-09-23. Retrieved 2026-07-31.