Mejiro Sakuya

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Mejiro Sakuya (目白咲夜)
Alias(es)	Sakuya
Name Origin	“Mejiro” is Kitano's naming prefix; “Sakuya” derives from Konohanasakuya-hime and reflects his wish that she live a long, healthy life. 34
Species/Race	Horse; bay mare
Gender	Female
Affiliation	Mejiro; Arayama Stable (former); Mejiro Farm
Occupation/Role	Racehorse; later broodmare
Owner	Sachi Kitano 174 193
Trainer(s)	Tanaka (former); Hatsunori Arayama 64 77
Status	Retired from racing after her second consecutive Dubai World Cup victory; returned to Mejiro Farm for her breeding career. 333 336
First Appearance	Chapter 34 (name registration) 34

Background / History

Kitano registered Sakuya under the Mejiro name with a wish for her health, a concern that would remain central throughout her career. A bay filly with an impressive build but a visible limp, she debuted under strict instructions to prioritize finishing safely over results. 34 36

Sakuya won her maiden debut by two lengths after unleashing an unexpectedly savage outside closing burst. Her first trainer, Tanaka, immediately believed she could contend in graded company, though Kitano remained conscious of the risk posed by her right hind leg. 37 She later won the All Japan Juvenile Yushun, establishing herself as a leading Hokkaido-bred juvenile. 72 76

After Tanaka transferred her to Oi, Sakuya entered Arayama Stable. Arayama questioned whether her best pace was truly a fast one, concluding that her extraordinary acceleration could be more effective when preserved for a late run. 64 76 She adapted to the new stable immediately despite her limp, calmly entering her specialized stall and eating without hesitation. 77

Her international campaign included a narrow Saudi Derby defeat to Joyful Time, followed by a Kentucky Derby victory that left her severely fatigued. The team ended her American Triple Crown campaign, sent her for surgery, and prioritized rehabilitation over racing. 101 127 Her right-hind gait was subsequently corrected through surgery, specialized shoeing, and ongoing gait analysis. 186

After returning to competition, Sakuya won the Tokyo Daisho, Dubai World Cup, Teio Sho, Woodward Stakes, and Breeders' Cup Classic. Her final race was a second consecutive Dubai World Cup victory, after which she was immediately retired despite remaining an elite performer. 171 193 223 278 333

Appearance

Sakuya is a powerfully built bay mare with a black, satin-soft mane and distinctive sanpaku eyes. Her placid expression and rounded, food-loving appearance often conceal a physique described as imposing and heavily muscled.

• Large frame with notably developed forelegs, hindquarters, and back musculature. 77 177
• Bay coat; usually presented in Mejiro colors with a braided mane or green bow for major races. 117 269
• Retained a visible limp in her right hind leg during her early career. 77
• Her weight required frequent management, particularly late in her career. 158 320 329
• Often appears sleepy, slow to react, or reluctant to leave an air-conditioned stall. 45 186

Personality

Outside races, Sakuya is gentle, unhurried, and easily mistaken for dull or lazy. She is exceptionally calm in gates, under floodlights, amid flying sand, and before large crowds; this steadiness became one of her greatest competitive strengths. 36 73 100

She is strongly food-motivated, especially by carrots, mints, grass, and flowers. She will search Kitano's pockets for treats, attempt to graze during work, and has even nibbled ceremonial flowers after major victories. 37 153 177 278 Stable staff regard her apparent indifference differently: she simply ignores what she considers unimportant, but responds seriously when something matters to her. 202

Sakuya is affectionate with familiar caretakers. She enjoys grooming and massage, rubs against Kitano and Ogawa Masaru, and quickly formed a trusting rapport with Jin Meiqi. 89 158 177

Abilities & Skills

Explosive Finishing Kick

Sakuya's defining trait is a late acceleration repeatedly described as frightening, monstrous, or teleport-like.

• Won her maiden by running down the leaders from the outside and finishing two lengths clear. 37
• Can accelerate through narrow inside gaps, as demonstrated in her Saudi Derby challenge against Joyful Time. 101
• Closed decisively at Meydan despite the course's reputation as difficult for late runners. 106
• Used a decisive late surge to defeat Dubai Sunrise in her final Dubai World Cup. 333

Sustained Dirt Power

Although initially known as a closer, Sakuya developed the ability to maintain speed and power from prominent or front-running positions.

• Controlled the Tokyo Daisho from near the front before drawing away from Mr. Caesar. 171
• Led throughout much of her first Dubai World Cup and held off Thorpedo Anna in the final 200 meters. 192
• Won the rain-soaked Teio Sho by three lengths through sustained pressure rather than a late sprint. 223
• Her front-running versatility was decisive in the Woodward Stakes and Breeders' Cup Classic. 270 277 278

Composure and Adaptability

Sakuya remains unusually composed in unfamiliar or high-pressure environments.

• Entered her debut gate calmly despite night-racing floodlights and surrounding commotion. 36
• Maintained her route through flying sand while more excitable rivals became unsettled. 73
• Stayed relaxed in overseas parade rings, including at Meydan, where other runners reacted to heat and noise. 105
• Adapted successfully to racing in Japan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States. 193 278

Competitive Will

Despite her lethargic day-to-day demeanor, Sakuya responds when asked to race seriously.

• Fought Joyful Time through a near dead-heat after forcing her way through a one-horse gap. 101
• Held off Thorpedo Anna in a direct Dubai World Cup duel. 192
• Defeated Everlasting Youth in the Breeders' Cup Classic, becoming Japan's first winner of the race. 278

Limits and Physical Management

Sakuya's career required careful management because of a chronic right-hind issue and later weight concerns.

• Her right hind leg was naturally slow to respond because of insufficient neural inhibition, contributing to poor starts and lameness. 90
• She could not tolerate the same training volume as stablemates and was commonly worked at half to two-thirds of their workload. 90
• Zepp's customized right-hind shoe used shock-absorbing padding and a breakover-point adjustment to improve efficiency and reduce impact. 89
• Her later career was threatened by excess weight and reduced training sharpness, leading the team to withdraw from a planned Breeders' Cup defense. 320
• For her final Dubai World Cup, she wore reinforced seven-millimeter serrated horseshoes designed for Middle Eastern dirt. 329

Equipment / Items

• Specialized right-hind horseshoes — Developed by Zepp through computerized hoof and gait analysis; intended to reduce impact and improve stride efficiency. 89
• Reinforced serrated shoes — Seven-millimeter shoes fitted for the Middle Eastern dirt in her final campaign. 329
• Mejiro silks and presentation colors — Associated with Mejiro's white-and-green colors; she also appeared in Belmont-themed green equipment at the Woodward Stakes. 50 269
• Protective amulets — Received shrine amulets before major races, including the Monbetsu Future Star. 50

Racing Career

Race / Event	Result	Notes
Maiden debut	1st	Won by two lengths after an outside late charge; immediately left the maiden class. 37
All Japan Juvenile Yushun	1st	Her finishing burst in this victory became central to Arayama's analysis after her transfer to Oi. 76
Saudi Derby	2nd	Overcame a poor start and nearly defeated Joyful Time after a bold inside attack. 101
Kentucky Derby	1st	Victory came at a heavy physical cost and was followed by surgery and rehabilitation planning. 127
Tokyo Daisho	1st	Returned from a layoff with an improved start and defeated Mr. Caesar decisively. 171 174
Dubai World Cup	1st	Held off Thorpedo Anna after leading from the start; rose to world No. 1 afterward. 192 193
Teio Sho	1st	Won the muddy 2,000-meter Grade One by three lengths. 223
Woodward Stakes	1st	Defeated colts by two and a quarter lengths at Belmont Park. 270
Breeders' Cup Classic	1st	Japan's first victory in the race; Sakuya became only the second filly to win it. 278
Dubai World Cup	1st	Won her final race, becoming the second horse to claim consecutive Dubai World Cups. 333

Honors and Rankings

Honor / Ranking	Details
Moment of the Year Award	Received before being named Horse of the Year. 176
Horse of the Year	Won unexpectedly at the awards ceremony. 176
American Champion Three-Year-Old Filly	Awarded in recognition of her major victories at Churchill Downs and Oi. 176
Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings	Ranked sixth with a rating of 124 before her first Dubai World Cup campaign. 174
Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings	Ranked first in the world with a rating of 130 after winning the Dubai World Cup. 193
Breeders' Cup Classic milestone	First Japanese winner and only the second filly to win the race. 278
Career summary	Retired with five GI victories, additional graded wins, and a perfect top-two finish rate. 333

Relationships

• Sachi Kitano — Owner and veterinarian; prioritizes her safety over prestige, personally examines her condition, and frequently indulges her love of mints. 36 127 153
• Tanaka — Her first trainer, who recognized her graded-race potential and later arranged her transfer to Oi. 37 64
• Hatsunori Arayama — Trainer after her Oi transfer; reshaped her preparation around her physical limits, racing style, and international ambitions. 76 104 320
• Ochiai Genta — Early jockey and partner in her maiden victory; trusted her closing kick instead of overcontrolling her. 37 73
• Ryuji Wada — Major jockey during her Saudi, Kentucky, and Tokyo Daisho campaigns; his partnership with Sakuya developed through tactical trust and aggressive adaptation. 101 104 171
• Jin Meiqi — Later regular jockey; won both Dubai World Cups and the Breeders' Cup Classic with Sakuya. 177 193 278 333
• Ogawa Masaru — Groom and caretaker; handles her daily care, comforts her during treatment, and shares an affectionate bond with her. 45 89 193
• Joseph “Zepp” Schmidt — Farrier and gait analyst responsible for developing her customized horseshoes and monitoring her right-hind movement. 89 186 329
• Joyful Time — Rival who narrowly defeated Sakuya in the Saudi Derby. 101
• Mr. Caesar — Major domestic rival defeated by Sakuya in the Tokyo Daisho; later opposed her in Dubai. 171 332
• Thorpedo Anna — Her principal rival in the first Dubai World Cup; Sakuya narrowly held her off in the stretch. 192 193
• Everlasting Youth — Rival in the Breeders' Cup Classic, where Sakuya secured Japan's historic victory. 277 278

Trivia

• Sakuya’s name was chosen from Konohanasakuya-hime, but an official jokingly assumed it referenced a fictional maid character instead. 34
• She likes carrots enough that her eating speed visibly increases when they are added to her feed. 45
• She once stole a bite of greenery by the rail after her maiden victory, then spat it out when she noticed the taste. 37
• She dislikes ice packs and stared at them as though she wanted to eat them. 96
• Her three breeding traits are Large Frame, Mental Strength, and Power. 336