Haiseiko

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Haiseiko ハイセイコー
Haiseiko at the 1973 Satsuki Sho.
Breed	Thoroughbred
Sire	China Rock
Grandsire	Rockefella
Dam	Haiyu
Damsire	Karim
Sex	Stallion
Foaled	1970
Country	Japan
Colour	Bay
Breeder	Takeda Bokujo
Owner	Oyu Horseman Club
Racing colours
Trainer	Masami Ito Katsutaro Suzuki
Jockey	Sueo Masuzawa
Record	22: 13-4-2
Earnings	219,539,600 Yen
Major wins
Seiun Sho (1972) Yayoi Sho (1973) Spring Stakes (1973) NHK Hai (1973) Nakayama Kinen (1974) Takarazuka Kinen (1974) Takamatsunomiya Hai (1974) Japanese Classic Race wins: Satsuki Sho (1973)
Awards
Yushun Public Prize (1973)
Honours
Japan Racing Association Hall of Fame (1984) Statue at Nakayama Racecourse, Oi Racecourse & Niikappu, Hokkaido Haiseiko Kinen at Oi Racecourse

Haiseiko (Japanese: ハイセイコー, Hepburn: Haiseikō; March 6, 1970 – May 4, 2000) was a Japanese Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He rose to national fame during the 1970s, becoming a beloved idol horse whose popularity was described as a social phenomenon. After his rise to popularity, he was famously nicknamed "The Monster of Local Racing." He played a leading role in sparking Japan's first major horse racing boom. In 1984, he was honored with induction into the Japan Racing Association Hall of Fame.

Background

Haiseiko was born in 1970 (Showa 45) at Takeda Farm in Niikappu, Hokkaido, under the jurisdiction of Hidaka Subprefecture. He had a large body, and his legs and hooves were impressively strong. This prompted farm staff to celebrate his birth with red rice, a traditional Japanese way to mark joyful occasions.

According to Takao Takeda, manager of the farm, Haiseiko stood out from birth due to his size and presence. When running in groups, at the front. Takeda believed from an early age that Haiseiko could compete at the highest level in central racing and began telling others about his talent for running. The horse quickly gained recognition as the most promising prospect from Niikappu, seen as the finest horse from Takeda Farm since Kitano O [ja], winner of the 1957 Tenno Sho (Spring).

Despite offers from central racing trainers to debut directly, Haiseiko came under the ownership of Oyu Co., Ltd. This company was headed by Yasushi Aono, the owner of his dam, Haiyu. This led to his management falling under Masami Ito, a trainer at Oi Racecourse who had previously trained Haiyu.

Haiseiko joined the stable in September 1971, where he began basic handling and training. Saburo Takahashi, a jockey involved in his early training, said that even at this young stage, Haiseiko's build and dignified presence made him seem like a grown adult among children. Media outlets were already eager to cover his development, and more offers from central racing trainers began pouring in.

Racing career

In July 1972, at age two, Haiseiko began racing at the Oi Racecourse for the Japanese National Association of Racing. He was undefeated in six starts at Oi Racecourse.

In 1973, at age three, Haiseiko was traded to the Japan Racing Association. He won the Satsuki Sho, the first of the Japanese Classic Races, ⁣⁣but then finished third to Take Hope [ja] in the Tokyo Yushun and second to the same horse in the Kikuka Sho.

At age four, Haiseiko won the Takarazuka Kinen. In April, his fame extended far beyond the racing world. Media coverage grew exponentially, even appearing in non-sports outlets, captivating audiences who previously had little interest in horse racing.

Although his undefeated streak ended on May 27 with a loss in the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby), his popularity only increased. Haiseiko became a central figure in Japan's first major horse racing boom. This boom, alongside the second wave in the 1990s, sparked by jockey Yutaka Take and the horse Oguri Cap, is considered one of the two biggest in Japanese racing history. Haiseiko helped transform public perception of horse racing in Japan, shifting it from a gambling activity to a wholesome leisure pursuit. In 1984, he was officially recognized as a "Hall of Fame Horse" for his contribution to racing's popularization.

Racing form

Haiseiko won 13 races and struck podiums six more times out of 22 starts. This data is available from JBIS and netkeiba.

Legend:
  Turf   Dirt

• R indicated that it was a record time finish
• Bold races indicated that it was a part of the eight major races (八大競走)

Stud record

The data below is based on JBIS Stallion Reports.

Retirement

Even after retiring as a racehorse and becoming a stallion, Haiseiko's popularity never waned. Fans flocked to Meiwa Farm, where he stood at stud, with tour buses regularly arriving. He was consistently bringing racing enthusiasts closer to Japan's horse breeding regions. Among his offspring was Katsurano Haiseiko [ja], who triumphed in the Japanese Derby, the race Haiseiko himself couldn't win. In total, he sired 3 winners of Japan's premier GI races and 19 graded stakes winners. He retired from stud duty in 1997 and spent his final years at Meiwa Farm in Hokkaido, dying from heart failure on May 4, 2000.

Honors

Haiseiko was inducted into the Japan Racing Association Hall of Fame in 1984.

The last NAR race Haiseiko ran and won, the Seiun Sho, was renamed the Haiseiko Kinen [ja] in honor of the horse in 2001 after he died. Three statues of Haiseiko have been erected as well, with one each at Oi Racecourse, Nakayama Racecourse, and at Thoroughbred Road Niikappu Roadside Station.

In popular culture

An anthropomorphized version of the horse appears as a character in Uma Musume Pretty Derby, voiced by Sakura Tange.

Pedigree

See also

• National Association of Racing
• Niikappu, Hokkaido

References

• Haiseiko's pedigree and partial racing stats