Special Week

Special Week
スペシャルウィーク
Special Week racing at the 1999 Autumn Tennō Shō.
BreedThoroughbred
SireSunday Silence (USA)
GrandsireHalo (USA)
DamCampaign Girl (JPN)
DamsireMaruzensky (JPN)
SexStallion
Foaled(1995-05-02)May 2, 1995
DiedApril 27, 2018(2018-04-27) (aged 22)
CountryJapan
ColourDark bay
BreederHidaka Taiyo Bokujo
OwnerHiroyoshi Usuda
Racing colors
TrainerToshiaki Shirai
JockeyYutaka Take
Yukio Okabe
Olivier Peslier
Record17: 10-4-2
Earnings¥1,092,623,000
Major wins
Kisaragi Sho (1998)
Yayoi Sho (1998)
Kyoto Shimbun Hai (1998)
American Jockey Club Cup (1999)
Hanshin Daishoten (1999)
Tenno Sho (Spring) (1999)
Tenno Sho (Autumn) (1999)
Japan Cup (1999)
Japanese Classic Race wins:
Tokyo Yushun (1998)
Awards
JRA Special Award (1999)
Honours
Timeform rating: 125

Special Week (Japanese: スペシャルウィーク, Hepburn: Supesharu Wīku; 2 May 1995 – 27 April 2018) was a Japanese Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. From 1997 to 1999, he won ten of his seventeen races including four at Grade I level. After winning his only start as a juvenile he emerged as a top-class performer in the following season: he won the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) and three other graded races as well as being placed in the Satsuki Sho, Kikuka Sho and the Japan Cup. He performed even better as a four-year-old in 1999, winning the Hanshin Daishoten, the spring and autumn editions of the Tenno Sho, and the Japan Cup. In the last-named race he defeated a strong international field including the winners of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and The Derby.

Background

Special Week was a brown horse with a white blaze standing 16.1¾ hands high, bred in Japan by Hidaka Taiyo Bokujo and sired by Sunday Silence. Special Week's dam Campaign Girl was an unraced daughter of Maruzensky and was a great-granddaughter of the leading Japanese broodmare Shiraoki. Campaign Girl died shortly after foaling Special Week and the colt had to be hand-fed by stable staff.

During his racing career the colt was owned by Hiroyoshi Usuda, trained by Toshiaki Shirai and ridden in most of his races by Yutaka Take.

Racing career

1997: two-year-old season

On his only appearance as a two-year-old, Special Week ran in a maiden race over 1600 metres at Hanshin Racecourse on 19 November. He made a successful debut, beating thirteen opponents headed by Legacy Hunter.

1998: three-year-old season

Special Week began his second season by finishing second to Asahi Creek in the Shiraume Sho over 1600 metres at Kyoto Racecourse in January. In the following month was moved up in class and distance for the Grade III Kisaragi Sho over 1800 metres at the same course and recorded his first major win, beating Bold Emperor and thirteen others. In March he was stepped up again for the Grade II Hochi Hai Yayoi Sho (the major trial race for the Satsuki Sho) over 2000 metres at Nakayama Racecourse and won from Seiun Sky and King Halo. In the Satsuki Sho over the same course and distance on 19 April he was unable to reproduce his earlier form and finished third, beaten half a length and a length by Seiun Sky and King Halo. On 7 June, Special Week was one of a field of eighteen colts, also including Seiun Sky and King Halo, to contest the Tokyo Yushun over 2400 metres at Tokyo Racecourse. Special Week won by five lengths from Bold Emperor with Daiwa Superior taking third ahead of Seiun Sky.

After a four-month break, Special Week returned in October for the Grade II Kyoto Shimbun Hai over 2200 metres on 18 October and won from King Halo. On 8 November he faced King Halo, Bold Emperor, Seiun Sky and Daiwa Superior in the Grade I Kikuka Sho over 3000 metres at Kyoto Racecourse. He finished second of the eighteen runners behind Seiun Sky, who won in a course record time of 3:03.2. On his final start of the season Special Week was matched against older horses for the first time in the Japan Cup at Tokyo on 29 November. Ridden by Yukio Okabe, who was substituting for Take as he was serving a suspension at the time due to blocking other horses during Admire Vega's maiden race, the horse started the 2.3/1 favourite in a fifteen-runner field which included challengers from Germany, Canada, the United States and Britain. He was in sixth place entering the straight and made steady progress in the closing stages to finish third behind El Condor Pasa and Air Groove.

1999: four-year-old season

Special Week began his third season in the Grade II American Jockey Club Stakes at Nakayama on 24 January and won from Silent Hunter and Mejiro Steed. On 21 March at Hanshin he added another Grade II win when he defeated Mejiro Bright in the 3000 metre Hanshin Daishoten. The Grade I spring edition of the Tenno Sho over the same course and distance saw Special Week matched against eleven opponents including Mejiro Bright (winner of the race in 1998), Matikanefukukitaru, Seiun Sky, Stay Gold, Silk Justice (Arima Kinen). Special Week recorded his second Grade I win as he defeated Mejiro Bright by half a length with Seiun Sky two and a half lengths back in third. In the Takarazuka Kinen over 2200 metres at Hanshin on 11 July, his final start before the summer break, Special Week was matched against Grass Wonder a colt who had been the best of his generation in 1997 but missed most of the 1998 season before returning to win the Arima Kinen in December. Special Week was beaten three lengths into second place by Grass Wonder but finished seven lengths clear of the other ten runners.

On his return to racing in autumn, Special Week finished seventh behind Tsurumaru Tsuyoshi in the Kyoto Daishoten on 10 October. In the Tenno Sho over 2000 metres at Tokyo on 31 October, Special Week attempted to become the second horse to win both the spring and autumn editions of the race in the same year. The race attracted a seventeen-runner field including Mejiro Bright, Silent Hunter, Tsurumaru Tsuyoshi, King Halo, Seiun Sky, Stay Gold, Stinger (Hanshin Juvenile Fillies) and Air Jihad (Yasuda Kinen). In a closely contested conclusion to the race, Special Week prevailed by a neck from Stay Gold, with Air Jihad, Stinger, Seiun Sky and the outsider Embrasser Moi all finishing within two lengths for the winner. The winning time of 1:58.0 was a new record for the race.

On 28 November, in front of a crowd of 155,000, Special Week made his second attempt to defeat international competition in the Japan Cup. The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Montjeu started favourite with Special Week the joint-second choice alongside the German horse Tiger Hill, twice winner of the Grosser Preis von Baden. The other European challengers were High-Rise (Epsom Derby), Borgia (Deutsches Derby & Grosser Preis von Baden) and Fruits of Love (Hardwicke Stakes) whilst Hong Kong was represented by their Horse of the Year, Indigenous. The best fancied of the other Japanese runners were Rascal Suzuka (third in the Kikuka Sho), Stay Gold and Umeno Fiber (Yushun Himba). Special Week was restrained by Take in the early stages before turning into the straight in sixth place. He took the lead approaching the last 200 metres and won by one and a half lengths and a nose from Indigenous and High-Rise, with Montjeu in fourth. Yutaka Take, who was winning the race for the first time said, "I am very pleased because I could achieve one of my dreams... I am proud to be Japanese."

Special Week ended his racing career when he met Grass Wonder for the second time in the Arima Kinen at Nakayama in December. The race produced a four-way photo finish in which Special Week was beaten a nose by Grass Wonder, with T. M. Opera O and Tsurumaru Tsuyoshi just behind.

For his efforts over the course of the season, Special Week was given a special award at the JRA Awards for 1999.

Stud record

Special Week was retired from racing to stand at Shadai Stallion Station in Abira, Hokkaido. He later moved to Lex Stud where he was based in 2015.

His most successful progeny was Buena Vista, a mare who won six Grade I races and multiple JRA Awards, including the Japanese Horse of the Year award in 2010. Another notable mare to be sired by Special Week was Cesario who became the first Japanese 3-year-old horse to win an overseas Grade I race and has achieved spectacular success as a broodmare, foaling three Grade I winners.

Special Week died on April 27, 2018, from injuries sustained when he fell in his paddock at the age of 22.

Major winners

c = colt, f = filly
bold = G1/Jpn1 stakes

Grade One winners
Foaled Name Sex Major Wins
2002 Cesario f Flower Cup, Yushun Himba, American Oaks
2006 Buena Vista f Hanshin Juvenile Fillies, Tulip Sho, Oka Shō, Yushun Himba, Kyōto Kinen, Victoria Mile, Tenno Sho (Autumn), Japan Cup
2007 Gold Blitz c Antares Stakes (twice), Mercury Cup, Teio Sho
2008 Roman Legend c Elm Stakes (twice), Miyako Stakes, Tokyo Daishōten
2011 Toho Jackal c Kikuka-shō
Other winners
Foaled Name Sex Major Wins
2001 San Valentin c Fukushima Kinen, Tanabata Sho
2002 Inti Raimi c Kyoto Shimbun Hai, Asahi Challenge Cup, Kyōto Daishōten
2002 Smooth Baritone c Tokyo Sports Hai Nisai Stakes
2003 Toho Shine f Mermaid Stakes
2004 Osumi Daido c Daily Hai Nisai Stakes
2006 Blitzen c Lord Derby Challenge Trophy
2006 Fireflaught c Keisei Hai Autumn Handicap
2006 Narita Crystal c Niigata Kinen (twice), Chukyo Kinen
2006 Reach the Crown c Kisaragi Sho, Yomiuri Milers Cup
2007 Stellar Lead f Hakodate Nisai Stakes
2007 Tagano Elisabeth f Fantasy Stakes
2008 Queen's Barn f Hanshin Himba Stakes
2010 Arumdapta c Hokkaido Nisai Yushun
2011 Win Full Bloom c Kyoto Kimpai

An anthropomorphized version of Special Week appears as a character in the Japanese multimedia franchise Umamusume: Pretty Derby, voiced by Azumi Waki. The 2018 anime premiered shortly before his death. She serves as the main character and mascot of the franchise, depicted as a cheery and hard-working girl from Hokkaido who has recently enrolled in Tracen Academy. Originally born to an Umamusume, she is now raised by a human woman after her birth mother passed away, so she enrolls in Tracen Academy to make both of her mothers proud. Aside from her clumsiness and overall chirpy demeanor, she is also very fond of food, specifically carrots, and is sometimes seen eating so much that her belly distends from it, though usually not to the same extent as Oguri Cap.

Racing form

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

Date Age Distance (Condition) Race Class Course Field Odds
(Favored)		 Finish Time Winning
(Losing)
Margin		 Jockey Winner
(2nd Place)		 Ref
Nov 29, 1997 2 Turf 1600 m (Good) Two Year Old Debut Hanshin 14 1.4 (1st) 1st 1:36.9 2 lengths Yutaka Take (Legacy Hunter)
Jan 6, 1998 3 Turf 1600 m (Firm) Shiraume Sho 1 Win Kyoto 16 1.3 (1st) 2nd 1:36.0 (nose) Yutaka Take Asahi Creek
Feb 8, 1998 Turf 1800 m (Firm) Kisaragi Sho GIII Kyoto 16 1.7 (1st) 1st 1:51.3 3+1⁄2 lengths Yutaka Take (Bold Emperor)
Mar 8, 1998 Turf 2000 m (Firm) Yayoi Sho GII Nakayama 13 2.8 (2nd) 1st 2:01.8 1⁄2 length Yutaka Take (Seiun Sky)
Apr 19, 1998 Turf 2000 m (Firm) Satsuki Sho GI Nakayama 18 1.8 (1st) 3rd 2:01.6 (1+1⁄2 lengths) Yutaka Take Seiun Sky
Jun 7, 1998 Turf 2400 m (Good) Tokyo Yushun GI Tokyo 18 2.0 (1st) 1st 2:25.8 5 lengths Yutaka Take (Bold Emperor)
Oct 18, 1998 Turf 2200 m (Good) Kyoto Shimbun Hai GII Kyoto 16 1.2 (1st) 1st 2:15.0 neck Yutaka Take (King Halo)
Nov 8, 1998 Turf 3000 m (Firm) Kikuka Sho GI Kyoto 17 1.5 (1st) 2nd 3:03.8 (3+1⁄2 lengths) Yutaka Take Seiun Sky
Nov 29, 1998 Turf 2400 m (Firm) Japan Cup GI Tokyo 15 3.3 (1st) 3rd 2:26.4 (3 lengths) Yukio Okabe El Condor Pasa
Jan 24, 1999 4 Turf 2200 m (Firm) American Jockey Club Cup GII Nakayama 11 2.0 (1st) 1st 2:16.8 3 lengths Olivier Peslier (Silent Hunter)
Mar 21, 1999 Turf 3000 m (Soft) Hanshin Daishoten GII Hanshin 9 2.1 (2nd) 1st 3:13.4 3⁄4 length Yutaka Take (Mejiro Bright)
May 2, 1999 Turf 3200 m (Firm) Tenno Sho (Spring) GI Kyoto 12 2.3 (1st) 1st 3:15.3 1⁄2 length Yutaka Take (Mejiro Bright)
Jul 11, 1999 Turf 2200 m (Firm) Takarazuka Kinen GI Hanshin 12 1.5 (1st) 2nd 2:12.6 (3 lengths) Yutaka Take Grass Wonder
Oct 10, 1999 Turf 2400 m (Firm) Kyoto Daishoten GII Kyoto 10 1.8 (1st) 7th 2:25.1 (5+1⁄2 lengths) Yutaka Take Tsurumaru Tsuyoshi
Oct 31, 1999 Turf 2000 m (Firm) Tenno Sho (Autumn) GI Tokyo 17 6.8 (4th) 1st R1:58.0 neck Yutaka Take (Stay Gold)
Nov 28, 1999 Turf 2400 m (Firm) Japan Cup GI Tokyo 14 3.4 (2nd) 1st 2:25.5 1+1⁄2 lengths Yutaka Take (Indigenous)
Dec 26, 1999 Turf 2500 m (Firm) Arima Kinen GI Nakayama 14 3.0 (2nd) 2nd 2:37.2 (nose) Yutaka Take Grass Wonder

Pedigree

Pedigree of Special Week (JPN), brown horse 1995
Sire
Sunday Silence (USA)
1986		 Halo (USA)
1969		 Hail to Reason Turn-To
Nothirdchance
Cosmah Cosmic Bomb
Almahmoud
Wishing Well (USA)
1975		 Understanding Promised Land
Pretty Ways
Mountain Flower Montparnasse
Edel Weiss
Dam
Campaign Girl (JPN)
1987		 Maruzensky (JPN)
1974		 Nijinsky Northern Dancer
Flaming Page
Shill Buckpasser
Quill
Lady Shiraoki (JPN)
1978		 Saint Crespin Aureole
Neocracy
Miss Ashiyagawa Hindostan
Shiraoki (Family 3-l)

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Special Week pedigree". Equineline.
  2. 1 2 3 スペシャルウィーク号が死亡. Japan Racing Association (in Japanese). 2018-04-27. Archived from the original on 2018-04-27. Retrieved 2023-08-07.
  3. 1 2 "Special Week – Stallions in Japan 2015". Japan Horse Racing Association.
  4. ↑ "Sunday Silence – Stud Record". Racing Post.
  5. 1 2 "Mayonaise – Family 3-L". Thoroughbred Bloodlines. Archived from the original on 2012-08-06. Retrieved 2015-11-05.
  6. 1 2 "Race Records:Lifetime Starts – Special Week". Japan Bloodhorse Breeders' Association.
  7. ↑ "Tokyo Yushun result". Racing Post. 7 June 1998.
  8. ↑ "Kikuka Sho result". Racing Post. 8 November 1998.
  9. ↑ 週刊100名馬 : Gallop selection-平成を彩った名馬たち v.92 (アドマイヤベガ) (in Japanese). Sankei Shimbun. 2000. pp. 5–6.
  10. ↑ "Tenno Sho (spring) result". Racing Post. 2 May 1999.
  11. ↑ "Tenno Sho (autumn) result". Racing Post. 31 October 1999.
  12. 1 2 "Dettori misses out on Japan Cup". BBC News.
  13. ↑ "Japan Cup result". Racing Post. 28 November 1999.
  14. ↑ "Special Week takes prize". The Irish Times. 29 November 1999.
  15. ↑ "【アメリカンオークス】シーザリオ４馬身差の圧勝、日米オークス制覇". ラジオNIKKEI (in Japanese). 2005-07-04. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  16. ↑ "Cesario All Progeny | Horse Profile". netkeiba. Retrieved 2026-10-26.
  17. ↑ @nikkankeiba (27 April 2018). "スペシャルウィークの死亡について" (Tweet) (in Japanese) – via Twitter.[permanent dead link]
  18. ↑ "スペシャルウィーク". ウマ娘 プリティーダービー 公式ポータルサイト (in Japanese). Cygames. Retrieved 2023-08-07.
  19. ↑ Loo, Egan (2018-02-25). "Uma Musume Pretty Derby Anime Reveals Cast, Theme Song, Visual". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on 2018-06-22. Retrieved 2023-08-07.
  20. ↑ "アニメ『ウマ娘』スペシャルウィークを追悼". ORICON NEWS. 2018-04-28. Archived from the original on 2023-06-23. Retrieved 2023-08-07.
  21. ↑ "Race Records | Special Week(JPN) | JBIS-Search". www.jbis.jp. Japan Bloodhorse Breeders' Association. Retrieved 17 November 2025.
  22. ↑ "Special Week Race Record and Form | Horse Profile". netkeiba. NET DREAMERS, Co., Ltd. Retrieved 17 November 2025.
  23. ↑ "7R サラ系3才新馬 | 1997年11月29日". JBIS (in Japanese). 29 November 1997. Retrieved 18 March 2026.
  24. ↑ "9R 白梅賞 | 1998年1月6日". JBIS (in Japanese). 6 January 1998. Retrieved 18 March 2026.
  25. ↑ "11R きさらぎ賞 | 1998年2月8日". JBIS (in Japanese). 8 February 1998. Retrieved 18 March 2026.
  26. ↑ "11R 弥生賞 | 1998年3月8日". JBIS (in Japanese). 8 March 1998. Retrieved 18 March 2026.
  27. ↑ "11R 皐月賞 | 1998年4月19日". JBIS (in Japanese). 19 April 1998. Retrieved 18 March 2026.
  28. ↑ "9R 日本ダービー | 1998年6月7日". JBIS (in Japanese). 7 June 1998. Retrieved 18 March 2026.
  29. ↑ "11R 京都新聞杯 | 1998年10月18日". JBIS (in Japanese). 18 October 1998. Retrieved 18 March 2026.
  30. ↑ "11R 菊花賞 | 1998年11月8日". JBIS (in Japanese). 8 November 1998. Retrieved 18 March 2026.
  31. ↑ "10R ジャパンC | 1998年11月29日". JBIS (in Japanese). 29 November 1998. Retrieved 18 March 2026.
  32. ↑ "11R AJCC | 1999年1月24日". JBIS (in Japanese). 24 January 1999. Retrieved 18 March 2026.
  33. ↑ "11R 阪神大賞典 | 1999年3月21日". JBIS (in Japanese). 21 March 1999. Retrieved 18 March 2026.
  34. ↑ "11R 天皇賞(春) | 1999年5月2日". JBIS (in Japanese). 2 May 1999. Retrieved 18 March 2026.
  35. ↑ "11R 宝塚記念 | 1999年7月11日". JBIS (in Japanese). 11 July 1999. Retrieved 18 March 2026.
  36. ↑ "11R 京都大賞典 | 1999年10月10日". JBIS (in Japanese). 10 October 1999. Retrieved 18 March 2026.
  37. ↑ "11R 天皇賞(秋) | 1999年10月31日". JBIS (in Japanese). 31 October 1999. Retrieved 18 March 2026.
  38. ↑ "10R ジャパンC | 1999年11月28日". JBIS (in Japanese). 28 November 1999. Retrieved 18 March 2026.
  39. ↑ "9R 有馬記念 | 1999年12月26日". JBIS (in Japanese). 26 December 1999. Retrieved 18 March 2026.