Makahiki (horse)

Makahiki (Japanese: マカヒキ, foaled 28 January 2013) is a Japanese Thoroughbred racehorse. In 2016 he won the Yayoi Sho, Tokyo Yushun and Prix Niel

Makahiki
Makahiki winning the Yayoi Sho
SireDeep Impact
GrandsireSunday Silence
DamWikiwiki
DamsireFrench Deputy
SexColt
Foaled28 January 2013[1]
CountryJapan
ColourBay
BreederNorthern Farm
OwnerMakoto Kaneko
TrainerYasuo Tomomichi
Record7: 5-1-0
Major wins
Wakagoma Stakes (2016)
Yayoi Sho (2016)
Tokyo Yushun (2016)
Prix Niel (2016)

Background

Makahiki is a bay colt with a small white star and a white sock on his right front foot, bred at Northern Farm in Japan by his owner Makoto Kaneko. He is from the sixth crop of foals sired by Deep Impact who was the Japanese Horse of the Year in 2005 and 2006, winning races including the Tokyo Yushun, Tenno Sho, Arima Kinen and Japan Cup. Deep Impact's other progeny include Gentildonna, Harp Star, Kizuna, A Shin Hikari and Satono Diamond.[2] Makahiki's dam Wikiwiki won one minor race from five starts in Japan,[3] and had previously produced Uliuli (also by Deep Impact), a high-class racemare who won twice at Grade 3 level.[4] Her dam Real Number and grand-dam Numeraria were both successful racemares in Argentina.[5]

Makahiki was sent into training with Yasuo Tomomichi. He is named after a Hawaiian festival.

Racing career

2015: two-year-old season

Makahiki made his only appearance as a two-year-old in a contest for previously unraced horses over 1800 metres at Kyoto Racecourse on 18 October. He made a successful debut, beating Enbharr and nine others.[6]

2016: three-year-old season
Makahiki beats Satono Diamond in the Tokyo Yushun

Makahiki began his second season on 23 January when he was moved up to Listed class and won the Wakagoma Stakes over 2000 metres at Kyoto. On 3 March he was stepped up again for the Grade 2 Yayoi Sho (a major trial race for the Satsuki Sho) over 2000 metres at Nakayama Racecourse and started second favourite behind Leontes, the Japanese champion juvenile of 2015. Ridden by Christophe Lemaire he produced a strong finish to win by a neck and two lengths from Leontes and Air Spinel.[7] The Racing Post's Sam Walker rated his performance as the best by a three-year-old in 2016 up to that time and described the winner a potential Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe contender.[8] Lemaire rode the favourite Satono Diamond in the Satsuki Sho on 17 April at Nakayama with Yuga Kawada taking over the ride on Makahiki who was the 2.7/1 third choice in an eighteen-runner field. Makahiki raced towards the rear of the field on the outside before finishing strongly to take second place, beaten one and a half lengths behind the 30/1 outsider Dee Majesty.[9] Commenting on the colt's performance Tomomichi said "He wasn’t able to catch the winner, who had made his move before he did, but this horse did run really well in the stretch. He lost but I think it was by no means a bad race".[10]

On 29 May, in front of a 140,000 crowd at Tokyo Racecourse, Makahishi was one of eighteen colts to contest the 83rd running of the Tokyo Yushun. Dee Majesty, Leontes, Air Spinel and Satono Diamond were again in opposition in a race run over 2400 metres on firm ground. With Kawada again in the saddle, he raced towards the middle of the field before making progress approaching the final turn but looked unlikely to obtain a clear run in the straight. Kawada sent Makahishi through a narrow gap 300 metres from the finish, took the lead in the closing stages and won by a nose from Satono Diamond.[11] Commenting on his successful tactics Kawada said "The colt broke smoothly and I was able to race him in good position as planned. I gradually advanced him while marking Satono Diamond and he stretched really well after threading through a small opening. The moment we crossed the wire, I felt that we were a margin in front but I was overwhelmed with joy when the photo-finish result came out".[12]

In the summer of 2016 Makahiki was sent to France prepare for a run in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe which was run that year at Chantilly Racecourse as Longchamp was closed for redevelopment. He trialed for the race in the Group Two Prix Niel over 2400 metres at Chantilly on 11 September. Ridden by Lemaire, he started the odds-on favourite against four opponents including the British-trained Midterm, the one-time favourite for The Derby. After racing in third place until the straight he overtook Midterm in the closing stages and won by a neck.[13] Lemaire commented "Today was just a step and I think he was 70%, 80% fit. I’m sure he will improve... He’s a very clever and relaxed horse. He knows his job, he really does what you ask him to do and he preserves himself. Today he came very easily to the front and then just relaxed."[14] On 2 October the colt started 3.9/1 second favourite for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, but never looked likely to win and finished fourteenth of the sixteen runners behind Found.

2017: four-year-old season

On his debut as a four-year-old Makahiki started favourite for the Kyoto Kinen over 2200 metres on 12 February but finished third behind Satono Crown and Smart Layer.

Pedigree
Pedigree of Makahiki (JPN), bay colt 2013[1]
Sire
Deep Impact (JPN)
2002		 Sunday Silence (USA)
1986		 Halo Hail to Reason
Cosmah
Wishing Well Understanding
Mountain Flower
Wind In Her Hair (IRE)
1991		 Alzao Lyphard
Lady Rebecca
Burghclere Busted
Highclere
Dam
Wikiwiki (JPN)
2004		 French Deputy (USA)
1992		 Deputy Minister Vice Regent
Mint Copy
Mitterand Hold Your Peace
Laredo Lass
Real Number (ARG)
1997		 Rainbow Corner Rainbow Quest
Kingscote
Numeraria Southern Halo
Numismatica (Family: 1-m)[5]
gollark: For all the ridiculous problems of my workflow, I will go to *great* effort to solve a problem without having to go through the hassle and high latency of actually asking people.
gollark: Ah, learned helplessness.
gollark: Well, it might be if I go to a university or something with hard time consuming courses. Right now I only do 25 hours a week *at most* of work.
gollark: They even *commend* me for doing my homework *technically* mostly on time, unlike one of my brothers.
gollark: <:ferris:786305136963354634>

References
  1. "Makahiki pedigree". Equineline. 2012-05-08. Retrieved 2013-05-05.
  2. "Deep Impact - Stud Record". Racing Post.
  3. "Race Records:Lifetime Starts - Wikiwiki (JPN)". Japan Bloodhorse Breeders' Association.
  4. "Uliuli (JPN)". Japan Bloodhorse Breeders' Association.
  5. "Footlight - Family 1-m". Thoroughbred Bloodlines. Retrieved 2014-06-02.
  6. "Race Records:Lifetime Starts - Makahiki (JPN)". Japan Bloodhorse Breeders' Association.
  7. "Yayoi Sho result". Racing Post. 6 March 2016.
  8. Sam Walker (7 March 2016). "Makahiki could be Japan's Arc hope". Racing Post.
  9. "Deep Impact Colts Dominate the Top Three with Dee Majesty Setting Record Time in This Year's Satsuki Sho". Horse Racing in Japan. 17 April 2016.
  10. "Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) (G1) - comments from runners' connections". Horse Racing in Japan. 27 May 2016.
  11. "Makahiki triumphs by a nose in Japanese Derby". The Japan Times. 29 May 2016.
  12. "2016.05.29 Satsuki Sho Runner-up Makahiki Wins a Close Contest in the Tokyo Yushun". Horse Racing in Japan. 29 May 2016.
  13. "Prix Niel result". Racing Post. 11 September 2016.
  14. Greg Wood (11 September 2016). "Makahiki boosts Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe prospects with Prix Neil win". The Guardian.
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