Last year’s Japanese triple crown winner and double champion Contrast (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn} –Rhodochrosite, of Unbridled’s Song) will be retiring from Shadai Stallion Station in Japan after the final match at the G1 Japan Cup on Nov. 28. The news was first reported by BloodHorse. A fee for the 4-year-old North Hills Co., Ltd-breeding will be announced later.
Colorist Shinji Maeda, who is coached by Yoshito Yahagi, was named the 2019 Colt 2-year-old Japan Champion for a flawless campaign that culminated in an extended 1/2 win at G1 Hopeful S. took the 1800 meters G3 Tokyo Sports Hai Nisai S. in a record time of 1:44.50 in November of that year.
Contrail made his 3-year-old bow at the 2000 Japan Guineas on April 19, and maintained his unbeaten record with more wins in the G1 Japan Derby on May 31 and the G2 Kobe Shimbun. Two on September 27. He only lasted one neck to score at the G1 Japan St. Leger to become the eighth Japanese triple crown winner on October 25, 2020. Although he lost the G1 Japan Cup to Japanese equestrian Almond Eye (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {) Jpn}) second, Contrail still won the divisional title as the 3-Year-Old Japan Champion. His 2021 record shows third in G1 Osaka Hai at Hanshin in April and second in G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn) through 2021, Japan’s Guineas 2000 hero Efforia (Jpn) (Epiphaneia) {Jpn}) on Halloween. He made $8,311,887 from just 10 starts, with seven wins, two seconds and a third.
His dam, a mare named Unbridled’s Song Rhodochrosite, was acquired by Koji Maeda for $385,000 when coveted by Keeneland in September 2011. Contrail was her third pony, while Contrail was her third pony. His Folklore (Tiznow) work is the winner of GI Breeders’ Cup for Teens, GI Matron S. and GII Adirondack S. and was also named Eclipse Champion for Youth Filly Year in 2005. Half-sister to Folklore, Great Quality (Elusive Quality), was the lead for the 2020 U.S. Championship Juvenile Colt and GI Breeders ‘The Juvenile Cup Wins the Essential Quality Award (Tapit), who won the GI Belmont S. 2021 as a sophomore and will win $75,000 at Darley America next year.
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