Embroidery (horse)

Summarize Timeline Fact Check

Embroidery debuted on June 2, 2024, in a 2-year-old maiden race at Tokyo Racecourse over a distance of 1,600 meters. Closing sharply along the rail in the stretch, she narrowly lost by half a length to Million Rose, finishing second.^[5] Her next start came in a 2-year-old maiden race at Niigata Racecourse on July 27. Breaking sharply to take the lead, she dictated a slow pace before accelerating in the stretch to win by 7 lengths, securing her maiden victory in a record time of 1:45.5, breaking Niigata’s previous 1,800 meter turf course record for two-year-olds by 0.9 seconds.^[6] On September 29, she started as the favorite in the Saffron Sho but finished 5th after a slow start.^[7] She rebounded on November 16 in a 2yo 1-win class race, claiming her second career victory.^[8]

Embroidery opened her 3-year-old campaign in the Queen Cup on February 15, marking her graded stakes debut. Tracking second early, she surged clear in the stretch to win by two-and-a-half horse lengths in a race-record time of 1:32.2. This victory also made her the first graded stakes winner sired by Admire Mars.^[9]

On April 13, she contested the Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) at Hanshin Racecourse. Racing mid-pack, she threaded through traffic in the stretch to win decisively, securing her first grade 1 title and extending her graded stakes winning streak.^[10] Notably, Admire Mars, a first-year sire with his first crop of foals, became the first freshman stallion since Epiphaneia (sire of Daring Tact, 2020 Oka Sho winner) to produce a Japanese classic winner.^[11][12]

Following her Oka Sho triumph, Embroidery was sent to Northern Farm Tennei for a brief rest. On April 25, her owners, Silk Racing, announced via their official website that she would target the Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) at Tokyo Racecourse on May 25.^[13] At the race, Embroidery who came as the first favourite, could not see the distance well, hit the wall and stalled at ninth position.^[14]

Later on this year, Embroidery's next race was decided to be the Shuka Sho in Kyoto.^[15] The race was held on October 19. When the race start, Embroidery settled out early and held on to the second place before finally putting her foot down and passing Erika Express [ja], who was jockeyed by Yutaka Take, on the final straight and took home her second tiara.^[16] Embroidery closed her year with a run at the Hong Kong Mile in Sha Tin but as she move outside from the middle pack and fade away from two furlong out, she ended up in eleventh-place five and three-quarters length behind Voyage Bubble who won the race.^[17]

Embroidery started this season with a run back at the Hanshin Himba Stakes on April. Her trainer, Mori claimed that although Embroidery speed during training is not especially fast, she finished it with something in hand. He also said that she came back physically stronger now and more complete than before.^[18] This claimed was proven on the race day as she started strong from the gate, took the lead and held on to it until the finish line.^[19] She won the race by a neck over the last year Oaks winner, Kamunyak.^[20]