Hokko Tarumae

2012: three-year-old season

Hokko Tarumae debuted on January 14 at Kyoto Racecourse with Kodai Hasegawa [ja] as his jockey but finished at 11th.^[8] He won his first race at the next race, a maiden race held at Kokura Racecourse, with Issei Murata [ja] as his jockey.^[8] He won his second race after two unremarkable starts at an allowance race at Hanshin Racecourse, which was the first race the horse was ridden by Hideaki Miyuki [ja]; who would become his main jockey.^[9] He then won his third race victory at the Oume Tokubetsu on June 3 at Tokyo Racecourse.^[10]

Hokko Tarumae was then entered on to the Japan Dirt Derby on July 11 but finished 5th behind Hatano Vainqueur [ja]. Miyuki stated that the horse lost not because he was a weaker horse but was because the horse was distracted and had to place him in a position further behind than what he had hoped for.^[11] On August 5, Hokko Tarumae was entered in to his second graded race, the Leopard Stakes, of which he won; marking his first graded race victory.^[12] While Hokko Tarumae did not win a single race for the rest of the season, he still managed to finish 3rd in the Japan Cup Dirt despite being the 9th favored to win.^[13]

2013: four-year-old season

Hokko Tarumae started the season with the Tokai Stakes. For the first time in his career, he was the most favored to win a race but ultimately finished third behind Grape Brandy [ja],^[14] he won the next three races, the Saga Kinen [ja], the Nagoya Daishoten [ja], and the Antares Stakes, consecutively.^[8] He would then go on to win his first JpnI race, the Kashiwa Kinen, after beating Espoir City in that race.^[15] He would also win the next race, the JpnI Teio Sho, after beating Nihonpiro Ours [ja].^[16]

After a three-and-a-half months long break, Hokko Tarumae was entered in to the Mile Championship Nambu Hai, but his winning streak was broken in that race as he failed to catch up to the front-runner Espoir City.^[17] Hokko Tarumae became the front runner in his next race, the Japan Breeding Farms' Cup Classic, where he held on to the lead and finished the race in record time for the course.^[18] On his next race, the Japan Cup Dirt, Hokko Tarumae managed to take the lead from the front running Espoir City, but finished third after he was passed by both Belshazzar [ja] and Wonder Acute after the final 100 meter mark.^[19] On his next and final race of the season, the Tokyo Daishōten, Hokko Tarumae won the race by beating Wonder Acute by a length and a half; marking his fourth JpnI/GI race wins of his career.^[20]

For the horse's accomplishment of this season, the National Association of Racing awarded the NAR Grand Prix Dirt Grade Race Special Prize for that year.^[21]

• 
  Nagoya Daishoten
• 
  Nagoya Daishoten awards ceremony
• 
  Antares Stakes
• 
  Antares Stakes awards ceremony
• 
  JBC Classic
• 
  JBC Classic awards ceremony

2014: five-year-old season

Hokko Tarumae's first race of the season was the Kawasaki Kinen, where he was the most favored to win by far, and won his 5th GI/JpnI race.^[22] He finished second on his next race, the February Stakes, as he was unable to catch up to Copano Rickey, who was the underdog of the race that scored an upset victory after he took the lead relatively early on.^[23][24]

Hokko Tarumae was then entered in to his first race abroad, which was the Dubai World Cup, but finished last.^[25] Following the race, the horse fell ill and was diagnosed as stress induced enterocolitis by the veterinarians, which led to his return to Japan being delayed a week.^[26] Following his return, it was announced that the horse would rest until Autumn.^[27]

After recuperating, he ran the Japan Breeding Farms' Cup Classic where he finished fourth. Later, he was entered in to the Champions' Cup, where he ran second for most of the race before taking over front runner Kurino Star O [ja] and winning the race, scoring his first ever JRA GI win and a total of his 6th GI/JpnI win,^[28] although his jockey Miyuki was fined 50,000 yen for poor use of his whip on the final stretch.^[29] He was then entered in to the Tokyo Daishōten where he took the lead from Copano Rickey at the third corner and beating him with a four length lead, becoming the third horse ever to win the race two years in a row.^[30]

For his feats of the season, the horse was awarded the JRA Award for Best Dirt Horse that year.^[6]

2015: six-year-old season

Hokko Tarumae started the season with the Kawasaki Kinen, of which he won.^[8] He was then sent to Dubai to once again contest the Dubai World Cup, this time finishing 5th.^[25][31] He was then entered in to the Teio Sho which he won, winning his 9th Grade I title, tying him with Espoir City and Vermilion in being the Japanese-trained horse with the most Grade I wins.^[8][32]

After taking a break for the summer, he was entered in to the Japan Breeding Farms' Cup Classic, Champions' Cup, and Tokyo Daishōten, but he was unable to win any of them, with his best race being the final race where he came in second.^[33][34][35]

2016: seven-year-old season

Hokko Tarumae once again started the season off and won the Kawasaki Kinen, held on January 27. This made the horse the first horse in Japan ever to have won 10 GI/JpnI races in their career.^[36] This also made Hokko Tarumae the second horse ever (since Countess Up [ja] from 1985 to 1987) to win the Kawasaki Kinen for three years in a row.^[36] Hokko Tarumae was then once again entered in to the Dubai World Cup,^[37] where he finished at 9th place.^[38] He was then entered in to the Teio Sho where he finished fourth.^[39]

After taking the summer off, the horse placed 3rd in the Mile Championship Nambu Hai and 2nd in the Japan Breeding Farms' Cup Classic,^[40] and was slated to run the Champions' Cup and Tokyo Daishōten. However, in preparation for the race the horse was found to show lameness on his left forearm, leading to the horse to be retired from racing.^[41] This resulted in plans for a retirement ceremony that was scheduled to be held after running the Tokyo Daishōten at Ohi Racecourse (a first for any horse affiliated with the JRA) to be scrapped as well.^[42][43]

Notable progenies