Rice Shower
Japanese thoroughbred racehorse (1989–1995)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Rice Shower (in Japanese: ライスシャワー, March 5, 1989 − June 4, 1995) was a Japanese Thoroughbred racehorse who won multiple Group 1 titles.
| Rice Shower | |
|---|---|
 Rice Shower at the 1995 Takarazuka Kinen | |
| Breed | Thoroughbred |
| Sire | Real Shadai |
| Grandsire | Roberto |
| Dam | Lilac Point (JPN) |
| Damsire | Maruzensky |
| Sex | Stallion |
| Foaled | March 5, 1989 |
| Died | June 4, 1995 (aged 6) |
| Country | Japan |
| Breeder | Utopia Bokujo[1] |
| Owner | Hideo Kuribayashi |
| Trainer | Koji Iizuka |
| Record | 25:6–5–2–12[2] |
| Earnings | ¥729,497,200 |
| Major wins | |
| Kikuka-shō (1992) Nikkei Sho (1993) Tenno Sho (Spring) (1993, 1995) | |
| Awards | |
| JRA Special Award (1995) | |
History
His name refers to the tradition of throwing rice at weddings for good luck.[3]
Rice Shower's first race was on September 21, 1991, when he won the 1991 Fuyo Stakes at Nakayama Racecourse.[2]
On November 8, 1992, Rice Shower captured the first major win of his career by winning the 1992 Kikuka-shō, defeating the favored Mihono Bourbon in the process. This was the horse's only win of 1992, though he came in second at the 1992 Tokyo Yūshun.[2]
Rice Shower had a strong 1993 season. He captured the Nikkei Sho on March 21, then followed it up by winning a second Group 1 title, the April 23 Tenno Sho,[2] dashing hopes for Mejiro McQueen to win the race three times in a row.[2] This race, as well as the 1992 upset against Mihono Bourbon, earned Rice Shower the nickname 'Black Assassin'.
He was winless in 1994, but in 1995, he captured the Tenno Sho (Spring) for a second time on April 23.
After that, Rice Shower entered Takarazuka Kinen on June 4, 1995. In this race, the majority of the runners in the field are selected by a vote from racing fans. That time, Rice Shower was running the race as a vote leader. Rice Shower stumbled and fell at the third corner, suffering a severe open fracture and dislocation of his left foreleg. With no hope of recovery and unable to even be transported to a clinic, he had to be euthanized on the track itself at the age of 6.
Racing Form
The following racing form is based on information available on JBIS search[4] and netkeiba.com.[5]
| Date | Track | Race | Grade | Distance (Condition) |
Entry | HN | Odds (Favored) |
Finish | Time | Margins | Jockey | Winner (Runner-up) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 – two-year-old season | ||||||||||||
| Aug 10 | Niigata | 3YO debut | 1000m（Firm） | 10 | 8 | 3.1（2） | 1st | 0:58.6 | −0.1 | Takahiro Mizuno | (Daiichi Riyumon) | |
| Sep 1 | Niigata | Niigata Sansai Stakes | 3 | 1200m（Firm） | 14 | 1 | 4.3（3） | 11th | 1:11.7 | 1.0 | Yasuo Sugawara | Uto Jane |
| Sep 21 | Nakayama | Fuyo Stakes | OP | 1600m（Soft） | 8 | 8 | 3.7（2） | 1st | 1:36.1 | 0.0 | Takahiro Mizuno | (Ararat San) |
| 1992 – three-year-old season | ||||||||||||
| Mar 29 | Nakayama | Fuji TV Sho Spring Stakes | 2 | 1800m（Soft） | 14 | 3 | 68.9（12） | 4th | 1:51.7 | 1.6 | Masato Shibata | Mihono Bourbon |
| Apr 19 | Nakayama | Satsuki Sho | 1 | 2000m（Firm） | 17 | 9 | 59.0（11） | 8th | 2:02.8 | 1.4 | Hitoshi Matoba | Mihono Bourbon |
| May 10 | Tokyo | NHK Hai | 2 | 2000m（Soft） | 16 | 15 | 25.0（9） | 8th | 2:03.4 | 0.6 | Hitoshi Matoba | Narita Taisei |
| May 31 | Tokyo | Tokyo Yushun | 1 | 2400m（Good） | 18 | 13 | 114.1（16） | 2nd | 2:28.5 | 0.7 | Hitoshi Matoba | Mihono Bourbon |
| Sep 27 | Nakayama | St. Lite Kinen | 2 | 2200m（Firm） | 13 | 14 | 6.5（3） | 2nd | 2:13.6 | 0.0 | Katsuharu Tanaka | Legacy World |
| Oct 18 | Kyoto | Kyoto Shimbun Hai | 2 | 2200m（Firm） | 10 | 1 | 7.1（2） | 2nd | 2:12.2 | 0.2 | Hitoshi Matoba | Mihono Bourbon |
| Nov 8 | Kyoto | Kikuka Sho | 1 | 3000m（Firm） | 18 | 8 | 7.3（2） | 1st | R3:05.0 | –0.2 | Hitoshi Matoba | (Mihono Bourbon) |
| Dec 27 | Nakayama | Arima Kinen | 1 | 2500m（Firm） | 16 | 16 | 4.9（2） | 8th | 2:34.1 | 0.6 | Hitoshi Matoba | Mejiro Palmer |
| 1993 – four-year-old season | ||||||||||||
| Feb 21 | Tokyo | Meguro Kinen | 2 | 2500m（Firm） | 12 | 5 | 3.5（2） | 2nd | 2:32.8 | 0.4 | Hitoshi Matoba | Matikanetannhauser |
| Mar 21 | Nakayama | Nikkei Sho | 2 | 2500m（Firm） | 12 | 11 | 1.8（1） | 1st | 2:35.8 | –0.4 | Hitoshi Matoba | (Italian Color) |
| Apr 25 | Kyoto | Tenno Sho (Spring) | 1 | 3200m（Firm） | 15 | 3 | 3.2（2） | 1st | R3:17.1 | –0.4 | Hitoshi Matoba | (Mejiro McQueen) |
| Sep 19 | Nakayama | Sankei Sho All Comers | 3 | 2200m（Firm） | 13 | 8 | 1.8（1） | 3rd | 2:13.6 | 1.0 | Hitoshi Matoba | Twin Turbo |
| Oct 31 | Tokyo | Tenno Sho (Autumn) | 1 | 2000m（Firm） | 17 | 1 | 3.0（1） | 6th | 1:59.6 | 0.7 | Hitoshi Matoba | Yamanin Zephyr |
| Nov 28 | Tokyo | Japan Cup | 1 | 2400m（Firm） | 16 | 1 | 12.8（7） | 14th | 2:25.9 | 1.5 | Hitoshi Matoba | Legacy World |
| Dec 26 | Nakayama | Arima Kinen | 1 | 2500m（Firm） | 14 | 6 | 10.9（5） | 8th | 2:32.1 | 1.2 | Hitoshi Matoba | Tokai Teio |
| 1994 – five-year-old season | ||||||||||||
| Feb 13 | Hanshin | Kyoto Kinen | 2 | 2200m（Good） | 10 | 4 | 6.6（2） | 5th | 2:18.3 | 1.5 | Hitoshi Matoba | Biwa Hayahide |
| Mar 20 | Nakayama | Nikkei Sho | 2 | 2500m（Firm） | 9 | 6 | 4.1（2） | 2nd | 2:32.8 | 0.0 | Hitoshi Matoba | Stage Champ |
| Dec 25 | Nakayama | Arima Kinen | 1 | 2500m（Firm） | 13 | 10 | 17.7（4） | 3rd | 2:33.1 | 0.9 | Hitoshi Matoba | Narita Brian |
| 1995 – six-year-old season | ||||||||||||
| Feb 12 | Kyoto | Kyoto Kinen | 2 | 2200m（Firm） | 8 | 8 | 2.7（1） | 6th | 2:12.5 | 0.7 | Hitoshi Matoba | Wako Chikako |
| Mar 19 | Nakayama | Nikkei Sho | 2 | 2500m（Heavy） | 9 | 1 | 1.9（1） | 6th | 2:42.3 | 1.3 | Hitoshi Matoba | Inter Liner |
| Apr 23 | Kyoto | Tenno Sho (Spring) | 1 | 3200m（Soft） | 18 | 3 | 5.8（4） | 1st | 3:19.9 | 0.0 | Hitoshi Matoba | (Stage Champ) |
| Jun 4 | Kyoto | Takarazuka Kinen | 1 | 2200m（Good） | 17 | 16 | 6.0（3） | DNF | – | – | Hitoshi Matoba | Dantsu Seattle |
Legend:
Turf
- R on the time indicates that this was a record time
Memorial
A memorial of Rice Shower is dedicated within the properties of Kyoto Racecourse; the same track of which the horse won his biggest races, as well as where the horse was euthanized.[6]
In popular culture
A anthropomorphized version of Rice Shower is featured in the Japanese multimedia franchise Umamusume: Pretty Derby, voiced by Manaka Iwami.[7][8] This Rice Shower is depicted as a shy, unlucky and gloomy young woman whose elegant appearance is in dark colors with a bowler hat and a blue rose motif.
Pedigree
| Sire Real Shadai (USA) 1979 |
Roberto (USA) 1969 |
Hail to Reason | Turn-to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nothirdchance | |||
| Bramalea | Nashua | ||
| Rarelea | |||
| Desert Vixen (USA) 1970 |
In Reality | Intentionally | |
| My Dear Girl | |||
| Desert Trial | Moslem Chief | ||
| Scotch Verdict | |||
| Dam Lilac Point (JPN) 1979 |
Maruzensky (JPN) 1974 |
Nijinsky | Northern Dancer |
| Flaming Page | |||
| Shill | Buckpasser | ||
| Quill | |||
| Kuri Katsura (JPN) 1962 |
Tiepolo | Blue Peter | |
| Trevisana | |||
| Kurino Hoshi | Primero | ||
| Oho Hikari |