Speed Symboli

Speed Symboli was born on May 3, 1963 at Symboli Bokujo.^[1] After his maiden race in 1965, he went on to have a long competitive career, during which he became the oldest horse (at the time) to win one of the Eight Big Races, winning the Arima Kinen at eight years old. In the later years of his career, he was nicknamed the "Old Hero" (Japanese: 老雄). His main jockey throughout his career was Yuji Nohira.^[1]

The horse also went abroad for a long period of time—a rarity at the time—traveling across Europe to contest famous races such as the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes in the United Kingdom and the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in France, during the latter of which he became the first Japanese horse to ever take part. For these reasons, he was also called the pioneer of the era.^[4]

Ultimately, Speed Symboli would take part in 43 races over the course of his career (39 in Japan and 4 abroad) and win 17 of them^[5], earning over 160 million yen in winnings.^[2] His five consecutive attempts at the year-end grand prix race Arima Kinen were notable; he won his fourth and fifth attempts in 1969 and 1970, becoming the first horse to win consecutive Arima Kinen races. While the grading system wouldn't be introduced to Japan for over a decade, he won twelve races that would later be granted the status, which would tie the JRA record to this day (tying Oguri Cap and T. M. Opera O).^[5]

He became a stud horse after retiring, and while he only fathered a single graded race winner in Pure Symboli, his foal Sweet Luna would eventually give birth to seven-crown winner and the first undefeated triple crown winner in Symboli Rudolf.^[1] He died of old age at 26 on May 31, 1989.