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IRL:Gentildonna
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This page contains real life information that may spoil any story or events related to the character. Read at your own discretion! |
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| Gentildonna | ||
|---|---|---|
| ジェンティルドンナ | ||
| Gentildonna and Orfevre, battling in the 2012 Japan Cup | ||
| Silks |  |
|
| Romaji | Jentirudonna | |
| Foaled | February 20, 2009 | |
| Died | November 25, 2025 | |
| Sire | Deep Impact | |
| Dam | Donna Blini | |
| Sex | Mare | |
| Color | Bay | |
| Trainer | Sei Ishizaka | |
| Race Record | 19: 10-4-1 | |
| Earnings | 1,726,030,400 JPY | |
| Major wins | ||
| Shinzan Kinen (2012) Oka Sho (2012) Japanese Oaks (2012) Rose Stakes (2012) Shuka Sho (2012) Japan Cup (2012, 2013) Dubai Sheema Classic (2014) Arima Kinen (2014) |
||
Gentildonna was a Japanese racehorse who ran from 2011 to 2014. She was known to her fans as "The Demon Lady"[Note 1] due to her elegance and strength on the track. She was one of the greatest mares to have raced in Japan, winning 7 G1 races throughout her career, including the fillies' Triple Tiara, the 4th mare to do so. She was also rated as one of the best mares internationally in the 2010s, and was 9th all time on the highest earning racehorses list. In addition to this, she was the first horse to have won the Japan Cup as a three year-old filly, and the first horse to win in two consecutive years.
Name Origin
Gentildonna's name meaning originates from the Italian word for "gentlewoman".
Racing career
Two-year-old season (2011)
Gentildonna made her debut on November 19th, in a 1,600-meter turf race on Kyoto Racecourse. Despite being the most popular, she could not catch up, and she placed 2nd. However, on December 10th, she broke out of her maiden by three and a half lengths.
Three-year-old season (2012)
Gentildonna challenged her first graded race, the Shinzan Kinen (G3), on January 8th. The reason why this race was chosen for her was because she wouldn't have to compete in an open-class race to gain enough prize money for the Triple Tiara races. If she could secure a placement in the top three, against colts no less, she would gain prize money for the Oka Sho much faster.[2] Though she struggled slightly at the start, she gradually made her way to the straight by overtaking the rest of the horses, and she won by a quarter of a length. Not only was this her graded victory, it was also the first time in 13 years that a filly won the Shinzan Kinen since Fusaichi Airedale in 1999.
Three weeks before she competed in the Tulip Sho (G3) on March 3rd, she had developed a fever, and her training was delayed before the race.[3] However, she made it in time to enter, and she was the second most popular after Joie de Vivre, the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies winner of the previous year. Though she lost and placed 4th the long-shot filly Hana's Goal, her team believed in her as she had the third fastest last three furlongs of 34.7 seconds.
With priority entry, Gentildonna competed in the Oka Sho on April 8th, which was the first leg of the Triple Tiara. She not only competed with Joie de Vivre once again, this was the first time that she encountered her rival; Verxina. Gentildonna ran within the pack as Verxina ran ahead. While she was in the back, Gentildonna began to further accelerate at the straight. She overtook Verxina and the other horses, and won the Oka Sho. With this, she had gained her first G1 victory, alongside a classic victory.
On May 20th, she competed in the Japanese Oaks, in hopes that she would once again attain another victory in the classic races. Because of concerns that she could not handle the distance of 2,400 meters at the Japanese Oaks, she was demoted to the third favorite. Gentildonna once again ran from the back, and marked Verxina along the way. While Verxina eventually broke out of the park, Gentildonna rapidly accelerated behind her, and overtook her to win her second G1 victory. She also had the fastest last three furlongs in the race, as she ran in 34.2 seconds.
While there were plans to have her enter in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe that year, it was then decided to have her compete in the Rose Stakes (G2) on September 16th and the Shuka Sho on October 14th, as her team wanted her to attempt the full Triple Tiara.[4] In the Rose Stakes, she ran ahead earlier than usual, but held off the horses chasing from behind and won the race, with Verxina placing a close 2nd.
As the overwhelming favorite, Gentildonna competed in the Shuka Sho, where she ran within the pack while the front-runners took the lead. In the stretch, as Verxina took the lead, Gentildonna caught up to her at rapid speed, and the race ended in a close photo finish. After long deliberation, it was determined that Gentildonna had won the race by a small margin of seven centimeters. Not only was this her third G1 victory, she also became the fourth filly in history to win the Japanese Triple Tiara, only two years after Apapane in 2010. As her sire, Deep Impact, had won the Triple Crown in 2005, it was also the first time that a sire and filly shared Triple Crown/Tiara victories.
On November 25th, Gentildonna then competed in the Japan Cup. As the only three-year-old filly in the race, she was demoted to the third favorite, as the Triple Crown winner of the previous year, Orfevre was the overwhelming favorite. Gentildonna ran in her usual style, as Beat Black was running away from the pack. At the fourth corner, Gentildonna briefly lost momentum as Beat Black was slowing down in front of her. However, she regained her position and began to accelerate side by side with Orfevre, and overtook him. With this fourth G1 victory, Gentildonna became the first Japanese filly to win the Japan Cup. She also became the third horse to share a G1 victory with her parent since Buena Vista with Special Week in 2011.
However, after it was determined that she had won the race, there was massive controversy over the ruling. As Beat Black was slowing down, Gentildonna had briefly collided with Orfevre, before continuing to run normally. It was heavily debated over whether or not her collision could be considered an obstruction. Though Gentildonna still won the race, her jockey, Yasunari Iwata, was suspended for two days.[5] It was then announced by her team that Gentildonna would be competing overseas in her four-year-old season.[5]
At the end of the year, Gentildonna not only received the JRA Award for Best Three-Year-Old Filly, she was also awarded Japanese Horse of the Year for her triumphs.
Four-year-old season (2013)
In the beginning of the year, her team announced that she would be competing in the Dubai Sheema Classic in March, the Takarazuka Kinen in June, and the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in the autumn.[6] Gentildonna first competed in the Dubai Sheema Classic on March 30th, where she was the overwhelming favorite due to her track record at that point. While she ran well in the stretch, she lost by a small margin of a quarter of a length, and placed 2nd in the race.
After months of rest, Gentildonna returned to compete in the Takarazuka Kinen on June 23rd. As the overwhelming favorite, she faced off with numerous other contenders, such as Gold Ship (2012 Satsuki Sho, Kikuka Sho, and Arima Kinen) and Fenomeno (2013 Tenno Sho (Spring)). While Gentildonna broke out of the pack and took the lead, Gold Ship, who had been marking her from behind, began to overtake her. With Gentildonna suffering her first domestic loss since the Tulip Sho (G3), it was decided by her team to not have her challenge the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.
On October 27th, Gentildonna entered the Tenno Sho (Autumn), where an unusually high pace was set by the front-runner Tokei Halo. Though Gentildonna quickly ran into the lead, Just a Way, who was marking her from behind, and overtook her in an instant, leaving her in 2nd place. After discussion within the team, it was decided to have Ryan Moore be Gentildonna's jockey for the Japan Cup on November 24th, while Yasunari Iwata rode Verxina instead. As the overwhelming favorite, Gentildonna ran in the middle of the pack. As the pace was slow, Gentildonna gradually took the lead, and won the race by a small margin. Not only did she attain a fifth G1 victory, she also became the first horse in history to ever win the Japan Cup twice, and it would take until Almond Eye for another horse to complete that triumph.
For her efforts throughout the year, Gentildonna received the JRA Award for Best Older Filly or Mare.
Five-year-old season (2014)
Before Gentildonna challenged the Dubai Sheema Classic for a second time, she entered the Kyoto Kinen (G2) on February 16th. Despite running in a good position, she did not utilize her strong spurt in the final straight, and she placed 6th. Regardless of the place, Gentildonna was set to compete in the Dubai Sheema Classic on March 29th, where she had a decent start.
At the final straight, Gentildonna initially lost momentum. However, as there a path on the outside, Gentildonna ran through and won the race by one length and a half. As she had attained her sixth G1 victory, alongside her first foreign victory overall, Gentildonna returned to Japan to compete in the Takarazuka Kinen on June 29th, where she had a rematch with Gold Ship.
At first, Gentildonna was in a good position. However, unlike usual, Gentildonna did not use her strong spurt, and she placed 9th, which was the lowest in her career. After the race, Gentildonna rested throughout the summer. It was then announced that she would compete in the Tenno Sho (Autumn) alongside the Japan Cup, as she was to retire after the Japan Cup.
On November 2nd, Gentildonna competed in the Tenno Sho (Autumn), where she was initially ahead, but the long-shot Spielberg had caught up her, and she placed 2nd. Weeks later, on November 30th, she competed in the Japan Cup for her retirement race. At a high pace, Gentildonna ran in her usual style. At the last 400 meters, Epiphaneia began to take the lead, and Gentildonna was unable to catch up to him, causing her to place 4th.
Immediately after he lost, her team announced that her retirement race would be the Arima Kinen on December 28th instead.[7] It was also announced that she would have her retirement ceremony on Nakayama Racecourse after the race was over.[8] With a good start, she began to rapidly accelerate at the final straight, and she won the race. Not only was this her seventh G1 victory, she became tied with Vodka at the time for having the most G1 victories as a mare, was the 5th mare after Daiwa Scarlet to win the Arima Kinen, and she had attained G1 victories in all four major central racecourses.
Her retirement ceremony was held as planned after the race. She was not only dressed in the jacket from her Dubai Sheema Classic victory, she also wore a frilly pink menko, as her team wanted fans to see her full face for once and see her cute side.[9][10]
She was not only given the JRA Award for Best Older Filly or Mare, she also won the Japanese Horse of the Year for the second time. Two years later, in 2016, she was inducted into the JRA Hall of Fame.
Retirement and Death
After her successful career, Gentildonna retired to become a broodmare for years. Her most notable foal is Geraldina, who won the Queen Elizabeth II Cup in 2022.
Due to her declining health since the start of 2025, she was retired from broodmare duties on July 16th, 2025 and had lived a peaceful life as a meritorious horse. Despite this, her health continued declining.
On November 25th, 2025, the Sunday Thoroughbred Club announced that Gentildonna had passed away at the young age of 16.[11] Her cause of death is not disclosed to the public, though she was seen to be unable to stand up on her own the day before her passing.
Following her death, a tribute shrine was posted on the Tokyo Racecourse ahead of the 2025 Japan Cup on November 29th, where she won 2 times throughout her racing career.
Honors
- JRA Horse of the Year (2012, 2014)
- JRA Award for Best Three-Year-Old Filly (2012)
- JRA Award for Best Older Filly or Mare (2013, 2014)
- JRA Hall of Fame Inductee (2016)
Relationships
Relatives
Race Records
| Date | Racecourse | Race | Grade | Distance | Gate | Odds | Fav. | Fin. | Time | Margin | Jockey | Winner (Runner-Up) | Other Umamusume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011/11/19 | Kyoto | Two-Year-Old Newcomer | Maiden | T 1600m | 9 | 2.1 | 1 | 2 | 1:41.0 | 0.4 | M.Demuro | A Shin Full Mark | |
| 2011/12/10 | Hanshin | Two-Year-Old Maiden | Maiden | T 1600m | 16 | 1.6 | 1 | 1 | 1:36.7 | -0.6 | I.Mendizabal | (Yamanin Cavalier) | |
| 2012/01/08 | Kyoto | Shinzan Kinen | G3 | T 1600m | 7 | 4.0 | 2 | 1 | 1:34.3 | -0.2 | C.Lemaire | (Meiner Attract) | |
| 2012/03/03 | Hanshin | Tulip Sho | G3 | T 1600m | 1 | 4.4 | 2 | 4 | 1:36.1 | 0.6 | Y.Iwata | Hana's Goal | |
| 2012/04/08 | Hanshin | Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) | G1 | T 1600m | 10 | 4.9 | 2 | 1 | 1:34.6 | -0.1 | Y.Iwata | (Verxina) | Verxina |
| 2012/05/20 | Tokyo | Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) | G1 | T 2400m | 14 | 5.6 | 3 | 1 | 2:23.6 | -0.8 | Y.Kawada | (Verxina) | Verxina |
| 2012/09/16 | Hanshin | Rose Stakes | G2 | T 1800m | 6 | 1.5 | 1 | 1 | 1:46.8 | -0.2 | Y.Iwata | (Verxina) | Verxina |
| 2012/10/14 | Kyoto | Shuka Sho | G1 | T 2000m | 14 | 1.3 | 1 | 1 | 2:00.4 | 0.0 | Y.Iwata | (Verxina) | Verxina |
| 2012/11/25 | Tokyo | Japan Cup | G1 | T 2400m | 15 | 6.6 | 3 | 1 | 2:23.1 | 0.0 | Y.Iwata | (Orfevre) | Orfevre, Rulership, Fenomeno, Tosen Jordan, Eishin Flash, Rose Kingdom |
| 2013/03/30 | UAE | Dubai Sheema Classic | G1 | T 2410m | 8 | 1 | 2 | Y.Iwata | St. Nicholas Abbey | ||||
| 2013/06/23 | Hanshin | Takarazuka Kinen | G1 | T 2200m | 11 | 2.4 | 1 | 3 | 2:13.8 | 0.6 | Y.Iwata | Gold Ship | Gold Ship, Fenomeno |
| 2013/10/27 | Tokyo | Tenno Sho (Autumn) | G1 | T 2000m | 9 | 2.0 | 1 | 2 | 1:58.2 | 0.7 | Y.Iwata | Just a Way | Eishin Flash, Tosen Jordan |
| 2013/11/24 | Tokyo | Japan Cup | G1 | T 2400m | 7 | 2.1 | 1 | 1 | 2:26.1 | 0.0 | R.Moore | (Denim and Ruby) | Tosen Jordan, Verxina, Eishin Flash, Gold Ship |
| 2014/02/16 | Kyoto | Kyoto Kinen | G2 | T 2200m | 3 | 1.6 | 1 | 6 | 2:16.5 | 0.5 | Y.Fukunaga | Desperado | |
| 2014/03/29 | UAE | Dubai Sheema Classic | G1 | T 2410m | 12 | 2 | 1 | 2:27.25 | R.Moore | (Cirrus des Aigles) | |||
| 2014/06/29 | Hanshin | Takarazuka Kinen | G1 | T 2200m | 6 | 4.1 | 3 | 9 | 2:15.1 | 1.2 | Y.Kawada | Gold Ship | Gold Ship, Verxina, Win Variation, Tosen Jordan |
| 2014/11/02 | Tokyo | Tenno Sho (Autumn) | G1 | T 2000m | 1 | 4.7 | 2 | 2 | 1:59.8 | 0.1 | K.Tosaki | Spielberg | Epiphaneia, Fenomeno, Tosen Jordan |
| 2014/11/30 | Tokyo | Japan Cup | G1 | T 2400m | 3 | 3.6 | 1 | 4 | 2:24.0 | 0.9 | R.Moore | Epiphaneia | Epiphaneia, Fenomeno, Tosen Jordan |
| 2014/12/28 | Nakayama | Arima Kinen | G1 | T 2500m | 4 | 8.7 | 4 | 1 | 2:35.3 | -0.1 | K.Tosaki | (To the World) | Gold Ship, Epiphaneia, Fenomeno, Win Variation, Verxina |
Pedigree
| Sire Deep Impact (JPN) |
Sunday Silence (USA) | Halo (USA) | Hail to Reason (USA) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cosmah (USA) | |||
| Wishing Well (USA) | Understanding (USA) | ||
| Mountain Flower (USA) | |||
| Wind in Her Hair (IRE) | Alzao (USA) | Lyphard (USA) | |
| Lady Rebecca (GB) | |||
| Burghclere (GB) | Busted (GB) | ||
| Highclere (GB) | |||
| Dam Donna Blini (GB) |
Bertolini (GB) | Danzig (USA) | Northern Dancer (CAN) |
| Pas de Nom (USA) | |||
| Aquilegia (USA) | Alydar (USA) | ||
| Courtly Dee (USA) | |||
| Cal Norma's Lady (IRE) | Lyphard's Special (USA) | Lyphard (USA) | |
| My Bupers (USA) | |||
| June Darling (IRE) | Junius (USA) | ||
| Beau Darling (GB), (Family: 16-f) |
Trivia
- Gentildonna had an overwhelming amount of female fans, and around 90% of fan letters sent to her were from women.[12]
- Gentildonna has been described as being smart yet having a tsundere personality according to her stablehand.[13]
- Gentildonna was extremely popular with the locals of Dubai due to her strong body.[14]
- Gentildonna was known to be very protective of her foals, and she would chase away unrelated foals away from her children.
Notes
- ↑ 鬼婦人 (Kifujin). A wordplay on 貴婦人 (Kifujin) which meant "noble lady"
References
- ↑ JRA official
- ↑ https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/ジェンティルドンナ#cite_note-ezura294-16
- ↑ https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/ジェンティルドンナ#cite_note-yushun20210942-17
- ↑ https://sports.yahoo.co.jp/column/detail/201303260001-spnavi
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 https://sports.yahoo.co.jp/column/detail/201211250005-spnavi
- ↑ https://www.sponichi.co.jp/gamble/news/2013/01/07/kiji/K20130107004924790.html
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20141203014532/http://www.sankei.com/sports/news/141130/spo1411300041-n1.html
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20141228202446/http://www.nikkansports.com/race/news/f-rc-tp0-20141218-1410663.html
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiarAuaX-DM
- ↑ https://tospo-keiba.jp/starhorse/65689
- ↑ https://www.sundaytc.co.jp/information/new/top#new5528
- ↑ https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/ジェンティルドンナ#cite_note-yushn2021830-31-108
- ↑ https://www.nikkansports.com/keiba/column/g1historia/news/202211220000181.html?mode=all
- ↑ https://news.sp.netkeiba.com/?pid=column_view&cid=29631&rf=column_view_next