IRL:Gold Ship

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Spoilers ahead! This page contains real life information that may spoil any story or events related to the character. Read at your own discretion!

Gold Ship
ゴールドシップ
Main
Gold Ship, winning the 2014 Takarazuka Kinen
Silks
Romaji	Gōrudo Shippu
Foaled	March 06, 2009
Sire	Stay Gold
Dam	Point Flag
Sex	Stallion
Color	Gray
Trainer	Naosuke Sugai
Race Record	28: 13-3-2
Earnings	1,397,767,000 JPY
Major wins
Kyodo Tsushin Hai (2012) Satsuki Sho (2012) Kobe Shimbun Hai (2012) Kikuka Sho (2012) Arima Kinen (2012) Hanshin Daishoten (2013, 2014, 2015) Takarazuka Kinen (2013, 2014) Tenno Sho (Spring) (2015)

Mood Based Winner

Mood Based Winner

The horse ran a good race to claim the victory,

He didn't break well as expected, but I was able to guide him to a good position thanks to the wide draw.

He's a clever horse and whether he performs well or not depends on his mood. So I'm relieved that he lived up to the expectations of many fans
-Norihiro Yokoyama, 2014 Takarazuka Kinen

Gold Ship is a Japanese racehorse that was active from 2012 to 2015. He was a respected horse in the racing world, known for being quirky due to his unpredictable behavior. At 5 years old, Gold Ship became the first horse to win Takarazuka Kinen twice.

Name Origin

His name is derived from his sire's (Stay Gold) name.

Racing Career

2 Years Old (2011)

Gold Ship started his racing career in Hokkaido, winning his maiden race at Hakodate Racecourse on July 9th. He won the following Cosmo Stakes at Sapporo Racecourse on September 10th. After which he was moved up to the Grade 3 class races to contest the Sapporo Nisai Stakes on October 1st with odds of 7/2. He would finish second, half a length behind 1st (Grandezza). He would then again place second on his last race for the season in the Grade 3 race, the Radio Nikkei Hai Nisai Stakes on December 24th (Adam’s Peak would place 1st).

3 Years Old (2012)

As a three-year-old, Gold Ship first contested the Grade 3 Kyodo Tsushin Hai in February, winning by one and three-quarters lengths after overtaking Deep Brillante on the inside. This marked his first career win. In April, he started at odds of 6.1/1 in the Satsuki Sho, the first leg of the Japanese Triple Crown. Heavy rain had soaked the track, turning it into difficult mud. Gold Ship, demonstrating his End Closer style, came from last to win by two and a half lengths, choosing the muddy path in the final corner inside as other horses avoided it, finishing ahead of World Ace and Deep Brillante. Grandezza and Adam’s Peak, prominent the previous year, were unplaced. Gold Ship was also described to "Teleport". Subsequently, Gold Ship was made second favorite for the Tokyo Yushun at 2.1/1 odds and finished fifth, one and a half lengths behind the winner, Deep Brillante.

He would return from the summer break in the Grade Two Kobe Shimbun Hai, a trial race for the Kikuka Sho on September 27th as the favorite (odds of 1.3/1), and win by two and a half lengths from his fifteen opponents. A month later, he would start again as the favorite for the Kikuka Sho and win by one and three-quarters lengths from Sky Dignity. Similar to the Satsuki Sho, he came from last place before he “cruised” to victory, although the competition was weaker than anticipated with the late withdrawal of Deep Brillante (sustained a tendon injury), who had been his rival the previous year.

Gold Ship After Winning the 2012 Arima Kinen

Gold Ship was one of sixteen horses to be invited to contest the Arima Kinen on December 23rd. Again showcasing his thrilling End Closer running style, he was towards the back of the field before moving up on the wide outside on the approach to the straight. In the last leg of the race, he would overtake the leaders and win by one and a half lengths from Ocean Blue. Naosuke Sugai stated that the colt would stay in Japan for 2013 before challenging international races such as the Dubai World Cup and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in 2014, saying that, “this is just the beginning for him”. Britain’s Racing Post described Gold Ship’s performance as a “stunning display,” pointing out that Japan’s other two outstanding middle-distance horses, Orfevre and Gentildonna, had bypassed the race.

4 Years Old (2013)

Gold Ship at the 2013 Takarazuka Kinen

Gold Ship would begin his four-year-old season on March 17th in the Grade 2 Hanshin Daishoten, a trial race for the Spring Tenno Sho. With odds of 1/10, he won the race by two lengths from Desperado. On April 28th, he was moved up to a longer race for the Spring Tenno Sho. He started as the favorite and finished fifth of the eighteen runners behind Fenomeno. On June 23rd, Gold Ship would meet Fenomeno again in the Takarazuka Kinen, where the field, which was decided by public ballot, also included Gentildonna. Another horse he had been compared to, Orfevre, had withdrawn from the race after bleeding after an exercise gallop on June 14th. He was positioned behind the early leaders before coming on the outside in the straight, hitting the front inside in the final stretch, and achieved a clear victory by three and a half lengths from the five-year-old Danon Ballade, with Gentildonna third and Fenomeno fourth.

His Fall campaign began in the Grade 2 Kyoto Daishoten on October 2nd as the favorite and finished fifth of the thirteenth runners behind the underdog outsider (odds 165/1) Hit the Target. Sugai offered several explanations for the colt’s poor run, including unseasonably hot weather, the fast track, and an unfavorable draw. November 24th, Gold Ship started second favorite behind Gentildonna for the Japan Cup. He was never in contention during the entire race, finishing fifteenth of the seventeen runners. For his last race of the year, British Jockey Ryan Moore took over from Uchida in the Arima Kinen with odds of 17/5 and finished third behind Orfevre and Win Variation.

5 Years Old (2014)

Gold Ship at the 2014 Hanshin Daishoten

Gold Ship began the season by repeating his 2013 success in the Hanshin Daishoten as the 7/10 favorite and winning by three and a half lengths from Admire Rakti. On May 4th, Gold Ship started second favorite (odds 3.3/1) for the Tenno Sho but was never near enough to contend and finished seventh of the eighteen runners behind Fenomeno. According to Gold Ship's groom, Gold Ship was shoved into the gate by JRA staff and got irritated and was heard "roaring" inside the gate, something his team has never seen him do before. On June 29th, he attempted to be the first horse to record back-to-back victories in the Takarazuka Kinen (ridden by Norishiro Yokoyama), starting as the 17/10 favorite in a field of twelve which included Gentildonna, Meisho Mambo, Tosen Jordan, Verxina, Denim and Ruby, and Win Variation. Gold Ship started poorly but recovered well and raced behind the leaders on the outside before taking the lead in the straight. He ran away in the closing stages to win by three lengths from the outsider Curren Mirotic. After the race, Yokoyama said, “He’s a clever horse, and whether he performs well or not depends on his mood. So I’m relieved that he lived up the expectations of many fans.”

Gold Ship, as promised the year before, aimed at the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in France and began his preparation for the race by running in the Grade 2 Sapporo Kinen on August 24th, finishing second to Oka Sho winner Harp Star by three-quarters of a length. Sugai said that it was “no disgrace to fail” when attempting to concede eleven pounds to the three-year-old filly. In the Triomphe on October 5th, Gold Ship started with odds of 12.9/1 in the three-horse Japanese challenge, which included Harp Star and Just A Way. After becoming agitated in the pre-race parade, he started poorly and raced at the back of the twenty-runner field for most of the way. While he made some progress in the straight, he never looked likely to challenge the lead and finished fourteenth of the twenty runners, seven lengths behind the winner, Treve.

Shortly after his return, Gold Ship topped the poll to divide the runners for the Arima Kinen. On December 28th, he started as the favorite for the Arima Kinen ahead of Epiphaneia, Just A Way, and Gentildonna. He had made steady progress on the outside in the straight but was unable to reach the leaders and finished third. Beaten by three-quarters of a length by Gentildonna and a nose by To The World.

6 Years Old (2015)

Gold Ship lags behind at the 2015 Takarazuka Kinen

12 Billion Yen Incident - The Cause

In his first appearance of the new year, Gold Ship had ran in the American Jockey Club Cup on January 25th at Nakayama but finished unplaced, prompting the Racing Post to describe his performance as a “dismal display”. On March 23rd, Gold Ship recorded his 2015 campaign by winning the Hanshin Daishoten for the third consecutive time. On May 4th he made his third attempt to win the spring edition of the Tenno Sho and started as the second favorite behind Kizuna Ina. Seventeen-runner field. He started slowly and towards the rear for the first half but made rapid progress on the back straight and turned for home in fourth place. Curren Mirotic opened up a clear lead, but Gold Ship produced a sustained run to take the lead in the final strides and won by a neck from the fast-finishing Fame Game. After the race, Yokoyama said, “I was thinking of going front if he started well, which obviously was not the case. From there on, I just concentrated on following the pace and carefully not to turn him off. In the straight, he really showed his stamina and perseverance.”

On June 28th, he would start as the favorite (odds of 9/10) as he attempted to be the first horse to ever record a third win, back-to-back, in the Takarazuka Kinen. In what would later be referred to as the “12 Billion Yen Incident”, Gold Ship appeared to have been attempting to intimidate Toho Jackal, one of Special Week's offspring, in the gate next to him. He lost many lengths with a late start and finished fifteenth of the sixteen runners behind Lovely Day, who also started in the gate next to Gold Ship. This stunt/performance is estimated to have lost 12 billion yen ($135 million) in betting tickets. Tokotama commented, “I’m not sure what had happened in his mind because he can’t tell us… he is just Gold Ship”.

Gold Ship returned in the Fall of 2015 for two more races before retirement. On November 29th, he started the 3.7/1 second favorite for the Japan Cup, finishing twelfth but only three lengths behind the winner Shonan Pandora. He ended his racing career by running for the fourth time in the Arima Kinen on the 27th of December as the favorite (odds of 3.1/1) but finished eighth of the sixteen runners behind Gold Actor. His retirement ceremony followed the race.

Retirement

After retirement Gold Ship was moved to Big Red Farm Meiwa in Hokkaido to start his stallion career at Sugai Stables. He was originally meant to live with his sire, Stay Gold, but due to the latter’s sudden death, was unable to.

Breeding Career

Despite being known as a rather unpredictable horse, a wild child, he has not caused much trouble at his time at the Big Red Farm, even inheriting his father's high conception rate. He has had success in producing many Graded winners, most notably, Uberleben (2021 Yushun Himba/Japanese Oaks), Meiner Grand (2023 Nakayama Daishogai), and Meisho Tabaru (2025 & 2026 Takarazuka Kinen).

On 14th June, 2026. Meisho Tabaru won the Takurazuka Kinen, becoming the first father-son pair to win the Takarazuka Kinen in two consecutive years.

Due to his high conception rate and notable progeny, his stud fee in Big Red Farm is ¥4,000,000.

Name	Year of Birth	Notable Races / Graded Race 1st Place	Sex
Koganeno Sora (JPN)	2021	G3: Hokkaido Shimbun Hai Queen Stakes (2024) and Kokura Himba Stakes (2025)	Mare
Meisho Tabaru (JPN)	2021	G1:Takaruzuka Kinen (2025 & 2026) G2: Kobe Shimbun Hai (2024) G3: Mainichi Hai (2024)	Stallion
Golden Hind (JPN)	2020	G2: Sankei Sports Sho Flora Stakes (2023)	Mare
Meiner Emperor (JPN)	2020	G2: Nikkei Sho (2025)	Stallion
Verehrung (JPN)	2020	G3: Kokura Himba Stakes (2025)	Mare
Uberleben (JPN)	2018	G1: Japanese Oaks (2021)	Mare
Meiner Grand (JPN)	2018	G1: Nakayama Daishogai (2023) G2: Tokyo High-Jump (2023) and Hanshin Spring Jump (2024)	Stallion
Black Hole (JPN)	2017	G3: Sapporo Nisai Stakes (2019)	Stallion
Win Mighty (JPN)	2017	G3: Mermaid Stakes (2022 & 2023)	Mare
Win Kiitos (JPN)	2017	G2: Meguro Kinen (2021)	Mare

Honors

• Best Three-Year Old Colt (2012)
• JRA Best Three-Year Old Colt (2012)

Relationships

Relatives

• Mejiro McQueen - Maternal Grandfather
• Stay Gold - Father
  

Stablemates / Friends

• Grass Wonder - Gold Ship would often stop and "greet" Grass Wonder by stomping his hoof

Race Records

Race data sourced from netkeiba.

Date	Racecourse	Race	Grade	Distance	Gate	Odds	Fav.	Fin.	Time	Margin	Jockey	Winner (Runner-Up)	Other Umamusume
2011/07/09	Hakodate	Two-Year-Old Newcomer	Maiden	T 1800m	5	7.0	2	1	1:51.2	0.0	S.Akiyama	(Cosmo Yucca)
2011/09/10	Sapporo	Cosmos Sho	OP	T 1800m	4	1.2	1	1	1:53.6	-0.1	S.Akiyama	(Nishinokachizukusi)
2011/10/01	Sapporo	Sapporo Nisai Stakes	G3	T 1800m	6	4.5	2	2	1:50.9	0.1	K.Ando	Grandezza
2011/12/24	Hanshin	Radio Nikkei Hai	G3	T 2000m	3	5.9	3	2	2:02.6	0.2	K.Ando	Adam's Peak
2012/02/12	Tokyo	Kyodo News Hai	G3	T 1800m	3	4.1	2	1	1:48.3	-0.3	H.Uchida	(Deep Brillante)
2012/04/15	Nakayama	Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas)	G1	T 2000m	14	7.1	4	1	2:01.3	-0.4	H.Uchida	(World Ace)
2012/05/27	Tokyo	Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby)	G1	T 2400m	6	3.1	2	5	2:24.0	0.2	H.Uchida	Deep Brillante	Fenomeno
2012/09/23	Hanshin	Kobe Shimbun Hai	G2	T 2400m	14	2.3	1	1	2:25.2	-0.4	H.Uchida	(Lord Acclaim)
2012/10/21	Kyoto	Kikuka Sho (Japanese St.Leger)	G1	T 3000m	1	1.4	1	1	3:02.9	-0.3	H.Uchida	(Sky Dignity)
2012/12/23	Nakayama	Arima Kinen	G1	T 2500m	13	2.7	1	1	2:31.9	-0.2	H.Uchida	(Ocean Blue)	Rulership, Eishin Flash, Rose Kingdom
2013/03/17	Hanshin	Hanshin Daishoten	G2	T 3000m	7	1.1	1	1	3:05.0	-0.3	H.Uchida	(Desperado)
2013/04/28	Kyoto	Tenno Sho (Spring)	G1	T 3200m	8	1.3	1	5	3:15.1	0.9	H.Uchida	Fenomeno	Fenomeno
2013/06/23	Hanshin	Takarazuka Kinen	G1	T 2200m	10	2.9	2	1	2:13.2	-0.6	H.Uchida	(Danon Ballade)	Gentildonna, Fenomeno
2013/10/06	Kyoto	Kyoto Daishoten	G2	T 2400m	12	1.2	1	5	2:23.2	0.3	H.Uchida	Hit the Target	Verxina
2013/11/24	Tokyo	Japan Cup	G1	T 2400m	13	3.4	2	15	2:27.5	1.4	H.Uchida	Gentildonna	Gentildonna, Tosen Jordan, Verxina, Eishin Flash
2013/12/22	Nakayama	Arima Kinen	G1	T 2500m	14	4.4	2	3	2:33.8	1.5	R.Moore	Orfevre	Orfevre, Win Variation, Tosen Jordan
2014/03/23	Hanshin	Hanshin Daishoten	G2	T 3000m	1	1.7	1	1	3:06.6	-0.6	Y.Iwata	(Admire Rakti)
2014/05/04	Kyoto	Tenno Sho (Spring)	G1	T 3200m	8	4.3	2	7	3:15.6	0.5	C.Williams	Fenomeno	Fenomeno, Win Variation
2014/06/29	Hanshin	Takarazuka Kinen	G1	T 2200m	11	2.7	1	1	2:13.9	-0.5	N.Yokoyama	(Curren Mirotic)	Verxina, Win Variation, Gentildonna, Tosen Jordan
2014/08/24	Sapporo	Sapporo Kinen	G2	T 2000m	5	1.8	1	2	1:59.2	0.1	N.Yokoyama	Harp Star	Logotype
2014/10/05	France	Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe	G1	T 2400m	6		7	14			N.Yokoyama	Treve
2014/12/28	Nakayama	Arima Kinen	G1	T 2500m	14	3.5	1	3	2:35.4	0.1	Y.Iwata	Gentildonna	Gentildonna, Fenomeno, Win Variation, Verxina
2015/01/25	Nakayama	American Jockey Club Cup	G2	T 2200m	8	1.3	1	7	2:14.1	0.5	Y.Iwata	Courir Kaiser
2015/03/22	Hanshin	Hanshin Daishoten	G2	T 3000m	8	1.6	1	1	3:05.9	-0.2	Y.Iwata	(Denim and Ruby)
2015/05/03	Kyoto	Tenno Sho (Spring)	G1	T 3200m	1	4.6	2	1	3:14.7	0.0	N.Yokoyama	(Fame Game)	Sounds of Earth, Win Variation
2015/06/28	Hanshin	Takarazuka Kinen	G1	T 2200m	15	1.9	1	15	2:15.6	1.2	N.Yokoyama	Lovely Day
2015/11/29	Tokyo	Japan Cup	G1	T 2400m	12	4.7	2	10	2:25.1	0.4	N.Yokoyama	Shonan Pandora	Sounds of Earth
2015/12/27	Nakayama	Arima Kinen	G1	T 2500m	15	4.1	1	8	2:33.3	0.3	H.Uchida	Gold Actor	Sounds of Earth, Kitasan Black

Pedigree

Horse pedigree of Gold Ship (JPN)

Sire Stay Gold (JPN)	Sunday Silence (USA)	Halo (USA)	Hail to Reason (USA)
			Cosmah (USA)
		Wishing Well (USA)	Understanding (USA)
			Mountain Flower (USA)
	Golden Sash (JPN)	Dictus (FR)	Sanctus (FR)
			Doronic (FR)
		Dyna Sash (JPN)	Northern Taste (CAN)
			Royal Sash (GB)
Dam Point Flag (JPN)	Mejiro McQueen (JPN)	Mejiro Titan (JPN)	Mejiro Asama (JPN)
			Cheryl (FR)
		Mejiro Aurola (JPN)	Remand (GB)
			Mejiro Iris (JPN)
	Pastoralism (JPN)	Pluralisme (USA)	The Minstrel (CAN)
			Cambretta (USA)
		Tokuno Eighty (JPN)	Tribal Chief (GB)
			Iron Ruby (JPN), (Family: 16-h)

Trivia

• Gentildonna had tried to bump him during the Takarazuka Kinen like she did with other horses like Orfevre, but due to Gold Ship's massive size, he was unfettered and she lost momentum instead. She had also tried to bite his tail.
• He was nicknamed "Unsinkable Battleship" (不沈艦 Fuchinkan) (alternatively: "The Golden Unsinkable Battleship") due to him unflinching against Gentildonna's bumps and also "The White Devil" (白い悪魔 Shiroi Akuma) due to his unpredictable mood.
• He had no major injuries during his racing career.
  • One of his only injuries was when he kicked himself in the leg during one of his rampages and suffered a minor bruise. The only other injury was when Gold Ship had bitten the fence to his pasture and chipped his tooth.
• When he was young, Gold Ship used to keep his distance from his mother unless he was nursing or when he was afraid of the presence of other people due to his mother, Point Flag's, neglectful nature regarding her offspring.
  • His coat color was brown when he was still a foal, which faded into gray when he grew up. This is typical of gray horses, though the speed at which they turn gray can vary.
• Whenever Gold Ship greeted Grass Wonder, he would always stop there for a moment even as his trainer would try to pull him away.
• Gold Ship always tried to kick Tosen Jordan. He disliked Jordan allegedly because he behaved like a boss in Ritto Training Center.
• He supposedly had a 99.1% breeding rate in 2019. But a more approximate estimate is 96% - 99%. He is currently Big Red Farm's most expensive stud. A lot of mares that have trouble getting pregnant get sent to Gold Ship.
• Gold Ship gets nervous and freaks out upon hearing a fire truck's siren.
  • Fans speculate it is stemmed from the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, which happened when he was a 2 years old colt. Fire truck sirens was heard all over during the earthquake, which probably created this behavior.