IRL:North Flight
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| North Flight | ||
|---|---|---|
| ノースフライト | ||
| North Flight winning the 1994 Mile Championship | ||
| Silks |  |
|
| Romaji | Nōsu Furaito | |
| Foaled | April 12, 1990 | |
| Died | January 22, 2018 | |
| Sire | Tony Bin | |
| Dam | Shadai Flight | |
| Sex | Mare | |
| Color | Bay | |
| Trainer | Keiji Kato | |
| Race Record | 11: 8-2-0 | |
| Earnings | 450,410,000 JPY | |
| Major wins | ||
| Fuchu Himba Stakes (1993) Hanshin Himba Tokubetsu (1993) Kyoto Himba Tokubetsu (1994) Yomiuri Milers Cup (1994) Yasuda Kinen (1994) Mile Championship (1994) |
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North Flight was a Japanese racehorse who ran from 1993 to 1994. She was named the Queen of Mile, with her emerging victorious on all five mile races she had participated in including two G1s. She was well known for her rivalry with the King of Sprint - Sakura Bakushin O, whom she never won against in sprint races. Though their roles would reverse when it comes to mile races, with Sakura Bakushin O never winning against her. Their dominance on both sprint and mile races lead to JRA's restructuring for sprint and mile grade races.
Name Origin
Her name was a combination of "North" and "Flight". "North" originated from Daihoku Farm, while "Flight" originated from her dam - Shadai Flight.
Racing career
Three-year-old season (1993)
North Flight made her debut on May 1st, in a 1,600-meter turf race on Niigata Racecourse. As the overwhelming favorite, she won the race by nine lengths, earning her first victory. Two months later, on July 25th, she competed in the open-class Adachiyama Tokubetsu, where she won by an overwhelming eight lengths.
After a few months, she returned to challenge the open-class Shubun Tokubetsu, where she lost for the first time and placed 5th. This loss was due to factors such as her feeling sick, alongside going through estrus. It was also her first time running in a medium-distance race.[2]However, on October 17th, she won the Fuchu Himba Stakes (G3), and she attained her first graded victory. This granted her priority entry in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup,[Note 1]where she fought hard and placed 2nd. Her last race of the year was the Hanshin Himba Tokubetsu (G3) on December 19th, where she won the race.
Four-year-old season (1994)
North Flight started off the year by running in the Kyoto Himba Tokubetsu (G3) on January 30th, where she won by six lengths. Later, on March 6th, she won the Yomiuri Milers Cup (G2), and it was then decided to have her continue running in miles throughout her career. On May 15th, she competed in the Yasuda Kinen, where she first encountered Sakura Bakushin O. Despite suffering a late start, she gradually accelerated at the final corner, and she won the race by two lengths. This became her first G1 victory.
After months of rest, her win streak ended on October 29th, where she lost the Swan Stakes (G2) to Sakura Bakushin O and placed 2nd. It was then announced that North Flight would retire after the Mile Championship on November 20th. For the final time, she competed with Sakura Bakushin O. During the race, she marked Sakura Bakushin O, and at the third corner, began to accelerate as Sakura Bakushin O was escaping from the pack. However, North Flight caught up to him, and won the race, attaining her second and final G1 victory.
She was then awarded the JRA Award for Best Older Filly or Mare.
Retirement and Death
After retirement, North Flight became a broodmare and rested at Daihoku Farm in Urakawa Town, Hokkaido. Following a confirmed unsuccessful pregnancy in 2011, she retired from broodmare duties and lived her days peacefully at Daihoku Ranch as a retired racehorse. While her progeny were not very notable, her grandson, Beat Black, won the 2012 Tenno Sho (Spring) in a dramatic upset.
On January 22, 2018, she passed away due to heart failure at the age of 28.
Honors
- JRA Award for Best Older Filly or Mare (1994)
Relationships
Relatives
- Tony Bin - Father
Race Records
| Date | Racecourse | Race | Grade | Distance | Gate | Odds | Fav. | Fin. | Time | Margin | Jockey | Winner (Runner-Up) | Other Umamusume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993/05/01 | Niigata | Four-Year-Old Maiden | Maiden | T 1600m | 13 | 2.0 | 1 | 1 | 1:36.2 | -1.5 | M.Nishizono | (Southern Great) | |
| 1993/07/25 | Kokura | Adachiyama Tokubetsu | Pre-OP | T 1700m | 3 | 2.0 | 1 | 1 | 1:41.3 | -1.3 | Y.Take | (Romance Tosho) | |
| 1993/09/18 | Hanshin | Shubun Tokubetsu | Pre-OP | T 2000m | 11 | 1.2 | 1 | 5 | 2:03.0 | 1.2 | Y.Take | Shimano Yamahime | |
| 1993/10/17 | Tokyo | Fuchu Himba Stakes | G3 | T 1600m | 3 | 7.0 | 4 | 1 | 1:34.7 | -0.1 | K.Tsunoda | (Persian Spot) | |
| 1993/11/14 | Kyoto | Queen Elizabeth II Cup | G1 | T 2400m | 14 | 14.6 | 5 | 2 | 2:25.1 | 0.2 | K.Tsunoda | Hokuto Vega | Yukino Bijin |
| 1993/12/19 | Hanshin | Hanshin Himba Tokubetsu | G3 | T 2000m | 12 | 2.5 | 1 | 1 | 2:02.8 | -0.2 | Y.Take | (Best Dancing) | |
| 1994/01/30 | Hanshin | Kyoto Himba Tokubetsu | G3 | T 1600m | 8 | 1.4 | 1 | 1 | 1:36.8 | -1.0 | Y.Take | (Favor One) | |
| 1994/03/06 | Chukyo | Yomiuri Milers Cup | G2 | T 1700m | 5 | 1.8 | 1 | 1 | 1:40.6 | 0.0 | Y.Take | (Marvelous Crown) | |
| 1994/05/15 | Tokyo | Yasuda Kinen | G1 | T 1600m | 5 | 7.0 | 5 | 1 | 1:33.2 | -0.4 | K.Tsunoda | (Towa Darling) | Sakura Bakushin O |
| 1994/10/29 | Hanshin | Swan Stakes | G2 | T 1400m | 13 | 3.0 | 2 | 2 | 1:20.1 | 0.2 | K.Tsunoda | Sakura Bakushin O | Sakura Bakushin O, Biko Pegasus |
| 1994/11/20 | Kyoto | Mile Championship | G1 | T 1600m | 9 | 1.7 | 1 | 1 | 1:33.0 | -0.2 | K.Tsunoda | (Sakura Bakushin O) | Sakura Bakushin O, Biko Pegasus |
Pedigree
| Sire Tony Bin (IRE) |
Kampala (GB) | Kalamoun (GB) | Zeddaan (GB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Khairunissa (GB) | |||
| State Pension (GB) | Only for Life (GB) | ||
| Lorelei (GB) | |||
| Severn Bridge (GB) | Hornbeam (GB) | Hyperion (GB) | |
| Thicket (GB) | |||
| Priddy Fair (GB) | Preciptic (GB) | ||
| Campanette (GB) | |||
| Dam Shadai Flight (JPN) |
Hitting Away (USA) | Ambiorix (FR) | Tourbillon (FR) |
| Lavendula (FR) | |||
| Striking (USA) | War Admiral (USA) | ||
| Baby League (USA) | |||
| Forward Flight (USA) | Porterhouse (USA) | Endeavour (ARG) | |
| Red Stamp (USA) | |||
| Bashful Girl (USA) | Khaled (GB) | ||
| But Beautiful (GB), (Family: 12-c) |
Trivia
- Despite their remarkable rivalry, Sakura Bakushin O and North Flight were never bred together.
- She had a close relationship with her groom, Mikiko Ishikura. In fact, when she wasn't around, North Flight would get uneasy.[3]
- During her active career, fans affectionately called her "Fuu-chan".[4]
- This nickname was first used by Ishikura.
- For a horse, she had a very thin-frame despite her strength in races.[5]
Notes
- ↑ The Queen Elizabeth II Cup was considered the final leg of the Triple Tiara until the introduction of the Shuka Sho in 1996.