Oju Chosan (

Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...

: オジュウチョウサン, foaled April 3, 2011) is a retired champion Japanese

thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are c ...

racehorse who is best known for his multiple victories in Japan's major

steeplechase Steeplechase may refer to: * Steeplechase (horse racing), a type of horse race in which participants are required to jump over obstacles * Steeplechase (athletics), an event in athletics that derives its name from the steeplechase in horse racing ...

races. He owns speed records in

Nakayama Racecourse is located in Funabashi, Chiba, Japan. It is used for horse racing. It has a capacity of 165,676. It was built in 1990. Physical attributes Nakayama Race Course has two grass courses, a dirt course, and a jump course. The turf's measures 1840 ...

's two annual

Grade 1 First grade (also called Grade One, called ''Year 2'' in England or Primary 2 in Scotland) is the first grade in elementary school and the first school year after kindergarten. Children are usually 6–7 years old in this grade. Examples by re ...

jump races: the

Nakayama Grand Jump The Nakayama Grand Jump (中山グランドジャンプ) is a Japanese horse racing steeplechase, held at Nakayama Racecourse every year in mid-April. It is for thoroughbreds, four years old and older, run at a distance of 4250m (2 5/8 miles + 84 f ...

, which he has won six times (including five consecutive victories from 2016 to 2020), and the Nakayama Daishogai, which he has won on three occasions.

Background

Oju Chosan's father is Stay Gold, a winner of 7 races from 50 starts who would later become one of Japan's most influential stallions, siring such flat champions as

Orfevre Orfevre ( ja, オルフェーヴル, link=no, foaled May 14, 2008) is a retired Japanese Thoroughbred racehorse and active breeding stallion. In 2011 he won the Japanese Triple Crown and was voted Japanese Horse of the Year. In 2012 he added vic ...

and

Gold Ship Gold Ship ( ja, ゴールドシップ, link=no) is a Japanese Thoroughbred racehorse. In a racing career which began in July 2011, he ran twenty-eight times and won thirteen races. As a two-year-old in 2011, he won his two of his four races. In ...

. Stay Gold's father is

American Horse of the Year The American Award for Horse of the Year, one of the Eclipse Awards, is the highest honor given in American thoroughbred horse racing. Because Thoroughbred horse racing in the United States has no governing body to sanction the various awards, "Hor ...

and

Triple Crown Triple Crown may refer to: Sports Horse racing * Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing * Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing (United States) ** Triple Crown Trophy ** Triple Crown Productions * Canadian Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing * Trip ...

contender

Sunday Silence Sunday Silence (March 25, 1986 – August 19, 2002) was an American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In 1989, he won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes but failed to complete the Triple Crown when he was defeated in the Belmont ...

. Oju Chosan's mother is Shadow Silhouette, sired by two-time

Japanese Horse of the Year The Japanese Horse of the Year is the highest honor given in Japanese thoroughbred horse racing. It is awarded annually by the Japan Racing Association (JRA). Since 1987 the honor has been part of the JRA Awards. This award originally started as p ...

Symboli Kris S Symboli Kris S (, foaled January 21, 1999 in the United States – December 8, 2020) is a retired Japanese Thoroughbred race horse. He was voted Japanese Horse of the Year in 2002 and 2003. He was retired at the end of 2003 and was syndicated ...

Racing career

Oju Chosan made his debut at the

Tokyo Racecourse is located in Fuchu, Tokyo, Japan. Built in 1933 for horse racing, it is considered the "racecourse of racecourses" in Japanese horseracing. It has a capacity of 223,000, with seating for 13,750. Tokyo Racecourse hosts numerous G1 (Grade 1) r ...

under the training of Mitsuhiro Ogata on October 2013 in a flat race but finished in 11th place and his second race in 8th place, before a broken front leg forced him to take a year off, by which point maiden races that suited Oju Chosan had finished. They then tried to have him run in a steeplechase race in November 2014, but came in last. Training role was soon passed from Ogata to Shoichirō Wada soon after, with Shinichi Ishigami being his primary jockey. From there, Oju Chosan's performance gradually improved, as he would go on to win 11 steeplechase races in a row from 2016 to 2019, and ultimately win 20 races from 38 starts as of April 2022. In addition to his victories in the Nakayama Grand Jump and Nakayama Daishogai, he has won the Grade 2 Tokyo High Jump at

two times and the Grade 2 Hanshin Spring Jump at

Hanshin Racecourse is located in Takarazuka, Hyogo, Japan. It has a capacity of 139,000 and it is used for horse racing. The land was originally owned by Kawanishi Aircraft Company, which manufactured combat planes during World War II. After the World War II, GH ...

three times. Oju Chosan's victory at the Nakayama Grand Jump in 2022 made him the oldest horse in Japan to win a graded race, as well as the most wins in a JRA G1 steeplechase races. Oju Chosan retired in December 2022 after finishing in 6th place at the 2022 Nakayama Daishogai behind Nishino Daisy. He is to stand stud at the in

Hokkaido is Japan's second largest island and comprises the largest and northernmost prefecture, making up its own region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō from Honshu; the two islands are connected by the undersea railway Seikan Tunnel. The la ...

starting from 2023.

Pedigree

References

{{reflist Racehorses bred in Japan Racehorses trained in Japan 2011 racehorse births Steeplechase racehorses

Background

Racing career

Pedigree

See also

References