Curren Chan JP
Curren Chan is the selfie angel of Umastagram—weapon-grade cute and perfectly aware of it. She’s already a minor celebrity online, and she came to Tracen to conquer the Twinkle Series and beam that cuteness across Japan. She dotes on her Trainer like an older sibling, cheerfully calling them big brother or big sister.
Beneath the glitter is a stubborn perfectionist. Every detail must be cute—outfit, posture, even the cadence of her strides. She wanted the Triple Tiara because “it’s cute!”, but her Trainer steered her towards sprints. She pouted (“How will anyone notice me in a race that’s over in seconds?”) and then set about making sure they absolutely would. If she ever stumbles—literally—she vanishes to reset her pride, even doing waterfall training to rinse away the shame. She plans like a pro and executes like one too, flashing through courses like a firefly in full glow. Only her Trainer sees how seriously she takes it all.
Off the track, she chronicles everything—selfies, behind-the-scenes, the steady quest to become even cuter. Drop the puppy-dog eyes and she’s surprisingly mature: quick with advice, gracious under pressure, and unfailingly kind to the fans who adore her. As for where this seamless persona came from? She’ll tell you she was born knowing she was cute—and the cameras have been catching up ever since.
“Cute is a tactic—speed is the finish.”
Race Results
| Date | Race | Grade | Course | Going | Dist | Pos | Draw | Jockey | Wgt | SP | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-12-09 | Hong Kong Sprint | G1 | Sha Tin (JP) | Good | 1200 m | 7 | - | Kenichi Ikezoe | 55.5 kg | - | 1:09.1 |
| 2012-09-30 | Sprinters Stakes | G1 | Nakayama (JP) | Good | 1200 m | 2 | 14 | Kenichi Ikezoe | 55.0 kg | 2.5 | 1:06.8 |
| 2012-09-09 | Centaur Stakes | G2 | Hanshin (JP) | Good | 1200 m | 4 | 6 | Kenichi Ikezoe | 56.0 kg | 5.0 | 1:07.4 |
| 2012-03-25 | Takamatsunomiya Kinen | G1 | Chukyo (JP) | Good | 1200 m | 1 | 10 | Kenichi Ikezoe | 55.0 kg | 3.9 | 1:10.3 |
| 2012-03-03 | Yukan Fuji Sho Ocean Stakes | G3 | Nakayama (JP) | Soft | 1200 m | 4 | 13 | Kenichi Ikezoe | 56.0 kg | 2.4 | 1:09.4 |
| 2011-12-11 | Hong Kong Sprint | G1 | Sha Tin (JP) | Good | 1200 m | 5 | - | Kenichi Ikezoe | 55.5 kg | - | 1:09.3 |
| 2011-10-02 | Sprinters Stakes | G1 | Nakayama (JP) | Good | 1200 m | 1 | 10 | Kenichi Ikezoe | 55.0 kg | 11.2 | 1:07.4 |
| 2011-08-28 | Keeneland Cup | G3 | Sapporo (JP) | Good | 1200 m | 1 | 8 | Kenichi Ikezoe | 54.0 kg | 1.9 | 1:08.6 |
| 2011-07-03 | Hakodate Sprint Stakes | G3 | Hakodate (JP) | Good | 1200 m | 1 | 2 | Kenichi Ikezoe | 54.0 kg | 2.7 | 1:08.0 |
| 2011-04-09 | Hanshin Himba Stakes | G2 | Hanshin (JP) | Good | 1400 m | 1 | 1 | Kenichi Ikezoe | 55.0 kg | 4.2 | 1:20.4 |
| 2011-02-19 | Yamashiro Stakes | ALW (3 Win) | Kyoto (JP) | Good/Soft | 1200 m | 1 | 2 | Yuga Kawada | 55.0 kg | 1.9 | 1:09.2 |
| 2011-01-23 | Fushimi Stakes | ALW (3 Win) | Kyoto (JP) | Good | 1200 m | 3 | 7 | Kenichi Ikezoe | 54.0 kg | 2.9 | 1:09.3 |
| 2010-06-19 | Shiosai Tokubetsu | ALW (2 Win) | Hakodate (JP) | Good | 1200 m | 1 | 1 | Kenichi Ikezoe | 52.0 kg | 2.8 | 1:08.8 |
| 2010-05-15 | Aoi Stakes | OP | Kyoto (JP) | Good | 1200 m | 2 | 7 | Kenichi Ikezoe | 54.0 kg | 4.5 | 1:07.6 |
| 2010-03-14 | Hochi Hai Fillies' Revue | G2 | Hanshin (JP) | Good | 1400 m | 8 | 7 | Ryota Sameshima | 54.0 kg | 13.8 | 1:23.2 |
| 2010-02-07 | Moegi Sho | ALW (1 Win) | Chukyo (JP) | Good | 1200 m | 1 | 14 | Ryota Sameshima | 54.0 kg | 5.1 | 1:09.7 |
| 2010-01-16 | 3yo Maiden | — | Kyoto (JP) | Good | 1200 m | 1 | 16 | Katsuharu Kokubun | 51.0 kg | 1.5 | 1:13.1 |
| 2009-12-26 | 2yo Dirt | — | Hanshin (JP) | Good | 1200 m | 2 | 1 | Yutaka Take | 54.0 kg | 1.6 | 1:14.3 |
IRL Info
- Foaled: 2007-03-31
- Sex: Mare
- Colour: Grey
- Trainer: Takayuki Yasuda
- Owner: Takashi Suzuki
- Breeder: Shadai Farm
- Sire: Kurofune
- Dam: Spring Ticket
- Damsire: Tony Bin
- Record: 18 starts: 9-3-1
- Earnings: JPY 4538739.00
Discipline: Flat, Turf Sprints (1200 m specialist)
Era: 2010–2012
Highlights: Sprinters Stakes (G1) 2011 • Takamatsunomiya Kinen (G1) 2012 • Multiple graded sprint wins
Overview
Curren Chan was a top-class Japanese sprint mare who made 1200 m her stage. She combined a calm, handily-placed trip with a crisp, low-drift finishing kick, and for roughly a season and a half she was the benchmark home sprinter: reliable, professional, and devastating when produced at the right moment. Her peak encompassed a Sprinters Stakes (G1) crown in autumn 2011 and the Takamatsunomiya Kinen (G1) the following spring, before the division shifted with the rise of Lord Kanaloa.
Career timeline (story form)
- Juvenile / early 3yo: Began with a dirt try, quickly revealed her calling on turf sprints. Lower-grade wins built confidence while connections kept her in the 1200–1400 m lane.
- Four-year-old (2011): Breakthrough year. Stepped up via the Hanshin Himba S. (G2) at 1400 m, then stitched a model sprint campaign: wins in the Hakodate Sprint S. (G3) and Keeneland Cup (G3) set up a polished victory in the Sprinters Stakes (G1) at Nakayama. Closed with a solid 5th in the Hong Kong Sprint (G1).
- Five-year-old (2012): Returned to capture the Takamatsunomiya Kinen (G1) at Chukyo—Japan’s spring sprint championship. From mid-year, Lord Kanaloa began to dominate; Curren Chan still held form (notably 2nd in the Sprinters) and finished 7th in a second Hong Kong Sprint.
Racing style & tactics
- Typical trip: Sit handy, relax, and wait to pounce.
- Weapon: A silky, straightening acceleration over the final 300 m; minimal lane-change drag, very efficient action.
- Favoured conditions: Good/firm ground, clean turns, even or honest tempo.
- Vulnerabilities: Monsters with a bigger late engine (e.g., Lord Kanaloa) or messy setups that forced an early/wide move.
Connections & jockeyship
Built a strong rapport with Kenichi Ikezoe, whose calm early hands and well-timed drives matched her save-then-slice pattern. That rider/horse rhythm was central to converting preps into majors.
International foray
Two tilts at the Hong Kong Sprint (G1) showed her portability: a sharp 5th (2011) against a deep field, then 7th (2012) as the season’s mileage told. No trophy, but she travelled like a pro.
After racing
Retired sound to broodmare duties. As a mare with genuine G1 sprint form, she’s valued for passing on temperament, tractability, and efficient mechanics—the small intangibles that turn raw speed into repeatable performances.
Legacy
Curren Chan sits in that neat historical pocket: the standard-setter just before a once-in-a-generation sprinter arrived. Her 2011–spring 2012 body of work remains a blueprint for a textbook Japanese sprint campaign—targeted preps, two domestic G1s, and sporting raids abroad. When fans recall “beautifully ridden” winners of the Sprinters and Takamatsunomiya, her name is near the top of the list.
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