Gold Ship JP
A beautiful menace in greyscale. Gold Ship is equal parts genius and gremlin: long-striding elegance one minute, cartoon chaos the next. In the halls she’s all lazy stretches, sardonic smiles, and pranks that go three moves deep. In the gate… who knows? When the mood strikes, she detonates—rolling cadence, elastic acceleration, and a finish that feels like thunder finding a rhythm.
She hates being rushed and loves being right. Trainers learn to negotiate rather than order; teammates learn to ride the mood like a wave. Give her a big stage, a long run-up, and a rival to tease, and she’ll turn the backstretch into a playground.
“Relax. I’ll decide when it’s time to fly.”
Flavour cues: greys and silver with storm-gold trim; oversized hoodie over race kit; cheeky grin, sleepy eyes; playful “do-not-disturb” tail ribbon for gates day.
On-track style: stamina-rich closer/stalker; huge, rolling stride; can idle or explode on a whim.
Signature skill ideas: Storm Surge (late-run burst after long cruising), Gate Gremlin (tiny chance of comedy start… then massive recovery), Daishoten Rhythm (keeps form when the trip gets loooong).
Race Results
| Date | Race | Grade | Course | Going | Dist | Pos | Draw | Jockey | Wgt | SP | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-12-27 | Arima Kinen (Grand Prix) | G1 | Nakayama (JP) | Good | 2500 m | 8 | 15 | H. Uchida | 57.0 kg | 4.1 | 2:33.3 |
| 2015-11-29 | Japan Cup | G1 | Tokyo (JP) | Good | 2400 m | 10 | 12 | N. Yokoyama | 57.0 kg | 4.7 | 2:25.1 |
| 2015-06-28 | Takarazuka Kinen | G1 | Hanshin (JP) | Good | 2200 m | 15 | 15 | N. Yokoyama | 58.0 kg | 1.9 | 2:15.6 |
| 2015-05-03 | Tenno Sho (Spring) | G1 | Kyoto (JP) | Good | 3200 m | 2 | 1 | N. Yokoyama | 58.0 kg | 4.6 | 3:14.7 |
| 2015-03-22 | Hanshin Daishoten | G2 | Hanshin (JP) | Good | 3000 m | 1 | 8 | Y. Iwata | 58.0 kg | 1.6 | 3:05.9 |
| 2015-01-25 | American Jockey Club Cup | G2 | Nakayama (JP) | Good | 2200 m | 1 | 8 | Y. Iwata | 58.0 kg | 1.3 | 2:14.1 |
| 2014-12-28 | Arima Kinen (Grand Prix) | G1 | Nakayama (JP) | Good | 2500 m | 1 | 14 | Y. Iwata | 57.0 kg | 3.5 | 2:35.4 |
| 2014-10-05 | Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe | G1 | Longchamp (JP) | Good | 2400 m | 14 | 14 | N. Yokoyama | 59.5 kg | - | — |
| 2014-08-24 | Sapporo Kinen | G2 | Sapporo (JP) | Good | 2000 m | 1 | 5 | N. Yokoyama | 57.0 kg | 1.8 | 1:59.2 |
| 2014-06-29 | Takarazuka Kinen | G1 | Hanshin (JP) | Good | 2200 m | 1 | 11 | N. Yokoyama | 58.0 kg | 2.7 | 2:13.9 |
| 2014-05-04 | Tenno Sho (Spring) | G1 | Kyoto (JP) | Good | 3200 m | 2 | 8 | C. Williams | 58.0 kg | 4.3 | 3:15.6 |
| 2014-03-23 | Hanshin Daishoten | G2 | Hanshin (JP) | Good | 3000 m | 1 | 1 | Y. Iwata | 58.0 kg | 1.7 | 3:06.6 |
| 2013-12-22 | Arima Kinen (Grand Prix) | G1 | Nakayama (JP) | Good | 2500 m | 3 | 14 | R. Moore | 57.0 kg | 4.4 | 2:33.8 |
| 2013-11-24 | Japan Cup | G1 | Tokyo (JP) | Good | 2400 m | 15 | 13 | H. Uchida | 57.0 kg | 3.4 | 2:27.5 |
| 2013-10-06 | Kyoto Daishoten | G2 | Kyoto (JP) | Good | 2400 m | 1 | 12 | H. Uchida | 58.0 kg | 1.2 | 2:23.2 |
| 2013-06-23 | Takarazuka Kinen | G1 | Hanshin (JP) | Good | 2200 m | 1 | 10 | H. Uchida | 58.0 kg | 2.9 | 2:13.2 |
| 2013-04-28 | Tenno Sho (Spring) | G1 | Kyoto (JP) | Good | 3200 m | 5 | 8 | H. Uchida | 58.0 kg | 1.3 | 3:15.1 |
| 2013-03-17 | Hanshin Daishoten | G2 | Hanshin (JP) | Good | 3000 m | 1 | 7 | H. Uchida | 57.0 kg | 1.1 | 3:05.0 |
| 2012-12-23 | Arima Kinen (Grand Prix) | G1 | Nakayama (JP) | Good | 2500 m | 1 | 13 | H. Uchida | 55.0 kg | 2.7 | 2:31.9 |
| 2012-10-21 | Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger) | G1 | Kyoto (JP) | Good | 3000 m | 1 | 1 | H. Uchida | 57.0 kg | 1.4 | 3:02.9 |
| 2012-09-23 | Kobe Shimbun Hai | G2 | Hanshin (JP) | Good | 2400 m | 1 | 7 | H. Uchida | 56.0 kg | 2.3 | 2:25.2 |
| 2012-05-27 | Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) | G1 | Tokyo (JP) | Good | 2400 m | 5 | 6 | H. Uchida | 57.0 kg | 3.1 | 2:24.0 |
| 2012-04-15 | Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) | G1 | Nakayama (JP) | Good to Soft | 2000 m | 1 | 14 | H. Uchida | 57.0 kg | 7.1 | 2:01.3 |
| 2012-02-12 | Kyodo News Service Hai (Tokinominoru Kinen) | G3 | Tokyo (JP) | Good | 1800 m | 1 | 3 | H. Uchida | 57.0 kg | 4.1 | 1:48.3 |
| 2011-12-24 | Radio Nikkei Hai Nisai Stakes | G3 | Hanshin (JP) | Good | 2000 m | 2 | 3 | K. Ando | 55.0 kg | 5.9 | 2:02.6 |
| 2011-10-01 | Sapporo Nisai Stakes | G3 | Sapporo (JP) | Good | 1800 m | 2 | 6 | K. Ando | 55.0 kg | 4.5 | 1:50.9 |
| 2011-09-10 | Cosmos Sho | OP | Sapporo (JP) | Good | 1800 m | 1 | 4 | S. Akiyama | 54.0 kg | 1.2 | 1:53.6 |
IRL Info
- Foaled: 2009-03-06
- Sex: Stallion
- Colour: Gray
- Trainer: Naosuke Sugai
- Owner: Kobayashi Eiichi Holdings LLC
- Breeder: Deguchi Farm
- Sire: Stay Gold
- Dam: Point Flag
- Damsire: Mejiro McQueen
- Record: 28 starts: 13-3-2
- Earnings: JPY 13977670.00
Type: Japanese Thoroughbred (Grey Stallion)
Range: Middle–staying distances (2200–3200 m)
Record (headline): Multiple G1 winner; fan-favorite for talent and unpredictability
Snapshot
Gold Ship was the mercurial star of his era—capable of dropping world-class performances or clown-car chaos, sometimes in the same month. At his best he blended stayer’s stamina with a booming, sustained finish that swallowed fields from way out. At his most contrary he could sulk at the break, miss the jump, or decide the first 100 m were a joke. The volatility only made the highs more iconic.
Major achievements (selected)
- Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas, G1) — 2012
- Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger, G1) — 2012
- Arima Kinen (G1) — 2012
- Takarazuka Kinen (G1) — 2013, 2014 (back-to-back champ)
- Tenno Sho (Spring, G1) — 2015 (Kyoto 3200 m)
- Hanshin Daishoten (G2) — three-peat (2013–2015), his personal playground
Style & quirks
- Big-engine cruiser: happiest rolling for a long time before unleashing a grinding surge.
- Mood meter: temperament could flip outcomes—slow starts, antics in the gate, or a sudden “now” that won races from improbable spots.
- Deep stamina: thrived from 2200 m up to marathon trips; relished a long home straight.
Notorious moments
- The “sit-down at the start” vibe and comedy breaks became folklore—none bigger than the miscue in a Takarazuka after his back-to-back wins, when he basically pranked the nation and still tried to run on.
After racing
Retired to stud in Japan, he passed on scopey frames and staying power, plus a bit of that charismatic streak. He remains a cult icon—proof that racehorses can be both artist and anarchist.
Legacy
Few horses packed this much drama, durability, and raw ability into a career. When fans talk about unforgettable arcs, Gold Ship lives near the top: the grey thunderhead who could turn any race into weather.
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