Vodka

Vodka opened her three-year-old season with two victories. She won the Elfin Stakes over 1,600 metres at Kyoto in February, then took the Grade 3 Tulip Sho at Hanshin the following month.

Her unbeaten start to the year ended in the Oka Sho, the Japanese 1000 Guineas, on 8 April. Competing over the same 1,600-metre distance as her juvenile Grade 1 success, she finished second in a field of 18. Rather than remaining within the fillies’ Classic programme, she was next sent to Tokyo for a substantially longer assignment.

On 27 May, Vodka contested the Tokyo Yushun, better known as the Japanese Derby. Ridden again by H. Shii, she won the 2,400-metre Grade 1 against an 18-horse field. The result became the central achievement of her three-year-old season. In less than six months she had progressed from winning a juvenile championship race over a mile to taking one of Japan’s principal Classics over 2,400 metres.

Her later 2007 campaign was less consistent but kept her in demanding company. She finished eighth in the Takarazuka Kinen over 2,200 metres, third in the Shuka Sho over 2,000 metres, and fourth in her first Japan Cup. Her year ended with an 11th-place finish in the 2,500-metre Arima Kinen.

Vodka’s 2009 campaign began with another trip to Dubai. She finished fifth in the Grade 2 Jebel Hatta and seventh in the Dubai Duty Free, both over 1,777 metres. Her return to Japan brought a marked reversal in form.

At Tokyo on 17 May, she won the Victoria Mile over 1,600 metres under Yutaka Take, improving on her second-place finish in the race a year earlier. Twenty-one days later she returned over the same course and distance for the Yasuda Kinen. Vodka won again, becoming a consecutive winner of the race and adding a second major mile success within three weeks.

Her autumn began with another second-place finish in the Mainichi Okan. She then attempted to repeat her Tenno Sho (Autumn) success and finished third over 2,000 metres.

The final major victory of her career came on 29 November. Ridden by Christophe Lemaire, Vodka won the Japan Cup over 2,400 metres at Tokyo. She had previously finished fourth in the race in 2007 and third in 2008, so the 2009 result completed a three-year progression from placing to victory.

The Japan Cup also brought her career back to the distance of her Japanese Derby triumph. Between those two 2,400-metre landmarks, she had won Grade 1 races at 1,600 and 2,000 metres, making the Japan Cup both a late-career high point and a summary of her versatility.

Vodka made one recorded start in 2010, finishing eighth in the Grade 2 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 over 2,000 metres on dirt.

Vodka was partnered by several leading jockeys during her career. H. Shii rode her through her early rise, including victories in the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies, Tulip Sho and Japanese Derby. Yutaka Take was aboard for major successes in the 2008 Tenno Sho (Autumn), 2009 Victoria Mile and 2009 Yasuda Kinen. Yasunari Iwata rode her to her first Yasuda Kinen, while Christophe Lemaire partnered her in the 2009 Japan Cup.

Her results show an unusually broad top-level range. Vodka won Grade 1 races over 1,600 metres, 2,000 metres and 2,400 metres. She also competed at 1,777, 1,800, 2,200 and 2,500 metres, with her most important performances concentrated on turf.

Tokyo was the centre of her mature career. Her Japanese Derby, two Yasuda Kinens, Tenno Sho (Autumn), Victoria Mile and Japan Cup victories all came there. She also recorded major Tokyo placings in the Victoria Mile, Tenno Sho and Japan Cup.

Her recorded Japan Racing Association earnings were ¥1,304.88 million. No National Association of Racing earnings were recorded.