Espoir City

Espoir City
Espoir City right after winning the JBC Sprint in 2013
SireGold Allure
GrandsireSunday Silence
DamEminent City
DamsireBrian's Time
SexStallion
Foaled (2005-04-22) April 22, 2005
CountryJapan
ColorChestnut
BreederIkuchise Bokujo[1]
OwnerYushun Horse
TrainerAkio Adachi
JockeyHiroki Goto[2]
Record40:17-10-3
Earnings1,023,197,000 JPY
Major wins
Champions Cup (2009)
February Stakes (2010)
Kashiwa Kinen (2009, 2010, 2012)
Mile Championship Nambu Hai (2009, 2012, 2013)
JBC Sprint (2013)
Awards
JRA Award for Best Dirt Horse (2009 & 2010)

Espoir City (Japanese: エスポワールシチー, foaled April 22, 2005) is a Japanese Thoroughbred racehorse and the winner of the 2010 February Stakes.

Background

Espoir City was foaled out of Eminent City who won three out of 23 races.[3] He was sired by Gold Allure who won the 2002 Japan Dirt Derby, 2002 Tokyo Daishoten and 2003 February Stakes.[4]

In the beginning, her dam had some complications when giving birth to her first foal, which causing her womb to get damaged. She got permission later from the veterinarian to continue her duties as a broodmare.[5] At the Yushun Horse order, Eminent City was scheduled to be slaughtered but the breeder, Ikuchise kept her in secret as a riding horse for Scarlet Riding Club for several years. It was until Espoir City's gradual success on the dirt when the details been fully revealed to the public.[6]

His name came from the french word for hope, Espoir and the Yushun Horse crown's name, City.[7]

Racing Career

Espoir City debuted on March 9, 2008, at Hanshin, where he came in 3rd.[8] He got his first win after six races on July 29, 2008, when he won at Kokura. He then picked up another win at Kokura on August 10, 2008. This sparked a 4 race winstreak.[8]

2009 was a very successful year for Espoir City. He went on a 6 race winstreak. He picked up his first graded win on March 29, 2009, when he won the March Stakes.[8] He then won his first Grade 1 race by winning the May 5th, 2009 Kashiwa Kinen.[1] He also won both the G1 Mile Championship Nambu Hai on October 12, 2009, and the G1 2009 Champions Cup in December.[8]

He started off 2010 with another Grade 1 win, this time at the February 21st, 2010 February Stakes. He then successfully defended his Kashiwa Kinen title on May 5, 2010, to cap off his win streak.

His next win came on March 21, 2011, when he won the Nagoya Taishoten. He tried to defend his Kashiwa Kinen title for a 2nd time in May, but came in 3rd place. He was only able to win one more race in 2011, when he captured the November 2011 Miyako Stakes.[8]

He returned to the Kashiwa Kinen on May 2, 2012, and won the race for the 3rd and final time. Later in October, he also re-captured the Mile Championship Nambu Hai.

2013 was Espoir City's final year in racing. He came in 2nd at the 2013 February Stakes and at the 2013 Kashiwa Kinen. He then won the Mile Championship Nambu Hai for the 3rd and final time in October. His last win was the November 4th, 2013 Japan Breeding farms' Cup Sprint. He finished his career with a 7th-place finish at the Champions Cup on December 1, 2013.[8] After retirement, he became a breeding stallion at Yushun Stallion Station.

Racing form

Espoir City won 17 and placed 13 races in 40 starts. The data available is based on JBIS and netkeiba.[9][10]

Date Race Grade Distance Surface Condition Track Entry Finish Time Margin Jockey Winner (Runner-up)
2008 – three-year-old season
Mar 9 3YO debut 1600m Turf Firm Hanshin 16 3rd 1:37.9 -0.3 Tetsuzō Satō Agnes Minuet
Mar 29 3YO maiden 1400m Turf Firm Hanshin 18 2nd 1:23.0 0.0 Tetsuzō Satō Blast Off
Apr 20 3YO maiden 1800m Turf Heavy Fukushima 16 5th 1:54.7 0.6 Eiji Nakadate Southern General
May 3 3YO maiden 1600m Turf Firm Kyoto 14 6th 1:35.6 0.6 Tetsuzō Satō Tagano Erushiko
Jun 21 3YO maiden 1400m Turf Good Hanshin 17 2nd 1:22.7 0.4 Tetsuzō Satō Tamamo Nice Play
Jul 20 3YO maiden 1200m Turf Firm Kokura 18 1st 1:08.5 0.0 Tetsuzō Satō (Danon Perth)
Aug 10 Akiyoshidai Tokubetsu ALW (1W) 1200m Turf Firm Kokura 18 7th 1:09.2 0.5 Tetsuzō Satō Fixias
Aug 30 3YO maiden 1700m Dirt Good Kokura 16 1st 1:42.4 -1.1 Kōichi Tsunoda (Professional)
Sep 27 Nishiwaki Tokubetsu ALW (2W) 1800m Dirt Fast Hanshin 15 1st 1:51.6 -0.3 Tetsuzō Satō (Clean)
Nov 2 Kinshu Stakes ALW (3W) 1600m Dirt Fast Tokyo 16 1st 1:35.3 -0.8 Masami Matsuoka (Epsom Auron)
Nov 24 Topaz Stakes OP 1800m Dirt Good Kyoto 16 1st 1:50.8 -0.3 Tetsuzō Satō (Dark Message)
2009 – four-year-old season
Jan 25 Heian Stakes G3 1800m Dirt Good Kyoto 16 2nd 1:50.4 0.0 Tetsuzō Satō Wonder Speed
Feb 22 February Stakes G1 1600m Dirt Good Tokyo 16 4th 1:34.8 0.2 Tetsuzō Satō Success Brocken
Mar 29 March Stakes G3 1800m Dirt Fast Nakayama 16 1st 1:51.9 -0.2 Masami Matsuoka (Daisho Jet)
May 5 Kashiwa Kinen Jpn1 1600m Dirt Sloppy Funabashi 13 1st 1:35.9 -0.1 Tetsuzō Satō (Kane Hekili)
Oct 12 Mile Championship Nambu Hai Jpn1 1600m Dirt Fast Morioka 15 1st 1:35.4 -0.7 Tetsuzō Satō (Success Brocken)
Dec 6 Champions Cup G1 1800m Dirt Fast Hanshin 16 1st 1:49.9 -0.6 Tetsuzō Satō (Silk Mobius)
2010 – five-year-old season
Feb 21 February Stakes G1 1600m Dirt Fast Tokyo 16 1st 1:34.9 -0.4 Tetsuzō Satō (Testa Matta)
May 5 Kashiwa Kinen Jpn1 1600m Dirt Fast Funabashi 14 1st 1:36.8 -0.2 Tetsuzō Satō (Furioso)
Oct 11 Mile Championship Nambu Hai Jpn1 1600m Dirt Good Morioka 12 2nd 1:35.3 0.5 Tetsuzō Satō Oro Meister
Nov 6 Breeders Cup Classic G1 1 1⁄4 miles Dirt Fast Churchill Downs 11 10th – – Tetsuzō Satō Blame
2011 – six-year-old season
Mar 21 Nagoya Daishoten Jpn2 1900m Dirt Muddy Nagoya 12 1st R1:58.4 -0.4 Tetsuzō Satō (Wonder Acute)
May 5 Kashiwa Kinen Jpn1 1600m Dirt Good Funabashi 13 3rd 1:38.6 0.4 Tetsuzō Satō Furioso
Jun 29 Teio Sho Jpn1 2000m Dirt Fast Ohi 11 2nd 2:02.9 1.8 Tetsuzō Satō Smart Falcon
Oct 10 Mile Championship Nambu Hai Jpn1 1600m Dirt Fast Tokyo 15 4th 1:35.1 0.3 Masami Matsuoka Transcend
Nov 6 Miyako Stakes G3 1800m Dirt Good Kyoto 15 1st 1:48.4 -0.6 Tetsuzō Satō (Tosho Freak)
Dec 4 Champions Cup G1 1800m Dirt Fast Hanshin 16 3rd 1:50.9 0.3 Tetsuzō Satō Transcend
2012 – seven-year-old season
Jan 22 Heian Stakes G3 1800m Dirt Muddy Kyoto 16 2nd 1:48.3 0.2 Tetsuzō Satō Hiraboku King
Feb 19 February Stakes G1 1600m Dirt Fast Tokyo 16 5th 1:36.0 0.6 Yutaka Take Testa Matta
May 2 Kashiwa Kinen Jpn1 1600m Dirt Sloppy Tokyo 13 1st 1:36.5 -0.5 Tetsuzō Satō (Furioso)
Jun 27 Teio Sho Jpn1 2000m Dirt Fast Ohi 13 2nd 2:03.7 0.7 Tetsuzō Satō Gold Blitz
Aug 25 Elm Stakes G3 1700m Dirt Fast Sapporo 11 2nd 1:42.2 0.0 Tetsuzō Satō Roman Legend
Oct 8 Mile Championship Nambu Hai Jpn1 1600m Dirt Fast Morioka 13 1st 1:35.9 -0.6 Tetsuzō Satō (Daisho Jet)
Dec 2 Champions Cup G1 1800m Dirt Fast Hanshin 16 10th 1:50.4 1.6 Yutaka Take Nihonpiro Ours
Dec 29 Tokyo Daishoten G1 2000m Dirt Sloppy Ohi 12 5th 2:07.6 1.7 Masami Matsuoka Roman Legend
2013 – eight-year-old season
Feb 17 February Stakes G1 1600m Dirt Fast Tokyo 16 2nd 1:35.2 0.1 Masami Matsuoka Grape Brandy
May 6 Kashiwa Kinen Jpn1 1600m Dirt Fast Funabashi 11 2nd 1:38.1 0.3 Suguru Hamanaka Hokko Tarumae
Oct 14 Mile Championship Nambu Hai Jpn1 1600m Dirt Fast Morioka 13 1st 1:34.1 -0.2 Hiroki Goto (Hokko Tarumae)
Nov 4 Japan Breeding Farms' Cup Sprint Jpn1 1400m Dirt Muddy Kanazawa 12 1st 1:27.1 -0.3 Hiroki Goto (Dream Valentino)
Dec 1 Champions Cup G1 1800m Dirt Fast Hanshin 16 7th 1:51.4 1.0 Hiroki Goto Belshazzar
  • R indicated that it was a record run
  • All Jpn graded races are labeled as "Listed" in international scale.

Stud career

Espoir City's descendants include:[8]

c = colt, f = filly

Foaled Name Sex Major Wins
2015 Yamano Fight c Haneda Hai
2015 Eternal Mall f Jungfrau Sho
2015 Cornus Florida c Hyogo Derby, Sonoda Junior Cup
2017 Keiai Dorie c Hokkaido Sprint Cup
2017 Smile We c Teletama Hai Oval Sprint
2017 Vacation c Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun
2018 Igniter c Japan Breeding farms' Cup Sprint, Sakitama Hai
2019 Peisha Es c Nagoya Grand Prix, Elm Stakes

An anthropomorphized version of the horse appears as a character in Umamusume: Pretty Derby, voiced by Asaka.[11][12][13]

Pedigree

Pedigree of Espoir City(JPN), 2005[1]
Sire
Gold Allure (JPN)
b. 1999 		Sunday Silence (USA)
b. 1986 		Halo Hail to Reason
Cosmah
Wishing Well Understanding
Mountain Flower
Nikiya (USA)
b. 1993 		Nureyev Northern Dancer
Special
Reluctant Guest Hostage
Vaguely Royal
Dam
Eminent City (JPN)
b. 1998 		Brian's Time (USA)
b. 1985 		Roberto Hail to Reason
Bramalea
Kelley's Day Graustark
Golden Trail
Hepburn City (JPN)
b. 1990 		Bravest Roman Never Bend
Roman Song
Compal City Traffic
Rinnes

References

  1. ^ a b c "Espoir City".
  2. ^ "Espoir City". Retrieved 21 November 2019.
  3. ^ "Race Records | Eminent City(JPN) | JBIS-Search". www.jbis.jp. Japan Bloodhorse Breeders' Association. Retrieved 20 January 2026.
  4. ^ "Gold Allure(JPN) | JBIS-Search". www.jbis.jp. Japan Bloodhorse Breeders' Association. Retrieved 20 January 2026.
  5. ^ "Visiting Espoir City's Hometown". Weekly Gallop (in Japanese). Vol. 888. 28 February 2010.
  6. ^ Ricky (20 May 2010). "『今回の件』" [This Incident]. リック専務の牧場報告～WING FARM～ (in Japanese). Retrieved 20 January 2026.
  7. ^ "佐藤哲三騎手5年ぶりのGI制覇/JCダートアラカルト | 競馬ニュース" [Jockey Tetsuzo Sato wins his first GI race in five years / JC Dirt A La Carte]. netkeiba (in Japanese). NET DREAMERS, Co., Ltd. 6 December 2009. Retrieved 20 January 2026.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g "Espoir City". Retrieved 21 November 2019.
  9. ^ "Race Records | Espoir City(JPN) | JBIS-Search". www.jbis.jp. Japan Bloodhorse Breeders' Association. Retrieved 3 January 2026.
  10. ^ "Espoir City Race Record and Form | Horse Profile". netkeiba. NET DREAMERS, Co., Ltd. Retrieved 3 January 2026.
  11. ^ "エスポワールシチー｜ウマ娘 プリティーダービー 公式ポータルサイト｜Cygames". ウマ娘 プリティーダービー 公式ポータルサイト (in Japanese). Retrieved 2025-12-01.
  12. ^ "ダート界からフリオーソ、トランセンド、エスポワールシチーも新ウマ娘に決定！". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 2024-02-22. Retrieved 2024-03-18.
  13. ^ "新ウマ娘・エスポワールシチー発表 元主戦騎手の佐藤哲三氏がコメント". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 2024-02-23. Retrieved 2024-03-18.
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