Gaia Force
ガイアフォース[1]
SireKitasan Black[1]
GrandsireBlack Tide[1]
DamNatale[1]
DamsireKurofune[1]
SexStallion[1]
FoaledFebruary 21, 2019 (age 7)[1]
Foaled placeAbira, Hokkaido, Japan
ColorGray[1]
BreederOiwake Farm[1]
OwnerKR Japan[1]
TrainerHaruki Sugiyama[1]
Record21: 4-6-0
RaceSt Lite Kinen (2022)
Fuji Stakes (2025)
UpdatedDecember 30, 2025
BreedThoroughbred[1]
CountryJapan[1]
Earnings446,448,000 JPY[1]

Gaia Force (ガイアフォース; foaled February 21, 2019) is an active Japanese racehorse.[1][2]

Background

Gaia Force was born on February 21, 2019, at the Oiwake Farm. He was sired by Kitasan Black, who won 7 Grade I races in his career and also produced Equinox that season. His dam, Natale, was a Kurofune progeny who won several NAR graded races in her career including the Crown Cup and the Totsuka Kinen in 2011, as well as the ORO Cup in 2012 and 2013.[3]

Gaia Force was sold at the JRHA Select Sale's Foal Session for 30,000,000 JPY to KR Japan.[4] He was then sent to the Haruki Sugiyama stable at Ritto Training Center for training.

The name Gaia Force is derived from "the force of the Greek god Gaia."[2]

Racing career

2021: two-year-old season

Gaia Force debuted at a maiden race of 1800 meters for 2 year olds at Kokura Racecourse with Kohei Matsuyama as his jockey, where he was beaten by a neck by future Derby winner Do Deuce.[5]

2022: three-year-old season

After taking a six months long break, Gaia Force was entered in to a maiden race of 2000 meters at Hanshin Racecourse, where he handily won the race by four lengths.[6] He was then sent to the Azusa Sho, where he was the most favored to win, but could not catch up to Saint Camellia and finished second.[7] His next race, the Kunisaki Tokubetsu, saw him taking the lead at the fourth corner and finishing the race with a seven length lead, setting a course record of 1:56.8.[8] He was then entered in to his first graded race, the St Lite Kinen, where the horse would contest the lead from the middle of the pack and go neck-and-neck with Ask Victor More before beating him by a head, earning him his first graded race victory.[9] The horse was then sent to contest his first Grade I race, the Kikuka-shō, where he was once again the most favored to win, but lost after losing momentum on the final stretch. Sugiyama later commented "The starting gate was everything. The horse was surrounded when it mattered the most. The horse never raced this kind of race and lost concentration halfway through. Maybe it also had to do with the distance."[10][11]

2023: four-year-old season

Gaia Force started his four year old season with the American Jockey Club Cup. He was once again the most favored to win, but could not take the lead and finished fifth.[12] After a three months break, Gaia Force ran his first mile race, the Yomiuri Milers Cup, on April 23, with Atsuya Nishimura as his new jockey. Gaia Force was placed in the back of the pack before catching up with the lead on the home stretch, ultimately finishing second behind Schnell Meister by a neck. Nishimura later commented "He was doing pretty well despite being his first mile race, and showed good legs. He's also maneuverable, so I think it would be all right even if the distance becomes longer".[13] On June 4, he ran the Yasuda Kinen, where he finished fourth behind Songline after trying to catch up to the leader.[14] After this he ran several races with Nishimura, placing 4th to 6th in all of his races that season.

2024: five-year-old season

Gaia Force started the season with his first dirt race, the February Stakes; with Yoshihito Nagaoka as his new jockey. Gaia Force ran 8th in the pack, before picking up the pace and finishing second place after Sekifu and Tagano Beauty contested the position. After the race, Nagaoka commented "The horse seemed worried about the kick-backs along the way, but the horse managed to persevere. The pace was smooth and worked in favor for the horse, and the horse ran well, and didn't do too bad on the dirt track"[15]

After the February Stakes, the horse was briefly planned to race the Queen Elizabeth Stakes held at Randwick Racecourse in Australia,[16] but a fracture in the left metacarpal scrapped such plans. When interviewed, Sugiyama stated that if the horse healed well, the horse would race the Yasuda Kinen on June 2.[17]

The horse made a successful recovery, and was entered to contest the Yasuda Kinen, where his jockey trailed the Hong Kong challenger Romantic Warrior but was blocked on the final stretch and finished fourth behind Romantic Warrior.[18][19]

Gaia Force would finish the season with the Champions Cup but finished 15th after a bad start from the outside.[20]

2025: six-year-old season

Gaia Force was once again entered to the February Stakes but finished 7th. Following this, Gaia Force was sent to his first race abroad, the Champions Mile held at Hong Kong's Sha Tin Racecourse, but finished 9th there.

On June 8th, Gaia Force once again raced the Yasuda Kinen. He was only the 9th most favored to win, but made headway on the final stretch, finishing second behind Jantar Mantar. Gaia Force's jockey, Seinosuke Yoshimura, commented "putting on blinkers [on the horse] worked out" after the race.[21]

On September 5, the Chuo Keiba PR Center announced that a plush toy of him would be created after he received the second most votes in the active racehorse category for the "Idol Horse Audition 2025."[22]

On October 18, Gaia Force was entered in to the Fuji Stakes, where he ran second for most of the race, before taking the lead on the final stretch, earning his first victory in over 3 years.[23] On November 23, Gaia Force entered the Mile Championship, where the horse trailed Jantar Mantar, and raced out of the pack on the final stretch. While he could not beat Jantar Mantar, Gaia Force managed to finish second.[24]

2026: seven-year-old season

The first race he would join would be the Dubai Turf in March.[25] He was supposed to be ridden by Yokoyama but changed to Ryusei Sakai just before the race.[26] In the race, Gaia Force took the lead early on in the front for the majority of the race but fade out in the end section and finished in sixth place.[27]

Racing statistics

The following data is based on information available on JBIS-Search, netkeiba.com, the Hong Kong Jockey Club and Emirates Racing Authority.[28][29][30][31]

DateTrackRaceGradeDistance (condition)EntryHNOdds (Favored)FinishTimeMarginsJockeyWinner (Runner-up)
2021 – two-year-old season
Sep 5Kokura2YO Debut Race1800 m (Firm)13109.3 (3)2nd1:50.30.1Kohei MatsuyamaDo Deuce
2022 – three-year-old season
Mar 12Hanshin3YO Maiden Race2000 m (Firm)16152.5 (1)1st2:00.4-0.7Kohei Matsuyama(Black Shield)
May 14ChukyoAzusa Sho1-Win2000 m (Soft)961.6 (1)2nd1:59.80.2Kohei MatsuyamaSaint Camellia
Jul 3KokuraKunisaki Tokubetsu1-Win2000 m (Firm)1021.4 (1)1st1:56.8[a]-1.1Kohei Matsuyama(Success Drake)
Sep 19NakayamaSt Lite Kinen22200 m (Good)1395.1 (3)1st2:11.80.0Kohei Matsuyama(Ask Victor More)
Oct 23KyotoKikuka-shō13000 m (Firm)1813.5 (1)8th3:04.01.6Kohei MatsuyamaAsk Victor More
2023 – four-year-old season
Jan 22NakayamaAmerican Jockey Club Cup22200 m (Firm)14101.8 (1)5th2:14.00.5Christophe LemaireNorth Bridge
Apr 23KyotoYomiuri Milers Cup21600 m (Firm)1578.2 (4)2nd1:31.50.0Atsuya NishimuraSchnell Meister
Jun 4TokyoYasuda Kinen11600 m (Firm)18719.0 (8)4th1:31.60.2Atsuya NishimuraSongline
Sep 24NakayamaSankei Sho All Comers22200 m (Firm)1574.9 (2)5th2:12.40.4Atsuya NishimuraRousham Park
Oct 29TokyoTenno Sho (Autumn)12000 m (Firm)11545.4 (7)5th1:56.21.0Atsuya NishimuraEquinox
Dec 2HanshinChallenge Cup32000 m (Firm)1362.4 (1)6th1:59.20,4Atsuya NishimuraBellagio Opera
2024 – five-year-old season
Feb 18TokyoFebruary Stakes11600 m (Fast)16713.5 (5)2nd1:35.90.2Yoshihito NagaokaPeptide Nile
Jun 2TokyoYasuda Kinen11600 m (Firm)18211.6 (5)4th1:32.60.3Yoshihito NagaokaRomantic Warrior
Dec 1ChukyoChampions Cup12000 m (Fast)161613.7 (5)15th1:53.71.0Yoshihito NagaokaLemon Pop
2025 – six-year-old season
Feb 23TokyoFebruary Stakes11600 m (Fast)161511.9 (6)7th1:36.51.0Yoshihito NagaokaCosta Nova
Apr 27Sha TinChampions Mile11600 m (Good)133479th1:33.90.7Yuga KawadaRed Lion
Jun 8TokyoYasuda Kinen11600 m (Firm)18732.2 (9)2nd1:32.90.2Seinosuke YoshimuraJantar Mantar
Oct 18TokyoFuji Stakes21600 m (Firm)14117.1 (3)1st1:31.7-0.1Takeshi Yokoyama(Jantar Martar)
Nov 23KyotoMile Championship11600 m (Firm)1868.6 (4)2nd1:31.60.3Takeshi YokoyamaJantar Mantar
2026 – seven-year-old season
Mar 28MeydanDubai Turf11800 m (Good)11212.5 (4)6th1:48.10.6Ryusei SakaiOmbudsman

Legend:

Notes
  1. ^ Set a race record for the event

References

  1. ^ "Gaia Force(JPN)". JBIS-Search. Retrieved 2025-12-30.
  2. ^ "ガイアフォース" (in Japanese). Japan Racing Association. Retrieved 2025-12-30.
  3. ^ "Natale(JPN)". JBIS-Search. Retrieved 2025-12-30.
  4. ^ "Sale Result | Select Sale | APAN RACING HORSE ASSOCIATION". www.jrha-selectsale.com. Retrieved 2025-12-30.
  5. ^ "【小倉5R新馬戦結果】武豊騎手騎乗、ハーツクライ産駒ドウデュースが人気に応える" (in Japanese). netkeiba. 2021-09-05. Retrieved 2025-12-30.
  6. ^ Naniwada, Tadao (2022-03-15). "【現場ノート】3・12（土）阪神1～6R チェイスザドリーム このレース内容なら昇級即通用も" (in Japanese). 東スポ競馬. Retrieved 2025-12-30. 昨年夏の小倉新馬戦（2着）以来となったガイアフォースが4番手追走から直線は後続を突き放す一方で、2着に4馬身差をつけて快勝
  7. ^ "【あずさ賞結果】紅一点セントカメリアが逃げ切り連勝" (in Japanese). netkeiba. 2022-05-14. Retrieved 2025-12-30.
  8. ^ "【国東特別】隠れ出世レースをレコードＶ！ガイアフォースが秋の〝惑星〟に 松山弘平「非常に能力が高い」" (in Japanese). 東スポ競馬. 2022-07-03. Retrieved 2025-12-30.
  9. ^ "【セントライト記念結果】ガイアフォースがアスクビクターモアとの競り合いを制す 父キタサンブラックと父子制覇" (in Japanese). netkeiba. 2022-09-19. Retrieved 2025-12-30.
  10. ^ "【菊花賞】「1番枠がすべて」8着ガイアフォース 杉山晴調教師が語った敗因" (in Japanese). 東スポ競馬. 2022-10-24. Retrieved 2025-12-30.
  11. ^ "【菊花賞】8着ガイアフォースに何が？ 直線半ばで力尽きる...松山が語った〝無念〟" (in Japanese). 東スポ競馬. 2022-10-23. Retrieved 2025-12-30.
  12. ^ "【アメリカＪCC】1番人気ガイアフォースは伸びを欠き5着 ルメールが挙げた敗因" (in Japanese). 東スポ競馬. 2023-01-22. Retrieved 2025-12-30.
  13. ^ "【マイラーズC】初のマイル戦で2着 復活したガイアフォースに杉山晴師「マイル適性を見せてくれた」" (in Japanese). 東スポ競馬. 2023-04-23. Retrieved 2025-12-30.
  14. ^ "【安田記念】ガイアフォース4着 西村淳也騎手「いつかどこかで大きい舞台を一緒に勝ちたいです」" (in ja-JP). UMATOKU. Hochi Shimbun. 2023-06-04. Retrieved 2025-12-30.
  15. ^ "【フェブラリーS】ダート初挑戦のガイアフォースが力強い末脚で2着 長岡「よく辛抱してくれました」" (in Japanese). 東スポ競馬. 2024-02-18. Retrieved 2025-12-30.
  16. ^ "【クイーンエリザベスS】ガイアフォース、マスクトディーヴァなど日本馬8頭が予備登録/一覧 - 海外" (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports. 2024-02-20. Retrieved 2025-12-30.
  17. ^ "左第2中手骨骨折のガイアフォース 6・2安田記念での復帰を目標に" (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports. 2024-03-16. Retrieved 2025-12-30.
  18. ^ "【安田記念】ガイアフォースは2年連続4着 勝った香港馬マークの長岡禎仁騎手「勝ちたかった」フェブラリーS2着から参戦" (in Japanese). スポーツ報知. 2024-06-02. Retrieved 2025-12-30.
  19. ^ "【安田記念】4着ガイアフォース 直線で前詰まり進路切り替えるロス 長岡「勝ちたかった」" (in Japanese). スポニチ競馬Web. 2024-06-03. Retrieved 2025-12-30.
  20. ^ "【チャンピオンズC】戦い終えて" (in Japanese). スポニチ Sponichi Annex. 2024-12-02. Retrieved 2025-12-30.
  21. ^ "【安田記念】2着のガイアフォース 吉村は「ブリンカーをつけたのが良かった」" (in Japanese). スポニチ競馬Web. 2025-06-08. Retrieved 2025-12-30.
  22. ^ "【アイドルホースオーディション2025】最終結果が発表 メイショウタバル、ガイアフォース、テンハッピーローズが初のぬいぐるみに" (in Japanese). スポーツ報知. 2025-09-05. Retrieved 2025-12-30.
  23. ^ "【富士S】横山武「Ｇ1でもチャンス」二刀流ガイアフォース芝でＧ1馬3頭破って重賞2勝目" (in ja-JP). UMATOKU. Hochi Shimbun. 2025-10-19. Retrieved 2025-12-30.
  24. ^ "【マイルCS】ガイアフォース G1で3度目の「銀」 横山武「よく食らいついた」" (in Japanese). スポニチ Sponichi Annex. 2025-11-24. Retrieved 2025-12-30.
  25. ^ "Masquerade Ball and Jantar Mantar accept Dubai invitations as Japan's elite head to Meydan | Horse Racing News". netkeiba. NET DREAMERS, Co., Ltd. 5 February 2026. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  26. ^ "【坂井瑠星コラム・特別編】遅い時間ですが応援よろしくお願いします! フォーエバーヤングと16年越しの夢&リベンジに挑戦 | 競馬ニュース" [[Ryusei Sakai Column - Special Edition] It's late, but please support me! Forever Young and taking on a dream and revenge after 16 years] (in Japanese). netkeiba. NET DREAMERS, Co., Ltd. 27 March 2026. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  27. ^ "Gaia Force shows early speed but fades in G1 Dubai Turf as Ombudsman shines | Horse Racing News". netkeiba. NET DREAMERS, Co., Ltd. 29 March 2026. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  28. ^ "Race Records | Gaia Force(JPN)". JBIS-Search. Retrieved 2025-12-30.
  29. ^ "Gaia Force Race Record and Form". netkeiba. Retrieved 2025-12-30.
  30. ^ "GAIA FORCE". The Hong Kong Jockey Club. Retrieved 2025-12-30.
  31. ^ "Race 7 - Dubai Turf Sponsored by DP World (28 March 2026)". Emirates Racing Authority. 29 March 2026. Retrieved 1 April 2026.