Stunning Rose

Stunning Rose (スタニングローズ, foaled January 18, 2019) is a retired Japanese thoroughbred racehorse.^[1] Her major wins include the 2022 Shūka Sho and the 2024 Queen Elizabeth II Cup. She was the recipient of the JRA Award for Best Older Filly or Mare in 2024.^[2]

Racing career

2021: Two-year-old season

Stunning Rose made her debut on a debut race for two year olds held at Chukyo Racecourse on June 6 held over a distance of 1400 meters, where she lost to Breathlessly and finished second. She would go on to have her first victory on June 26 at a 1600 meter long maiden race held at Hanshin Racecourse, where she won by two and a half length lead.^[3] Later she ran in several graded race in the season but did not win any one of them.

2022: Three-year-old season

Stunning Rose started the season off with the Kobushi Sho held on February 13, where she was the most favored to win. She placed herself in the middle of the pack for most of the race before making a pass, catching front-runner Seiun Hades　and winning by a head.^[4] At the Flower Cup held on March 21, she was able to keep her pace among the pack, before passing Nishino Love Wink just before the finishing line and scoring her first graded race victory.^[5] She was the last crop of her sire, King Kamehameha, and with that victory he achieved producing a grade winning crop in all fourteen generations.^[6]

After winning the Flower Cup, she did not head to the Oka Sho, but headed straight to the Oaks following a brief break.^[7] As she headed straight to the Oaks without running the Oka Sho, she was only the 10th most favored to win at that race. However, she ran a good position and overtook the lead on the final stretch, only to be passed at the last second by Stars on Earth, finishing second.^[8]

After taking a break for the summer, she was entered in to the Shion Stakes, which is a trial race for the Shuka Sho. Although she gained 14 kilograms since her last race, she was nonetheless the most favored to win, with the parimutuel odds of her at 2.8. She won the race after swiftly coming through the pack, earning her a slot in the Shuka Sho.^[9]

At the Shuka Sho, she was placed in the middle of the pack, and moved up as the pack entered the final stretch. She managed to shake off Double Crown winner Stars on Earth and Namur, who finished third at the Oaks, and won her first Grade I race. This was also the first Grade I win for her jockey, Ryusei Sakai, and the first time her trainer Takano won a Grade I race since Lei Papale in the previous year's Osaka Hai, and the first time winning the Shuka Sho since Shonan Pandora in 2014.

On November 13, she was entered in to the Queen Elizabeth II Cup as her last race of the year. She was the second most favored to win behind Daring Tact. She made a decent start and was among the middle pack, but failed to keep up beyond that and finished at 14th place.^[10]

2023: Four-year-old season

Stunning Rose started her four year old season at the Nakayama Kinen, where she managed to run at third place, but was not able to keep up and finished 5th with a 0.2 second gap behind the winner. She also finished 12th at the Victoria Mile, and after that race it was discovered that the horse developed Peritendinitis on her left forearm, forcing her off the race.^[11][12]

2024: Five-year-old season

Stunning Rose returned to racing after a 10-month break at the Osaka Hai in March. She was able to make headway for most of the race, but lost momentum and finished at 8th place.^[13] She then went on to finish 9th at the Victoria Mile and 6th at the Queen Stakes.

On November 10, Stunning Rose was entered in to the Queen Elizabeth II Cup, the same race where she lost at 14th place. She ran most of the race at around fourth place, before catching up with the front runners at around the fourth corner. On the final stretch she overtook and kept the momentum, winning her second Grade I race since the Shuka Sho.^[14]

Racing form

The following racing form is based on information available on netkeiba and JBIS.^[15][16]

Pedigree

• Stunning Rose's granddam, Rosebud, won the Fillies' Revue and Mermaid Stakes in her career, only to finish second in the Oaks, Shuka Sho, and the Queen Elizabeth II Cup in 2001. Her great-granddam, Rose Colour, won the Daily Hai Sansai Stakes in 1995 and finished 4th at the Oaks and 3rd at the Shuka Sho.

References

1. ^ "Stunning Rose(JPN)". www.jbis.jp. Retrieved 2024-11-11.
2. ^ "2025.01.07 Winners of the 2024 JRA Awards announced - News - Horse Racing in Japan". japanracing.jp. Retrieved 2025-01-08.
3. ^ "【阪神1R・2歳未勝利】スタニングローズが抜け出してV 川田将雅騎手「穏やかないい子」" (in Japanese). Sports Hochi. 2021-06-26. Retrieved 2024-11-11.
4. ^ "【こぶし賞】牝馬スタニングローズがゴール前捕らえ２勝目！" (in Japanese). Sankei Sports. 2022-02-13. Archived from the original on 2022-02-13. Retrieved 2024-11-11.
5. ^ "【フラワーC】スタニングローズがV、"薔薇一族"ローザネイ牝系10年ぶり重賞制覇" (in Japanese). netkeiba.com. 2022-03-21. Retrieved 2024-11-11.
6. ^ Kuriyama, Motomu (2022-03-23). "初年度産駒から14世代連続重賞勝ちの快挙！ "バラ一族"のキンカメ産駒がV" (in Japanese). スポーツブル (スポブル). Retrieved 2024-11-11.
7. ^ "スタニングローズは桜花賞に向かわず放牧" (in Japanese). Sanspo ZBAT!. Sankei Shimbun. 2022-03-24. Retrieved 2024-11-11.
8. ^ "【オークス】10番人気スタニングローズは２着激走も「バラ一族」の悲願達成ならず" (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports. 2022-05-22. Retrieved 2024-11-11.
9. ^ "【紫苑S結果】スタニングローズがゴール前で抜け出し重賞2勝目" (in Japanese). netkeiba.com. 2022-09-10. Retrieved 2024-11-11.
10. ^ "【エリザベス女王杯結果＆コメント】２番人気スタニングローズは１４着大敗 坂井「ラストは脚が上がってしまった」" (in Japanese). ToSpo Keiba. Tokyo Sports. 2022-11-13. Retrieved 2024-11-11.
11. ^ "【ヴィクトリアマイル】昨年の秋華賞馬スタニングローズは１２着 坂井瑠星騎手「持ち味を出せなかった」" (in Japanese). スポーツ報知. 2023-05-14. Retrieved 2024-11-11.
12. ^ "秋華賞馬スタニングローズ、左前脚の腱周囲炎が判明 浅屈腱にも若干のダメージ" (in Japanese). Sponichi Annex. 2023-05-18. Retrieved 2024-11-11.
13. ^ "【大阪杯】戦い終えて" (in Japanese). Sponichi Annex. 2024-04-01. Retrieved 2024-11-11.
14. ^ "【エリザベス女王杯】スタニングローズが復活のG1・２勝目！断然人気レガレイラは５着に敗れる". Nikkan Sports. 2024-11-10. Retrieved 2024-11-11.
15. ^ "RECENT FORM". netkeiba. Retrieved 2024-11-11.
16. ^ "Lifetime Starts". JBIS. Retrieved 2024-11-11.