Stay Gold (Japanese: , Hepburn: Sutei Gōrudo; March 24, 1994 – February 5, 2015) was a Japanese Thoroughbred racehorse who had his greatest success in international races. He was sired by Sunday Silence and was out of the mare Golden Sash, a daughter of Dictus. He was famously known as a "Silver Collector", as he often placed second but was unable to win in major grade 1 races. He was later given the nickname of "Godolphin Killer" after he notably won both the Dubai Sheema Classic and Hong Kong Vase towards the end of his career. In both races he defeated notable horses from the Goldolphin stable: Fantastic Light and Ekraar respectively. He became a very successful sire in Japan after his retirement from racing.
Background Stay Gold was bred at the Shadai Group's Shiraoi Farm in Shiraoi, Hokkaido. He was notable for being a very small horse, standing tall at maturity, and weighing a maximum of during his racing career. One of his defining traits other than his rather small physical stature was his personality - Stay Gold was a particularly violent and bad mannered horse, with his trainer Yasutoshi Ikee remarking that "he was so violent, he might even eat meat if I gave it to him," and his jockey Shigefumi Kumazawa saying that Stay Gold would rear, kick and bite even during regular exercise.
Racing career Stay Gold made his racing debut at Hanshin Racecourse on December 1, 1996, and won his first race, a 4 year-old maiden race on May 11, 1997. He would then go on to win 2 more races, the latter of which being the "Lake Akan-ko special ()" on September 6, 1997. He would not win another race for approximately two years and eight months, from September 6, 1997, to May 20, 2000.
In the years of 1998 to 2000, Stay Gold ran prominently in many of Japan's top races, including the Diamond Stakes, Tenno Sho (Spring), Takarazuka Kinen, Arima Kinen, and Tenno Sho (Autumn). He collected 9 places and 7 shows, but victory proved elusive.
Despite the fact that he had not won any graded races thus far, Stay Gold accumulated significant earnings due to his consistent podium placements. His title was "Major Racing Wins: Lake Akan-ko special" and he was deemed "the successor to Nice Nature," another Japanese racehorse who won 6 graded races but was better known for his many placed efforts.
On May 20, 2000, he was ridden by Yutaka Take and in the Meguro Kinen and obtained victory for the first time in 2 years and 8 months. It would be his only win of the year.
The year 2001 began with Stay Gold winning first place in the Grade II Nikkei Shinshun Hai. He then aimed at the Dubai Sheema Classic (then a UAE-G2) at Nad Al Sheba Racecourse. Fantastic Light, winner of the previous year's World Series Racing Championship, was the clear favourite, with Stay Gold a 33-1 shot. Fantastic Light took the lead a furlong out, but Stay Gold rallied to get up on the line, winning by a nose after finding an opportunity to move through a gap in the final straight. It was the first victory outside Japan for Sunday Silence's progeny.
In October 2001, he took on two of Japan's best thoroughbreds, T M Opera O and Narita Top Road, in the Kyoto Daishoten and finished in first place. However, during the race he cut off Narita Top Road, injuring both the horse and his jockey, and leading to his disqualification from the race.
His last run was for the Hong Kong Vase at Sha Tin Racecourse, Hong Kong. There, he wore a saddle towel with his name written as "" in the Traditional Chinese language, which translates to "Golden Journey". "" is pronounced in standard Chinese as "huáng jīn lǔ chéng". On the final straight, Stay Gold closed a gap of approximately 5 lengths and caught up to Ekraar in the final strides and won by a head. After the race, Yutaka Take, who rode him, said, "Wings grew on his back." At the end of the season, Stay Gold was awarded by the Japan Racing Association with the JRA Special Award for becoming the first overseas G1 race winner that was born and trained in Japan.
Although initially unplanned, fan outcry and a request from the JRA after his victory at Hong Kong led to Stay Gold's retirement ceremony being performed at Kyoto Racecourse on January 20, 2002.
Racing form Stay Gold won seven races out of 50 starts with 20 more podiums finishes. The data available is based on JBIS, netkeiba, racingpost and HKJC. DateTrackRaceGradeDistance(Condition)EntryHNOdds(Favored)FinishTimeMarginsJockeyWinner(Runner-up)1996 – two-year-old seasonDec 1Hanshin2yo Newcomer2,000 m (Firm)1497.1 (3)3rd2:05.30.1Olivier PeslierMakihata SpurtDec 21Hanshin2yo Newcomer2,000 m (Firm)1672.2 (1)16th2:11.86.0Olivier PeslierOsumi Sunday1997 – three-year-old seasonFeb 15Kyoto3yo Maiden1,800 m (Fast)12111.9 (1)DNF––Shigefumi KumazawaHurry UpskiMar 22Hanshin3yo Maiden2,000 m (Good)13134.5 (2)2nd2:06.90.0Shigefumi KumazawaPulsebeatApr 19Kyoto3yo Maiden2,400 m (Firm)1872.0 (1)2nd2:27.40.2Shigefumi KumazawaTamamo InazumaMay 11Tokyo3yo Maiden2,400 m (Firm)18163.5 (2)1st2:28.4–0.1Shigefumi Kumazawa(Top Ladder)Jun 7ChukyoSuiren ShoALW (1W)2,500 m (Firm)1033.0 (1)1st2:37.4–0.2Shigefumi Kumazawa(Bin Rashid Bin)Jun 29HanshinYamayuri StakesALW (2W)2,000 m (Good)1369.9 (5)4th2:03.70.3Shigefumi KumazawaNamura Kinto UnSep 6SapporoAkanko TokubetsuALW (2W)2,000 m (Firm)14138.4 (3)1st2:02.5–0.1Shigefumi Kumazawa(Minamino Pheasant)Oct 12KyotoKyoto Shimbun Hai22,200 m (Firm)12316.7 (7)4th2:13.50.4Shigefumi KumazawaMatikanefukukitaruNov 2KyotoKikuka Sho13,000 m (Firm)18138.0 (10)8th3:08.20.5Shigefumi KumazawaMatikanefukukitaruNov 30HanshinGolden Whip TrophyALW (3W)2,000 m (Firm)1371.5 (1)2nd2:01.40.1Yutaka TakeFirst Sonia1998 – four-year-old seasonJan 17KyotoManyo StakesOP3,000 m (Firm)1443.8 (2)2nd3:06.30.0Shigefumi KumazawaYusei Top RunFeb 8KyotoShorai StakesALW (3W)2,400 m (Firm)16144.8 (3)2nd2:28.00.0Shigefumi KumazawaAlabanzaFeb 21TokyoDiamond Stakes33,200 m (Good)16145.5 (3)2nd3:17.80.2Shigefumi KumazawaYusei Top RunMar 29NakayamaNikkei Sho22,500 m (Firm)12107.3 (5)4th2:34.90.5Shigefumi KumazawaTenjin ShogunMay 3KyotoTenno Sho (Spring)13,200 m (Firm)14957.9 (10)2nd3:23.90.3Shigefumi KumazawaMejiro BrightJun 13TokyoMeguro Kinen22,500 m (Soft)1346.8 (3)3rd2:35.50.5Shigefumi KumazawaGoing SuzukaJul 12HanshinTakarazuka Kinen12,200 m (Firm)13442.3 (9)2nd2:12.00.1Shigefumi KumazawaSilence SuzukaOct 11KyotoKyoto Daishoten22,400 m (Firm)763.3 (2)4th2:26.20.6Shigefumi KumazawaSeiun SkyNov 1TokyoTenno Sho (Autumn)12,000 m (Firm)121016.7 (4)2nd1:59.50.2Masayoshi EbinaOffside TrapNov 29TokyoJapan Cup12,400 m (Firm)15712.4 (6)10th2:27.31.4Shigefumi KumazawaEl Condor PasaDec 27NakayamaArima Kinen12,500 m (Firm)16540.8 (11)3rd2:32.60.5Shigefumi KumazawaGrass Wonder1999 – five-year-old seasonFeb 14KyotoKyoto Kinen22,200 m (Firm)1064.5 (2)7th2:16.10.9Shigefumi KumazawaEmocionMar 28NakayamaNikkei Sho22,500 m (Good)1315.6 (2)3rd2:36.31.0Shigefumi KumazawaSeiun SkyMay 2KyotoTenno Sho (Spring)13,200 m (Firm)12227.8 (6)5th3:16.20.9Shigefumi KumazawaSpecial WeekMay 29ChukyoKinko Sho22,000 m (Firm)1594.3 (3)3rd1:59.90.2Shigefumi KumazawaMidnight BetJun 20HanshinNaruo Kinen22,000 m (Firm)1023.7 (3)3rd2:02.60.1Shigefumi KumazawaSuehiro CommanderJul 11HanshinTakarazuka Kinen12,200 m (Firm)12132.5 (7)3rd2:13.71.6Shigefumi KumazawaGrass WonderOct 10KyotoKyoto Daishoten22,400 m (Firm)10835.2 (7)6th2:25.00.7Shigefumi KumazawaTsurumaru TsuyoshiOct 31TokyoTenno Sho (Autumn)12,000 m (Firm)17650.3 (12)2nd1:58.10.1Shigefumi KumazawaSpecial WeekNov 28TokyoJapan Cup12,400 m (Firm)141013.9 (5)6th2:26.61.1Shigefumi KumazawaSpecial WeekDec 26NakayamaArima Kinen12,500 m (Firm)14531.6 (8)10th2:38.21.0Shigefumi KumazawaGrass Wonder2000 – six-year-old seasonJan 23NakayamaAmerican Jockey Club Cup22,200 m (Firm)1492.6 (1)2nd2:13.80.4Shigefumi KumazawaMatikane KinnohosiFeb 20KyotoKyoto Kinen22,200 m (Firm)1145.6 (3)3rd2:14.00.2Shigefumi KumazawaT M Opera OMar 26NakayamaNikkei Sho22,500 m (Firm)1065.7 (2)2nd2:35.60.2Shigefumi KumazawaLeo RyuhoApr 30KyotoTenno Sho (Spring)13,200 m (Firm)12311.7 (4)4th3:18.30.7Shigefumi KumazawaT M Opera OMay 20TokyoMeguro Kinen22,500 m (Soft)15142.8 (1)1st2:33.2–0.2Yutaka Take(Matikane Kinnohosi)Jun 25HanshinTakarazuka Kinen12,200 m (Firm)11312.5 (5)4th2:14.10.3Katsumi AndoT M Opera OSep 24NakayamaSankei Sho All Comers22,200 m (Soft)914.2 (3)5th2:17.01.2Hiroki GotoMeisho DotoOct 29TokyoTenno Sho (Autumn)12,000 m (Soft)1697.5 (4)7th2:00.8 0.9Yutaka TakeT M Opera ONov 26TokyoJapan Cup12,400 m (Firm)161654.3 (13)8th2:26.6 0.5Hiroki GotoT M Opera ODec 24NakayamaArima Kinen12,500 m (Firm)161146.5 (10)7th2:34.8 0.7Hiroki GotoT M Opera O2001 – seven-year-old seasonJan 14KyotoNikkei Shinshun Hai22,400 m (Firm)1117.6 (5)1st2:25.8–0.2Shinji Fujita(San M.X.)Mar 24Nad Al ShebaDubai Sheema Classic22,400 m (Good)161433/1 (12)1st2:28.20.0Yutaka Take(Fantastic Light)Jun 24HanshinTakarazuka Kinen12,200 m (Firm)12918.3 (5)4th2:12.10.4Hiroki GotoMeisho DotoOct 7KyotoKyoto Daishoten22,400 m (Firm)7612.8 (3)DSQ––Hiroki GotoT M Opera OOct 28TokyoTenno Sho (Autumn)12,000 m (Soft)1344.5 (3)7th2:03.41.4Yutaka TakeAgnes DigitalNov 25TokyoJapan Cup12,400 m (Firm)1588.1 (4)4th2:24.50.7Yutaka TakeJungle PocketDec 16Sha TinHong Kong Vase12,400 m (Firm)1492.0 (1)1st2:27.8–0.1Yutaka Take(Ekraar) Legend:
Stud record At the end of his racing career, Stay Gold was retired to become a breeding stallion and proved to be a very successful sire, fathering 13 Group 1 winners. Orfevre won the Japanese Triple Crown and finished second in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe for two consecutive years. Gold Ship won six Grade 1 races including the Arima Kinen, Kikuka Shō, and Takarazuka Kinen twice; Oju Chosan won nine Grade 1 jump races and reigned as the undisputed steeplechase champion; Dream Journey and Fenomeno also achieved considerable successes.
He died suddenly on February 5, 2015, at the age of 20, due to an arterial rupture.
Major winners
c = colt, f = filly, g = gelding
Foaled Name Sex Major Wins 2003 Meiner Neos c Nakayama Grand Jump 2004 Dream Journey c Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes, Takarazuka Kinen, Arima Kinen 2004 El Dorado g Singapore Gold Cup (three times) 2006 Nakayama Festa c Takarazuka Kinen 2008 Orfevre c Japanese Triple Crown (Satsuki Sho, Tokyo Yushun, Kikuka Sho), Arima Kinen (twice), Takarazuka Kinen 2009 Gold Ship c Satsuki Sho, Kikuka Sho, Arima Kinen, Takarazuka Kinen (twice), Tenno Sho (Spring) 2009 Fenomeno c Tenno Sho (Spring) (twice) 2011 Oju Chosan c Nakayama Grand Jump (six times), Nakayama Daishogai (three times) 2011 Red Reveur f Hanshin Juvenile Fillies 2013 Admire Lead f Victoria Mile 2013 Rainbow Line c Tenno Sho (Spring) 2014 Win Bright c Queen Elizabeth II Cup, Hong Kong Cup 2015 Indy Champ c Yasuda Kinen, Mile Championship
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