is a Japanese Thoroughbred racehorse who competed from 2008 to 2014. Throughout his racing career he had 30 starts with 9 wins, including the Grade 1 2011 Tenno Sho (Autumn). Throughout his racing career, Tosen Jordan suffered from a cleft hoof that caused him to have long gaps between races. Despite this, he would win a number of Grade 2 races, including the Sapporo Kinen, American Jockey Club Cup, and the Copa Republica Argentina. He would retire from racing in 2014 and become a breeding stallion in Hidaka, Hokkaido. By 2016 he was the second most popular breeding stallion at the Breeder's Stallion Station.
Background Tosen Jordan was foaled on 4 February 2006 at Northern Farm. He was sired by Jungle Pocket who won the 2001 Tōkyō Yūshun. His dam Every Whisper was a daughter of Northern Taste who was a prolific sire in Japan. "Tosen" was his owner, Takaya Shimakawa's crown name and "Jordan" was reference to a Californian wine. However, this was also a play on basketball player Michael Jordan as per the owner's daughter, Akiko Shimakawa remarks. He would be purchased for 178,500,000 ¥ in 2007.
Racing career 2008: Two year old season Tosen Jordan's debut race was on November 1st on the Kyoto Racecourse where he placed middle of the pack in 6th. On November 16th he would race at the Two-Year-Old Maiden race at the Fukushima Racecourse and place 1st, scoring their first career win. He would go on to win the Habotan Sho and the Hopeful Stakes that December.
2009: Three year old season He would run the Kyodo News Cup on February 8th, placing second behind Break Run Out. After this race it was discovered that he had a cleft hoof, leading to him being unable to race for several months while he recovered. He would return to race in the Andromeda Stakes on November 14th, placing second once again. He would race again on December 12, this time finishing in fourth.
2010: Four year old season Due to his poor performance, he would be demoted and take another extended break. He returned to run the Goryokaku Stakes on July 4th, but only managed to place fifth. That same month he would run the Isaribi Stakes and place first, granting him access back into open races. He then had two more consecutive victories in the Ireland Trophy and Copa Republica Argentine Cup, marking his first G2 victory. His final race of the year was the Arima Kinen where he placed fifth.
2011: Five year old season Undeterred from his Arima Kinen performance, Tosen Jordan would win another G2, the American Jockey Club Cup, on January 23rd. He was planned to race in his third G2 race, the Hanshin Daishoten, but due to an injury would have to pull out. He would return on June 26th for the Takarazuka Kinen, but would place 9th. Despite this, he would win his third G2 race, the Sapporo Kinen, that August. On October 30th he would participate in the G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn). During this race he was the 7th favorite to win, but managed to land his first G1 victory by half a length. His time of 1.56.1 minutes broke the course record previously held by Vodka of 1.57.2. minutes It was also a new national record for the 2000 meter distance on turf. This record would hold for 12 years until it was beaten by Equinox in 2023, with a speed of 1.55.2 minutes. Riding this victory, he would enter the Japan Cup on November 27th, placing second. His final race of the year was another attempt at the Arima Kinen, but once again placed fifth.
2012: Six year old season In April Tosen Jordan would run the Osaka Hai, placing third, and the Tenno Sho (Spring) placing second. He would take a long break again due to his cleft hoof, and not race again until the Tenno Sho (Autumn) in October, but suffered a crushing defeat placing 13th. In November he would attempt to run the Japan Cup but would only manage to place 6th.
2013: Seven year old season Tosen Jordan wouldn't race again until August 18th, placing 13th in the Sapporo Kinen. He would have a solid showing at the Japan Cup that November, placing 3rd with Gentildonna and Denim and Ruby, all making the same time of 2.26.1 minutes. The decision for victory was by a nose for Gentildonna and a neck for Denim and Ruby. Despite this solid showing, he would place 14th in the Arima Kinen that year.
2014: Eight year old season After this defeat, Tosen Jordan returned on June 7th to run the Naruo Kinen, but placed 8th near the back of the pack. He then was entered into the Takarazuka Kinen but one again lost placing 10th. He would try once more to race in the Tenno Sho (Autumn) but suffered a crushing defeat placing 17th. His final race was the Japan Cup on November 30th, where he placed 14th. After these consecutive losses, Tosen Jordan would be removed from race registrations in December, after which he became a breeding stallion.
Racing statistics The following racing form is based on information available from JBIS-Search and netkeiba.com. Date Race Class Distance Racecourse Track Finish Entry Time Jockey Winner(2nd Place)2008 – two-year-old season Nov 1 Two Year Old Newcomer Debut 2000m Kyoto Turf 6th 14 2:04.6 Y.Take Familism Nov 16 Two Year Old Maiden Maiden 2000m Fukushima Turf 16 2:02.7 Y.Kitamura (Chihira) Dec 6 Haboten Sho Pre-OP 2000m Nakayama Turf 9 2:00.5 O.Peslier (Sacred Valley) Dec 28 Hopeful Stakes OP 2000m Nakayama Turf 13 2:00.5 O.Peslier (Arashio Yobu Otoko)2009 – three-year-old season Feb 8 Kyodo Tsushin Hai G3 1800m Tokyo Turf 15 1:47.6 M.Matsuoka Break Run Out Nov 14 Andromeda Stakes OP 2000m Kyoto Turf 17 2:00.7 C.Soumillon Namura Crescent Dec 12 Chunichi Shimbun Hai G3 2000m Chukyo Turf 4th 15 1:58.0 C.Soumillon Earnestly2010 – four-year-old season Jul 4 Goryukaku Stakes Pre-OP 2000m Hakodate Turf 5th 10 2:02.2 Y.Fujioka Meiner Kirov Jul 31 Isaribi Stakes Pre-OP 1800m Hakodate Turf 14 1:49.4 D.Whyte (Mikki Pumpkin) Oct 16 Ireland Trophy OP 2000m Tokyo Turf 14 1:59.2 H.Uchida (To the Glory) Nov 7 Copa Republica Argentina G2 2500m Tokyo Turf 18 2:30.0 K.Miura (Jamil) Dec 26 Arima Kinen G1 2500m Nakayama Turf 5th 15 2:32.9 K.Miura Victoire Pisa2011 – five-year-old season Jan 23 American Jockey Club Cup G2 2200m Nakayama Turf 11 2:14.2 H.Uchida (Miyabi Ranveli) Mar 20 Hanshin Daishoten G2 3000m Hanshin Turf x x x H.Uchida Namura Crescent Jun 26 Takarazuka Kinen G1 2200m Hanshin Turf 9th 16 2:11.2 N.Pinna Earnestly Aug 21 Sapporo Kinen G2 2000m Sapporo Turf 13 2:00.4 Y.Fukunaga (Axion) Oct 30 Tenno Sho (Autumn) G1 2000m Tokyo Turf 18 1:56.1 N.Pinna (Dark Shadow) Nov 27 Japan Cup G1 2400m Tokyo Turf 16 2:24.2 C.Williams Buena Vista Dec 25 Arima Kinen G1 2500m Nakayama Turf 5th 13 2:36.3 C.Williams Orfevre2012 – six-year-old season Apr 1 Sankei Osaka Hai G2 2000m Hanshin Turf 12 2:05.8 Y.Iwata Shonan Mighty Apr 29 Tenno Sho (Spring) G1 3200m Kyoto Turf 18 3:14.5 Y.Iwata Beat Black Oct 28 Tenno Sho (Autumn) G1 2000m Tokyo Turf 13th 18 1:58.7 C.Soumillon Eishin Flash Nov 25 Japan Cup G1 2400m Tokyo Turf 6th 17 2:23.9 C.Soumillon Gentildonna2013 – seven-year-old season Aug 18 Sapporo Kinen G2 2000m Sapporo Turf 13th 16 2:11.7 K.Tosaki Tokei Halo Oct 27 Tenno Sho (Autumn) G1 2000m Tokyo Turf 11th 17 1:59.8 I.Mendizabal Just A Way Nov 24 Japan Cup G1 2400m Tokyo Turf 17 2:26.1 W.Buick Gentildonna Dec 22 Arima Kinen G1 2500m Nakayama Turf 14th 16 2:35.8 H.Uchida Orfevre2014 – eight-year-old season Jun 7 Naruo Kinen G1 2000m Hanshin Turf 10th 12 1:59.6 H.Uchida Air Saumur Jun 29 Takarazuka Kinen G1 2200m Hanshin Turf 10th 12 2:15.3 H.Uchida Gold Ship Nov 2 Tenno Sho (Autumn) G1 2000m Tokyo Turf 17th 18 2:00.7 P.Boudot Spielberg Nov 30 Japan Cup G1 2400m Tokyo Turf 14th 18 2:26.0 P.Boudot Epiphaneia
Stud career After his final race, Tosen Jordan would be moved to the Hidaka Breeders Station in Hokkaido. He has produced 325 offspring with a total of 33 JRA victories. His most notable progeny are Cils Blancs who placed second in the G2 Stayers Stakes in 2024, Azuma Heritage who placed second in the G3 Kokura Nisai Stakes in 2018, and Futaiten Rock who placed third the G3 Sirius Stakes in 2024.
In popular culture An anthropomorphized version of Tosen Jordan appears as a character in the Japanese multimedia franchise Umamusume: Pretty Derby, voiced by Eri Suzuki. She is depicted as an airheaded and stylish gyaru with a tendency of avoiding difficult situations and follows the latest trends and fashion. She is close friends with other gyarus such as Gold City, and has a particular obsession with her delicate nails and nail polish, wishing to someday start her own brand. She is one of Gold Ship's favorite targets for her pranks and she takes particular enjoyment in tormenting Jordan, reflecting their real-life, post-retirement antagonistic relationship; despite this, they have moments of amicable rivalry with each other.
Pedigree
Tosen Jordan is an inbred by 4 x 3 to Northern Dancer, 5 x 4 to Lady Angela (Nearctic's dam) and 5 x 5 to Hyperion (Lady Angela's and Hornbeam's sire).
References