Yoshida (Japanese: ヨシダ; foaled February 24 2014) is a Japanese-bred, American-trained retired Thoroughbred racehorse and active sire. He competed from 2016 to 2019, recording five wins in eighteen starts, including the Woodward Stakes (GI) and Turf Classic Stakes (GI) in 2018, and the Hill Prince Stakes (GIII) in 2017. He was the first Japanese-bred horse to win a Grade 1 race on dirt in the United States. His racing name is derived from the surname of Katsumi Yoshida, president of Northern Farm.

Background Yoshida is a bay horse bred in Abira, Hokkaido, by Northern Farm. He was sired by Heart's Cry, a son of Sunday Silence, and his dam was Hilda's Passion, an American-bred mare by Canadian Frontier. His dam Hilda's Passion won five graded stakes in North America, including the Ballerina Stakes (GI). His half-sister Sanctuaire (by Deep Impact) won the 2020 Shinzan Kinen (GIII).

Hilda's Passion was purchased for US$1,225,000 by Katsumi Yoshida at the 2011 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Mixed Sale and imported to Japan as a broodmare. Yoshida was her second foal, born on February 24, 2014. At the 2015 Select Sale yearling session, he was purchased for ¥94,000,000 (the highest price for a Heart's Cry yearling that year) by John McCormack Bloodstock, acting as agent for WinStar Farm, and was exported to the United States for training. He was sent into training with William I. Mott.

Racing career

2016: Two-year-old season Yoshida debuted on November 19, 2016, in a maiden special weight race on the turf at Aqueduct Racetrack, finishing second in a field of ten.

2017: Three-year-old season Yoshida won a maiden special weight race at Keeneland Racecourse on April 9, 2017. He won the James W. Murphy Stakes (Listed) at Pimlico Race Course on May 20 by four lengths. He finished fifth in the Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes (GI) at Belmont Park in July, second in the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes (GII) at Saratoga Race Course in August, and second in the Saranac Stakes (GIII) at Saratoga in September.

On October 7, he won the Hill Prince Stakes (GIII) at Belmont Park, ridden by José Ortiz, defeating Lucullan by a neck in a time of 1:47.07 for nine furlongs on firm turf.

2018: Four-year-old season On May 5, Yoshida won the Turf Classic Stakes (GI) at Churchill Downs, ridden by José Ortiz, covering nine furlongs on turf in 1:54.64. He defeated eight graded stakes winners, including three Grade 1 winners.

He finished fifth in the Queen Anne Stakes (GI) at Ascot Racecourse in England on June 19. He finished fifth in the Fourstardave Handicap (GI) at Saratoga in August.

On September 1, Yoshida contested the Woodward Stakes (GI) at Saratoga, his first career start on dirt. Ridden by Joel Rosario, he won by two lengths over Gunnevera in a time of 1:48.94, becoming the first Japanese-bred horse to win a Grade 1 race on dirt in the United States. He finished fourth in the Breeders' Cup Classic (GI) at Churchill Downs on November 3, beaten 2.25 lengths by Accelerate.

2019: Five-year-old season and retirement Yoshida finished sixth in the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (GI) at Gulfstream Park in January and sixth in the Dubai World Cup (GI) at Meydan Racecourse in March. He finished sixth in the Stephen Foster Stakes (GII) at Churchill Downs in June. He finished second in the Whitney Stakes (GI) at Saratoga in August and third in the Woodward Stakes (GI) at Saratoga in August. He finished eighth in the Breeders' Cup Classic (GI) at Santa Anita Park on November 2, his final start.

Statistics The following table details all 18 starts of Yoshida's racing career based on Equibase and en.netkeiba records.

Date Distance (Surface) Race Class Course Odds(Favourite) Field Finish Time Jockey Winning(Losing)Margin Winner(2nd Place) Ref2016 – two-year-old season 1 mile (Turf) Maiden Special Weight Maiden Aqueduct 3.9 (5th) 10 1:40.90 José Ortiz 0.5 Coleman Rocky2017 – three-year-old season 1⅛ miles (Turf) Maiden Special Weight Maiden Keeneland 0.6 (1st) 11 1:49.36 José Ortiz –1.25 (Im The Captain Now) 1 mile (Turf) James W. Murphy Stakes Listed Pimlico 1.3 (1st) 12 1:36.83 Joel Rosario –4.0 (Chubby Star) 1¼ miles (Turf) Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes GI Belmont Park 4.0 (1st) 11 5th 2:00.25 John Velazquez 2.25 Oscar Performance 1 1/16 miles (Turf) National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes GII Saratoga 3.0 (1st) 9 1:39.47 José Ortiz 0.5 Bricks and Mortar 1⅛ miles (Turf) Saranac Stakes GIII Saratoga 2.1 (1st) 8 1:46.18 Irad Ortiz Jr. 0.25 Voodoo Song 1⅛ miles (Turf) Hill Prince Stakes GIII Belmont Park 6.7 (3rd) 9 1:47.07 José Ortiz –0.25 (Lucullan)2018 – four-year-old season 1⅛ miles (Turf) Turf Classic Stakes GI Churchill Downs 13.0 (6th) 9 1:54.64 José Ortiz –0.75 (Beach Patrol) 1 mile (Turf) Queen Anne Stakes GI Ascot 12.0 (5th) 15 5th 1:38.85 José Ortiz 2.75 Accidental Agent 1 mile (Turf) Fourstardave Handicap GI Saratoga 2.25 (1st) 6 5th 1:35.96 José Ortiz 2.75 Voodoo Song 1⅛ miles (Dirt) Woodward Stakes GI Saratoga 6.0 (3rd) 14 1:48.94 Joel Rosario –2.0 (Gunnevera) 1¼ miles (Dirt) Breeders' Cup Classic GI Churchill Downs 11.0 (7th) 14 4th 2:02.93 José Ortiz 2.25 Accelerate2019 – five-year-old season 1 3/16 miles (Turf, Yielding) Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational GI Gulfstream Park 3.5 (1st) 10 6th 1:54.59 José Ortiz 2.75 Bricks and Mortar 1¼ miles (Dirt) Dubai World Cup GI Meydan 9.8 (5th) 13 6th 2:03.87 José Ortiz 8.75 Thunder Snow 1⅛ miles (Dirt) Stephen Foster Stakes GII Churchill Downs 4.5 (4th) 12 6th 1:49.27 José Ortiz 6.75 Seeking the Soul 1⅛ miles (Dirt) Whitney Stakes GI Saratoga 7.6 (4th) 7 1:47.10 Joel Rosario 2.0 McKinzie 1⅛ miles (Dirt) Woodward Stakes GI Saratoga 2.1 (1st) 9 1:48.11 Joel Rosario 1.25 Preservationist 1¼ miles (Dirt) Breeders' Cup Classic GI Santa Anita Park 13.2 (4th) 11 8th 2:02.80 Mike E. Smith 15.75 Vino Rosso

Stud career Following his retirement, Yoshida entered stud at WinStar Farm in Kentucky in 2020. His first crop of 148 foals was bred in his initial season. His first winners debuted in 2023.

In 2024, Yoshida was imported to Japan and stands at the Darley Japan Stallion Complex in Hidaka, Hokkaido. His first Japanese-bred winner came on March 2, 2024, when Dual Wilder won a maiden race at Nakayama Racecourse.

Pedigree

Yoshida is inbred 5 × 5 to Northern Dancer. His dam Hilda's Passion won the Ballerina Stakes (GI) and four other graded stakes in North America. His half-sister Sanctuaire (by Deep Impact) won the 2020 Shinzan Kinen (GIII).

See also Thoroughbred racing in Japan Woodward Stakes

References