Ed Odeven 
Equinox, with Christophe Lemaire handling the reins, wins his fifth of six consecutive races to conclude his career in the Tenno Sho (Autumn) on October 29, 2023, at Tokyo Racecourse. (©SANKEI)
Equinox has been selected for induction into the Japan Racing Association Hall of Fame.
This news, competing with a smorgasbord of sporting activities in mid-June in Japan and abroad, may be one of those "buried headlines" on a website. Or it may simply be overlooked by the general public.
But it's a big deal, a really big deal.
Equinox is only the 38th horse to be voted into the JRA Hall of Fame since it was established in 1985. An announcement was made on Monday, June 16.
Hundreds of thoroughbreds compete each year in races in Japan, and only about one per year has been picked as a Hall of Famer.
The Kitasan Black-sired thoroughbred won eight of his 10 career races (all on grass), including his final six starts, all of which were Grade 1 events. He also had a pair of runner-up finishes.
Equinox's outstanding performances captured the attention of the global racing community. And the sport's movers and shakers recognized that he was a transcendent figure, a generational talent.
Exhibit A: Equinox was named the World's Best Racehorse for 2023.
Further documentation of Equinox's greatness: He was the JRA's Horse of the Year in 2022 and '23.
Equinox Excelled Throughout His Career
Equinox completed his storybook career with a riveting four-length victory over Liberty Island in the 43rd Japan Cup at Tokyo Racecourse on November 26, 2023.
The brown stallion lived up to lofty expectations throughout his career.
Indeed, he was bred for greatness.
His racing lineage includes great grandsire Sunday Silence, winner of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes in 1989. And Equinox's father, Kitasan Black, a winner of 12 races in 20 starts, was inducted into the JRA Hall of Fame in 2020.
During his impressive run of six consecutive victories in 2022-23, Equinox thrived in his lone overseas excursion, winning the 2,410-meter Dubai Sheema Classic in the United Arab Emirates by 3½ lengths.
"Equinox produced a dominant performance of rare quality to stamp his authority on global middle-distance turf racing," read a portion of the May 2023 race recap on the Dubai Racing Club website. "He looks quite simply untouchable."
After that race, trainer Tetsuya Kimura stated that Equinox had proven he could excel against elite-level competition.
"It was a tough field with some very strong horses, but he's a champion and he was just the best," Kimura told reporters in Dubai. "He got the job done and made it all look so simple. I am very happy with this performance."
A Sense of Satisfaction
French jockey Christophe Lemaire rode the Kitasan Black progeny in each of his 10 races.
Reacting to the news of Equinox being elected into the JRA Hall of Fame ― he received votes on 90.5% of the ballots cast by horse racing journalists ― Lemaire tweeted, "So proud of him."
Kimura was also delighted that Equinox earned enshrinement.
"I believe the fact that he was selected at this moment, so soon after winning his final race, the G1 Japan Cup, is proof that he has left an indelible mark on Japanese racing history," Kimura said, according to Daily Sports.
The superstar racehorse's success will serve as inspiration for the trainer moving forward, he said. Consider it a lasting tribute to Equinox's amazing career.
"I will devote myself to applying the experience gained from training Equinox to his offspring and other young horses, to bring even more joy to racing fans," Kimura said.
The 2025 Hall of Famer now resides at Shadai Stallion Station in Abira, Hokkaido Prefecture.
Masashi Yonemoto, CEO of Silk Racing Co Ltd, has high expectations for Equinox's offspring as racehorses.
"Though his racing career lasted just over two years, Equinox's overwhelming performances proved that Japanese racing has reached a level of global excellence," Yonemoto said, according to Daily Sports. "We expect to see the debut of his offspring in 2027."
Yonemoto added, "The progeny are already arriving, and the global phenom, who retired at the peak of his powers, is set to pass on his legacy to the next generation."
RELATED:
- Equinox is Named the World's Best Racehorse for 2023
- [ODDS and EVENS] Equinox Meets Expectations with a Masterful Performance in the Japan Cup
- Equinox is the Overwhelming Pick for the JRA's Horse of the Year Award
Author: Ed Odeven
Find Ed on JAPAN Forward's dedicated website, SportsLook. Follow his [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven.
