Daiwa Scarlet

Daiwa Scarlet (ダイワスカーレット) (May 13, 2004 - ) is a retired Japanese racehorse which won the 2007 Oka Sho, Shūka Sho, Queen Elizabeth II Commemorative Cup and the 2008 Arima Kinen.

Breeding
Daiwa Scarlet was foaled on 13 May, 2004 at Shadai Farm, She was a chestnut mare by Agnes Tachyon. winner of the 2001 Satsuki Sho.

Racing Career
Daiwa Scarlet was owned by Keizo Oshiro and trained by Kunahide Matsuda.

At two years; 2006
Daiwa Scarlet debuted in November 2006. She won her maiden race easily and ran another race at the end of the year, which was at the Sports Hochi Hai Chukyo Nisai Stakes. She also ended up winning that race.

At 3 years; 2007
In January 2007, Daiwa Scarlet ran in the Shinzan Kinen, but was passed by another horse that came from behind, coming in second place. The next race she ran in that year, the Tulip Sho, was the first time she raced against Vodka. Scarlet waited deliberately for Vodka's spurt to spurt with her in order to gauge her opponent. As a result, she ended up getting passed by Vodka and once again came in second place.

Daiwa Scarlet then participated in the next race, which was the Oka Sho. During the race, she got an early start based on the result of the previous race, and held off a chasing Vodka to win the race. This race made her the first racehorse sibling to win a Grade I race alongside her brother, Daiwa Major. Scarlet's next target was at the Oaks, but her now established rival, Vodka, was set to run in the Derby instead of the Oaks, On top of that, Daiwa Scarlet was supposed to be the big favorite for the race. However, she withdrew from the Oaks due to catching a cold. In September 2007, Daiwa Scarlet made her return in the Rose Stakes. She went up front as usual and got away with doing it. A month later, she ran in the Shuka Sho, racing a rematch with Vodka. In the race, she chased second and broke away in the stretch to finish first place, while Vodka came in third place. As a result of the race, Daiwa Scarlet earned the title of double crown mare. The next month she ran in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup. She was voted as the popular horse in the race, and as usual, she took her place at the front and broke away on the straight away. She then held off on the field to win the race.

She was chosen fourth in the year-end Arima Kinen fan vote with about 74,000 votes. The 2007 Arima Kinen was the first time she raced against her brother, Daiwa Major. In the race, Daiwa Scarlet ran her usual run, but although she was on the verge of winning, she ended up in second place.

At 4 years; 2008
The following year, there were plans for Daiwa Scarlet to run in the dirt Grade I February Stakes in Japan and then try for the Dubai World Cup. However, a woodchip had got her in the eye during training, and she was diagnosed with keratitis. As a result she had to be withdrawn from both races. Her return was swift however, and she raced in the Osaka Cup. The race included Meisho Samson, who was notable for four Grade I races, and Satsuki Sho winner, Victory. However, Daiwa Scarlet was picked as the favorite, and she lived up to expectations by winning the race.

While training for her next race, Scarlet broke a bone, so she took six months off. She returned in October for the Tenno Sho Autumn. Her old rival, Vodka, and that year's derby winner, Deep Sky, also participated in the race. The race between these horses attracted a lot of attention. In the race, Daiwa Scarlet took the lead at the front, while Vodka and Deep Sky were chasing her on the straightaway. Vodka crossed Daiwa Scarlet, and Scarlet extended from the inside once again. It was a really close call, and both horses crossed the finish line. No one knew who won until a photo judgement was made, where it showed Vodka was two centimeters ahead of Scarlet. This was said to be Daiwa Scarlet's best race.

At the end of the year, Daiwa Scarlet ran in the Grand Prix Arima Kinen. She got off to a good start, took the lead, and stayed there to keep the rest of the racers at bay. She won the race, marking the first time in 37 years that a mare had won the Arima Kinen.

At 5 years; 2009
The following year, the challenge of the Dubai World Cup began again. However, she developed a mild case of flexor tendonitis in training, and this was enough of a reason for her to be retired.

Daiwa Scarlet finished her racing career with a total of 8 wins in 12 races with 4 secondplace finishes, a near perfect record.

Breeding Career
Daiwa Scarlet eventually became a broodmare. Her first foal, Daiwa Reine, was born in 2010. She continued to produce several more offspring in the years that followed until her last child, a colt, Grand Scarlet, was born in 2021. It was eventually announced in January 2024 that she would be retired from breeding.

In popular culture
An anthropomorphized version of Daiwa Scarlet appears in the multimedia franchise Uma Musume Pretty Derby.