Equinox (horse)

Equinox（イクイノックス, Foaled March 23, 2019）is a retired Japanese Thoroughbred racehorse and current sire. He won both of his races as a two-year-old in 2021, taking the Grade II Tokyo Sports Hai Nisai Stakes on his second start. In the early part of his second season he finished second in both the Satsuki Sho and the Tokyo Yushun before emerging as a high-class horse in the autumn when he won the Tenno Sho and the Arima Kinen.

Prior to retiring in November 2023, he won all of his races as a four-year-old, the Dubai Sheema Classic, the Takarazuka Kinen, Tenno Sho, and the Japan Cup. Equinox was the world's highest-rated horse in 2023. He was voted Japanese Horse of the Year in 2022 and 2023.

Background
Equinox is a first crop of Kitasan Black. Kitasan Black, who was owned by enka singer Saburo Kitajima, won seven GI races during his career. His dam, meanwhile, was Chateau Blanche, a winner of the Mermaid Stakes. Her sire was Takamatsunomiya Kinen winner King Halo.

Equinox was foaled at the Northern Farm in Abira, Hokkaido on March 23, 2019. He was owned by Silk Racing, an organization that offers stakes in horse ownership (Hitokuchi Banushi; 一口馬主) for a total of 40 million yen (500 shares with each share sold for 80,000 yen), and was raised at Northern Farm Hayakita. According to the manger chief Yuki Kuwata, based on how his body grew as well as distance aptitude, the goal was set to be Kikuka Sho, the same race his sire won in 2015. He was later put to training with Tetsuya Kimura of Miho Training Center.

2021: two-year old season
Equinox made his debut at a 1800 meter long maiden race on August 28 at Niigata Racecourse with Christophe Lemaire as his jockey. During the race, he came in to the lead on the final stretch, passing Circle of Life and the other horses, finishing the race with a six length lead. The acceleration Equinox showed surprised Kuwata, who had thought the horse was going to be more of a stayer.

Equinox's next race was the Tokyo Sports Hai Nisai Stakes (GII) held on November 20, where he was the most favored. During the race, the horse stayed with the pack, only to pass the others on the final stretch with the record of 32.9 seconds for the final 3 furlongs and winning his first group race. This also marked the first group race that a horse sired by Kitasan Black won.

2022: three-year old season
As previously planned, Equinox did not use any trial races, and headed straight to Satsuki Sho as his first race of the season; which saw him take a 147 day long break. At the Satsuki Sho, Equinox was the third favored behind JRA Award for Best Two-Year-Old Colt winner Do Deuce and Tokinominoru Kinen winner. Equinox started the race from the furthest gate, and came in to the final stretch in third place. He passed all the other horses but was passed by Geoglyph, who was also trained by Kimura, at the last second and came in second place. Equinox's jockey Lemaire commented that "it was after a long break, but he performed well. Since he started from the outside we couldn't create a wall, but we were able to make a winner. I think we have a big chance at the Derby".

Equinox then headed to the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) on May 29, where he was the 2nd most favored behind Danon Beluga, who had come in 4th place at Satsuki Sho. He started the race third from last, and at the final stretch covered the last 3 furlongs at 33.6 seconds to close the gaps, but was beaten by Do Deuce by a neck. Lemaire remarked "I marked the winner on the stretch and tried to go after him as I went on the outside, but my opponent passed me back".

It was then announced that Equinox's next race would be the Autumn leg of the Tenno Sho. It was also announced that he had damaged his left foreleg at the Derby but was recovering well.

As announced, Equinox entered the Tenno Sho on October 30, where he started favourite. After making a good start, he was in the middle of the pack chasing Panthalassa, who was running at a high pace of 57.4 seconds/1000 meters. As the horse entered the final stretch, Lemaire urged the horse forward, catching Panthalassa at the last second, covering what Lemaire said was at least 15 lengths with the speed of 32.7 seconds over the last 3 furlongs, marking his first GI victory. This was the second year in a row, and the fifth ever, where a three-year old won the Autumn Tenno Sho, with Efforia being the previous year's winner. Equinox's win also marked the fastest win in any horse's career as he was the first horse to have won the race after running just five races, and also became the first flat G1 race of the season where the most favored horse won the race, breaking the spell after 16 consecutive losses for the most favored. Equinox's victory also marked the first GI victory of any Kitasan Black sire, and the fourth parent-child pair ever to win the same Autumn Tenno Sho Race. During the post-race interview Lemaire commented "Spring was unlucky for him, but I was able to show the true Equinox" and "this may be his first GI, but this won't be the last. I believe he can still win more GI titles".

It was then announced that his next race would be that year's Arima Kinen, to be held on December 25. Equinox gained many fan votes and gained a total of 294,688 votes, which was the third highest. At the Arima Kinen, Equinox was the most favored. After the race began, he was in the rear of the pack that was chasing Titleholder. Just before the third corner Equinox started to move on to the outside, and started to pick up the pace as he made the fourth corner. At the final stretch, after Lemaire urged the horse to go faster, he picked up even more pace and crossed the finishing pole, not letting any other horses come near him. This victory marked the 21st horse ever to win the Arima as a three year old, and a second year in a row after Efforia last year. Equinox also became the third horse ever to win both the Tenno Sho (Autumn) and Arima as a three-year old, and the fastest ever for any horse to win the Arima with just six races to his career. This race also became the first Arima since 1994 for the top two to be won by a three-year old, as was also a three-year old.

2023: four-year old season
On January 17, the World's Best Racehorse Rankings of 2022 was announced, where Equinox was rated third at 126 pounds alongside Nature Strip, citing his two major victories the previous year as well as being named the Horse of the Year. As the 1st place (Flightline) and 2nd place (Baaeed) had both retired by this point, he became the de facto highest-rated active horse.

For his first race of the season, it was announced that they would go to the Dubai Sheema Classic, which would make it his first foreign race. Later, he was formally invited to enter the race, and the invitation was accepted.

In the race, Equinox for the first time in his career took the lead from the start and won with a record of 2:25:65. The win also marked the first foreign victory of any Kitasan Black offspring.

After the race, Lemaire commented, "I knew he was the greatest horse, and I'm very happy I was able to create this pace" and "This is the first time I won this race since Heart's Cry, who passed away two weeks ago. I would like to thank Equinox for making this opportunity to pay my tribute to him".

On April 14, the Longine World Best Racehorse Ranking (which tabulates all major races from that year up until April 9) was announced, and citing Equinox's 3 and a half length victory at Dubai, he was the highest rated horse at 129 pounds. This was the third time a Japanese-trained horse became the highest rated in the ranking, after 2014's Just A Way and 2016's A Shin Hikari.

On May 26, it was announced by Silk Racing that Equinox and Lemaire would head to the Takarazuka Kinen. A few days later, the CEO of Silk Racing, Masashi Yonemoto, also announced that the horse would ultimately head to the Japan Cup if his condition was good after Takarazuka. The official fan polling which was held in the lead-up to the Takarazuka Kinen had Equinox consistently leading, with the final tally at 216,379 votes.

On June 25, Equinox entered the Takarazuka Kinen as planned. The horse did not have a good start and briefly lost his balance but held through and ran in the rear of the pack. At the third corner, Equinox started to move to the outside and went forward to take the lead as he and the pack ran past the fourth corner, barely beating by a neck, marking his fourth consecutive win. This victory made Equinox the 16th horse to win both Grand Prixs (Arima and Takarazuka) and the 21st horse to earn more than 1 billion yen at JRA races as well as the fastest to earn as much with eight career races at that point.

After a summer break, it was announced by Silk Racing on September 18 that, before the Japan Cup, Equinox would race the Tenno Sho (Autumn) again, this time facing Do Deuce, who had beaten him at the Tokyo Yushun the year before.

On October 29, Equinox ran the early stage of the race from 3rd following Jack d'Or's high-paced run. As the pack entered the final stretch, Equinox quickly passed Jack d'Or and Gaia Force, and without letting Justin Palace catch up, he crossed the finishing line with a new world record of 1:55.2, marking his fifth consecutive GI win and becoming the third horse ever to win the Autumn Tenno Sho two years in a row. After the race, Lemaire praised his horse, saying, "I was relieved. Equinox is the greatest horse after all. Everyone in the world wanted to see him race. I was able to show Equinox's strength" and "Equinox has everything. He can take a good position from the start, and can run calmly after that, and can run well towards the end also. He also has stamina. He's a perfect horse". With this win, Equinox's total earnings in JRA races reached 1,252,692,000 yen, surpassing Contrail to become the 10th highest earner. If the earnings from the Dubai Sheema Classic were factored, the total earnings would reach 1,711,582,100 yen, surpassing Orfevre and becoming the 6th highest earner ever.

As previously announced, Equinox headed to the Japan Cup on November 26. During the race, Equinox placed himself third behind runners Panthalassa and Titleholder, before taking the lead as the pack entered the final stretch and beat Liberty Island by four lengths, clocking in at 2:21.8. This victory made Equinox the first ever horse to earn over 2-billion yen (2,215,446,100JPY), and also the third horse in JRA history to win six consecutive Grade I races in a row after T M Opera O and Lord Kanaloa. After the victory at the Japan Cup, discussions were made as to whether the horse should be entered in to the Arima Kinen or be retired to stud, with the head of Silk Racing quoted as saying all options were on the table; it was ultimately announced on November 30 that the horse will not be entered to Arima and will stand stud at the Shadai Stallion Station starting from 2024.

Upon Equinox's retirement, Kitasan Black's owner, Saburo Kitajima, made a statement to Nikkan Sports, celebrating and thanking the horse's career.

A retirement ceremony was held for Equinox on December 16 at Nakayama Racecourse, with the ceremony being streamed on the official YouTube channel of the JRA.

Stud career
Equinox was sold to Shadai Stallion Station for 5 billion JPY upon becoming a stallion, and arrived to the farm on December 18. He was given a stable facing his sire, Kitasan Black.

On December 7, Equinox's service fee for the 2024 season was announced to be at 20,000,000JPY; which would be the same price as his sire for that season. This broke the previous record held by Deep Impact and Contrail's 12,000,000JPY for the highest service fee of any first year sire.

Racing statistics
Below data is based on data available on JBIS Search, netkeiba.com, Emirates Racing Authority, and Total Performance Data.


 * R on the time indicates that this was a record time
 * Statistics as of November 26, 2023