Equinox (Jpn), who was crowned Longines World's Best Racehorse in 2023, covered 203 mares in his first season at Shadai Stallion Station in 2024, the stud has announced.
Beaten just twice in 10 career starts, Equinox broke new ground when he retired to Shadai as his introductory fee of ¥20 million (around €124,000) was a record high for a first-season stallion in Japan. He shared top billing on the Hokkaido roster with his own sire, Kitasan Black (Jpn), who also stood at a fee of ¥20 million when covering 191 mares in 2024.
Only two stallions at Shadai boasted a bigger book of mares this year than Equinox, namely Kizuna (Jpn) and Contrail (Jpn). Japanese Derby hero Kizuna, who leads the Japanese sires' championship in 2024, was the busiest stallion with a book numbering 218, while Triple Crown winner Contrail covered 205 mares as he awaits his first two-year-old runners in 2025.
Lord Kanaloa (Jpn), runner-up in the Japanese sires' championship for four consecutive years between 2020 and 2023, was bred to 109 mares, while elite sire Epiphaneia (Jpn) and his best son Efforia (Jpn) covered books of 131 and 202, respectively.
Salios (Jpn) (196), Nadal (189), Schnell Meister (Ger) (164), Saturnalia (Jpn) (157), New Year's Day (154) and Suave Richard (Jpn) (150) were the other stallions who covered at least 150 mares at Shadai in 2024, while former European-trained runners Siskin (73), Harbinger (GB) (11) and Poetic Flare (Ire) (7) all served smaller books.
Numbers for the remaining members of the Shadai roster were as follows: Le Vent Se Leve (Jpn) (143), Drefong (140), Admire Mars (Jpn) (125), Grenadier Guards (Jpn) (123), Danon Kingly (Jpn) (122), Maurice (Jpn) (122), Orfevre (Jpn) (122), Rulership (Jpn) (113), Chrysoberyl (Jpn) (109), Bricks And Mortar (105), Hot Rod Charlie (94), Isla Bonita (Jpn) (90), Mind Your Biscuits (79), Satono Crown (Jpn) (68) and Rey De Oro (Jpn) (39).
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