Neo Universe

Neo Universe (; May 21, 2000 - March 8, 2021) was a retired Japanese Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In 2003 he won the Satsuki Shō and the Tokyo Yūshun (Japanese Derby), but was defeated when attempting to complete the Japanese Triple Crown in the Kikuka Shō. He was retired from racing after winning once in 2004 and has become a successful sire of winners. Background Neo Universe is a bay horse standing 16.2 hands high with a white star and white socks on his hind feet, bred and raced by the Shadai Farm. He was sired by Sunday Silence, who won the 1989 Kentucky Derby, before retiring to stud in Japan where he was champion sire for thirteen consecutive seasons. Neo Universe's dam was the British-bred mare Pointed Path, making him a close relative of the European Group One winners Helen Street (Irish Oaks) and Shamardal. The colt was named after a song by the Japanese rock band L'Arc-en-Ciel. The colt was sent into training with the veteran Tsutomu Setoguchi, best known for handling the Japanese Horse of the Year Oguri Cap. Racing career 2002: two-year-old season Neo Universe began his racing career in November 2002 when he defeated seventeen opponents in a seven furlong maiden race at Kyoto Racecourse with Yuichi Fukunaga as his jockey. A month later her finished third to Hoshi Commander over nine furlongs in the Chukyo Two-year-old Cup at Chukyo Racecourse.