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Last Kickoffs

After running for so long and achieving the ultimate triumph, Tony Bin's career would be coming to an end. Thus, he would carry the memory of the late painter in his last two races.

First, he targeted his and his namesake's homeland to defend his masterpiece in the Gran Premio del Jockey Club. Facing off against a field of five horses on October 16, 1988, there were two particular rivals who stood out in the five horse field: 

• Carroll House, a son of Lord Gayle, in turn a son of Sir Gaylord, as well as Tuna, a daughter of Silver Shark. He had placed second in the Italian Derby to Tisserand and placed third due to demotion in the Grosser Preis von Berlin after initially winning it, before claiming the Grosser Preis Von Baden. He later claimed more races in 1989, including the Arc, and tried the Japan Cup before being retired to stud.
• Roakarad, a son of Akarad, in turn a son of Labus, as well as Roncaglia, a daughter of Molvedo. He had previously placed second at the Gran Premio d'Italia and the G3 St. Leger Italiano. After this race, he tried the Premio Roma. In retirement, he sired a jump racer, Magnus.

Ridden by Gianfranco Dettori, the father of Frankie who was an accomplished jockey in Italy, Tony Bin tried to paint his mark on the turf, but in the end, he came short by a length to Roakarad, with Carroll House behind him.

Even though he failed to defend his title in his homeland, he planned to make his last exhibition in a prestigious international race far away to the east: the G1 2400 m Japan Cup in the Tokyo Racecourse on November 27, 1988. Under the helm of John Reid, he'd be carrying both the pride of Italy and the memory of Antonio Bin's hard work during the race and after his retirement, for his next home had already been determined.

Gaucci had been negotiating with the head of Japan's Shadai Group, Zenya Yoshida, and Zenya had agreed to purchase Tony Bin from Gaucci and his Allevamento White Star, with a son, Teruya, aiding him in the management. As a prized stud of Shadai Group, it was hoped he would embark on a new journey to establish his own vibrant dynasty and help Japan's horse racing renaissance that might transform the nation to an elite name among the horse racing world, right during the boom that had started around the waning days of the Showa era.

The princely painter was given a special privilege reserved for only a beloved champion, as Italy's flagship airline company, Alitalia, agreed to make an exception for their ban on transporting livestocks to shuttle Tony Bin to Japan.

There was something special about his last pitch to conquer and exhibit his masterpiece in. The 1988 edition of Japan Cup featured one of the most diverse fields it has ever seen, with competitors from Europe (including Tony Bin himself), Asia (with the home team), America, and Oceania, thus earning the nickname of "The Battle of the Four Continents", while featuring the likes of:

• Bonecrusher, a son of Pag-Asa, in turn a son of Kaoru Star, as well as Imitation, a daughter of Oakville, he was a powerful chestnut gelding who managed to recover from a nearly-fatal accident involving a barbed wire fence that left a scar before rising to stardom, collecting 9 G1 wins across both in his homeland of New Zealand and Australia since he debuted at the Ellerslie Racecourse in 1984, running with his signature late-closing style while letting his tongue hang to the side. These include the Tancred Stakes, where he closed from dead last around the final turn to win against a top field; Cox Plate, where he intensely dueled against fellow New Zealand horse Our Waverly Star in the "Race of the Century"; and Air New Zealand Stakes at his debut racecourse twice (which later got renamed to Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes in honor of him). This made him the most profitable New Zealand horse at the time and earned him the moniker of "Big Red" like American legends Secretariat and Man O'War, as well as fellow legendary Oceanian gelding Phar Lap. The 1988 Japan Cup was his debut in the race after he was forced to withdraw two years prior due to contracting an illness that almost killed him following his arrival. After the race, he ran for one more year before retiring and living the rest of his day in peace. He is now honored as the "Pride of Ellerslie".
• Gold City, a son of Viceregal and Italian City, a daughter of Tesco Boy. A part of the home team, he was known for his striking golden mane and tail, which gave him his name. He was able to fiercely press on through his training, preventing him from being donated as a riding horse for Disneyland Tokyo, and lived up to his potential as a racer, capturing the Hanshin Sansai Stakes (present-day Hanshin Juvenile Fillies; it was not restricted to fillies back then) and consistently placed within the top 4 of the Classics against Sakura Star O (where he came in second both times) and Merry Nice (when Star O had to skip the Japanese Derby to recuperate from an injury). During this Japan Cup, the novelist and former leading National Hunt jockey Dick Francis (who happened to jockey The Queen Mother's horse Devon Loch when the horse fell as he was about to win the Grand National) was awed by his appearance when he spectated the Japan Cup. After the race, Gold City continued racing for half a year before his owner decided to have him switch to steeplechase, but he did not get along with other horses and eventually died under a mysterious circumstance in 1990, joining Star O and Material in the "Tragic Generation".
• Hours After, who was planned to enter the race, going straight from the Arc, but he was scratched before entering the gate because he suffered from a posterior right ligament rupture that left him unable to run. He was forced to retire following the Japan Cup and became a minor stud.
• Kondor, a son of Cagliostro, in turn a son of Frontal, who was descended from Nasrullah, as well as Kingsi, a daughter of Obermaat, a descendant of Ticino. He had previously captured the Aral-Pokal and Preis von Europa, the latter a few months before the Japan Cup. After retirement, he became a local stud.
• Mejiro Durren, a son of Fidion, in turn a son of Djakao, a descendant of English Triple Crown winner Ormonde through Teddy, as well as Mejiro Aurora, a daughter of Remand. A part of the home team, he was born in the same year as the first Japanese Triple Tiara winner, Mejiro Ramonu. He had won the Kikuka Sho a week after Ramonu's triumph as the sixth-favorite after being unable to challenge the first two Crowns due to an injury from his junior year, though the race was somewhat marred by the injury of the fourth-favorite, Sunny Light. After struggling since the victory, he won the 1987 Arima Kinen against Sakura Star O and Merry Nice, but the triumph was overshadowed by the former's mortal injury and the latter's serious injury. Between the two victories, his mother gave birth to a future legend, Mejiro McQueen, in a productive year for the Mejiro Farm as Mejiro Ryan and Mejiro Palmer were also born around the time. Prior to the Japan Cup, he had placed third in the Spring Tenno Sho to Tamamo Cross. After the race, he'd run for one last time in the Arima Kinen, where he got his path cut by Super Creek, leading to Creek's disqualification. After retirement, he had a modest career as a stud.
• Moon Madness, who had run once in the G3 Geoffrey Freer Stakes since the King George, where he got outclassed in sixth by Top Class. He later went into retirement as a stud after the Japan Cup.
• My Big Boy, a son of Our Hero, in turn a son of Sir Ivor, as well as Pretty Special, a daughter of Riverman. His mother later gave birth to Pretty City a decade later, who would give birth to G1 mare winners Lear's Princess and Pretty City Dancer, making him the uncle to them. Owned by Lillian Phipps of the prestigious Phipps American horseracing family, he had a lengthy career as a gelding, winning the Bernard Baruch Handicap against future American Champion Turf Male Steinlen earlier that year during the brief period it was a G1 (now it's merely a Listed race) while almost winning the Man O'War Stakes, Turf Classic, and Manhattan Handicap. He continued to run for some time afterwards, getting a G2 win before transitioning into a new career as an eventing and fox hunting horse under Lillian's granddaughter Heidi Doubleday.
• Oguri Cap, a son of Dancing Cap, in turn a son of Native Dancer, as well as White Narubi, a daughter of Silver Shark. A part of the home team, he was initially unable to walk due to a deformed leg. At the same time, his mother struggled to breastfeed him, leading him to develop the abnormal appetite he'd become known for. Thanks to the dedicated effort of Funao Inaba, the owner of the farm he was born in, he eventually gained the ability to walk, living up to his temporary name of Hatsuratsu (lively/vigorous). He started out within the local NAR circuit in Kasamatsu, claiming many races while venturing to Chukyo and Nagoya as well. He was eventually able to move to the JRA, but it was too late for him to earn the right to challenge the Triple Crown races. However, thanks to fan demand, his situation convinced the JRA to institute the "Oguri Cap Rule". By the time he appeared in the Japan Cup, he had won up to G2, was fresh from a second place against Tamamo Cross in the Fall Tenno Sho, and had been spearheading the next horse racing renaissance in Japan since Haiseiko a decade prior. After the race, his legendary career would continue until 1990, getting G1 wins and recording a notable rivalry against Super Creek and Inari One in the Heisei era. He later retired as a modest stud, while his mother later gave birth to Oguri Roman.
• Pay the Butler, a son of Val de l'Orne, in turn a son of Val de Loir, as well as Princess Morvi, a daughter of Graustark. Named after an unraced Thoroughbred of the same name from Australia that had been seen by his original trainer, John Fellows, he started his career in France after struggling during his training, where he won only 2 races out of 17. During that time, his mother gave birth to his full brother River God (who would become a G3 winner who placed in the St. Leger). He was eventually transferred to America a few months before the Japan Cup, to be trained under the legendary trainer Robert J. Frankel (who would later become the namesake of the highest-rated modern racehorse ever, Frankel). He ended up claiming the G2 Red Smith Handicap despite being temperamental enough to need five men to saddle him before the race. He then followed it by almost claiming the Bowling Green Handicap and Man O'War Stakes, while trying the Canadian International Stakes. Arriving to the Japan Cup after receiving the invite just a day before the expected travel date, he was ridden by Chris McCarron, who served as another replacement jockey like Larry Attard did during his expedition to Canada, because his regular jockey Robbie Davis was still in recovery after he was involved in an accident that killed Mike Venezia. McCarron had extensively researched the home team beforehand, even though he did not have any prior experience in Japan. After the Japan Cup, Pay the Butler entered several top American G1 races before challenging the JC again and retiring some time after that. He was only able to sire a G3 winner in stud before his early death.
• Running Free, a son of Sir Penfro, in turn a son of Sir Ivor, as well as Saint-Malo, a daughter of Stupendous. He had won up to G3 in the Fukushima Kinen, but he persisted for years, placing in the top 3 in other G3 races, as well as G2 races and the Spring Tenno Sho. After the Japan Cup, he would claim wins in the G2 tier in the Nikkei Sho and American Jockey Club Cup. He later retired to stud, where he enjoyed decent success there with children who won up to G2.
• Salem Drive, a son of Darby Creek Road, in turn a son of Roberto, as well as Northern Sunset, a daughter of Northfields. Through his mother, he was the older brother to multiple horses like Lac Ouimet, St. Jovite, and L'Carriere. He had won up to G2 in the Bouganvillea Handicap, with more G3 wins as well, while placing third in the Peter Pan Stakes (then a G1). He also claimed the Fuji Stakes during his preparation for the JC. After retirement, he became a decent sire whose influence extended to other equestrian sports.
• Shady Heights, a son of Shirley Heights and Vaguely, a daughter of Bold Lad. He had come second in the Dewhurst Stakes before deciding to focus on his three-year-old season instead of going to the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. After failing the Derby trials and skipping the Derby itself, he decided to go for international G2s in the Irish Tattersalls Gold Cup and German Bayerisches Zucthrennen (when both were not upgraded to G1s yet). He then placed second in the Eclipse Stakes and initially in the International Stakes before being awarded his first G1 win because the horse that crossed first, Persian Heights, had interfered with the path of the initial third placer, Indian Skimmer. He came second again in the Champion Stakes before he went to the Japan Cup. After the JC, he raced for one more year, coming third while attempting to defend his title in the International Stakes and trying the Arlington Million, before retiring to stud. There, he sired the mother to Hishi Miracle.
• Sky Chase, a son of Star Way, in turn the son of the first German-trained Arc winner, Star Appeal, as well as Vice Reine, a daughter of Amalgam and Kind Regards, as well as a sister of Vice Regal (a top New Zealand racer and sire who is not to be confused with the Northern Dancer son). He was a sprinter-miler who could extend his distance to medium, winning the AJC Champagne Stakes, STC Rosehill Guineas, and VATC Caulfield Stakes while placing second in three more G1 races. In the midst of his career in 1987, his mother gave birth to his full sister Kindness, who would later become a successful broodmare, foaling horses like Kindacross, Kind Return, and Zarzino. He was registered for the Japan Cup, but he developed a cold from travel sickness, causing him to be scratched. He was later retired and went into stud, where he sired Saintly, as well as the mother to God's Own.
• Suzu Parade, a son of Sortingo, in turn a son of Petingo, as well as Suzu Botan, a daughter of Romulus and Suzu Keel. His granddam also foaled Suzu Botan's sister, Suzu Saffron, who later gave birth to Suzu Parade's generation mate, Suzu Mach. A part of the home team, he belonged to the 1984 generation, coming fourth to the undefeated Triple Crown winner Symboli Rudolf in the first two Crowns (his cousin came second in the second one). He later became the longest runner of the generation, eventually claiming his only G1 win last year in the Takarazuka Kinen against Nippo Teio. He had won the G3 Sankei Sho All Comers after taking a nine month break following the G1 win due to a leg injury. He went into retirement after running the Arima Kinen after the JC, where he had a modest career as a stud before living the rest of his days in peace, in the same ranch as his cousin.
• Tamamo Cross, a son of CB Cross, in turn a son of Fortino, as well as Green Chateau, a daughter of American Double Crown winner Chateaugay. A part of the home team, he was initially named Nishikino Cross and had a rocky start, being born in a small farm that was going through financial hardship, forcing the owner to sell him and two other horses to his friend. He was underestimated for his diminutive size and gray coat. However, his camp still put their faith in him because his vet determined him to have an excellent cardiovascular capacity. In the meantime, his mother gave birth to his half-sister, Miyama Poppy. After failing his late debut on turf in 1987, he struggled for seven months within the dirt circuit before he successfully tried again on turf, avoiding being sent to the steeplechase circuit but missing the Classics the entire time. He went on a lengthy winning streak that was still unbroken by the Japan Cup after that, beating horses like Gold City, Mejiro Durren, Nippo Teio, and fellow gray Oguri Cap, as well as achieving a dead heat with Dyna Carpenter. He also became the first horse to win both the Spring and Autumn editions of the Tenno Sho after the rule that banned winners from trying again was lifted. All of this earned him the nickname of "White Lightning". His JC appearance came exactly two weeks after his sister had won the Queen Elizabeth II Commemorative Cup. Coming into his penultimate race, he was rated as the favorite, with Tony Bin's trainer stating that he would be Tony Bin's primary rival. He retired to stud after entering one more race, where he produced lower graded winners, but a filly he sired would later form a family line that led to Naran Huleg.

Tony Bin initially hung back while Moon Madness and Mejiro Durren made their early moves, waiting for a chance to unleash his decisive kick. Then, Shady Heights took the lead from the second corner. By the third corner, Oguri Cap started to pull back to find a better position. To Tony Bin however, it still was not a decisive spot. Eventually, he started to find an opportunity around the last corner when Tamamo Cross took the lead, only for Pay the Butler to pull a joker trick as he started confronting him from the inside rail in a way that insulated the flash of white lightning. As Tony Bin tried to enter his artistic zone and create the strokes however, he suddenly felt a crack of pain. He limped towards a fifth place finish as he saw Pay the Butler, the ninth-favorite, take his only G1 win in an upset thanks to the brilliance of McCarron, who in turn added another top win in a particularly excellent season for him.

It was eventually found that Tony Bin had broken his leg. Even if the JC was not meant to be his final race, such an injury would mean an end to his racing career anyway. Despite that, his new owners were still impressed enough by his performance that Teruya remarked how he could have won if he had been jockeyed by McCarron.

The Dynastic Hall of Fame

Remember how Gaucci had a major football empire? He was able to make a major expansion into it following Tony Bin's retirement using the money he received from Shadai. His horse racing empire was not neglected either as he managed to acquire few other notable racers, like Sikeston, Dr Devious, Miss Secreto, and White Muzzle, all of whom were also following on the success of Tony Bin's contemporary White Star member, Fire of Life.

Meanwhile, Tony Bin finally earned the retirement he deserved after racing for longer than his many top peers in Europe. He stood as a stud in the Shadai Stallion Station. There, he quickly proved himself to be one of the most productive imported sires, competing with fellow Shadai acquisition Sunday Silence and Brian's Time of the rival Hayata Group. He even became the leading sire for 1994. 

His offsprings inherited an all-rounding characteristic, being not particularly fast but having the ability to spurt well at long straights and making maneuvers against opponents during straights. These lent themselves well at courses with long homestretches like the Niigata Racecourse and especially Tokyo Racecourse. They achieved 13 G1 wins in total, 11 of them in the Tokyo course and comprising every G1 race held there, except for the Victoria Mile (as it was only established far later). They also performed especially well on turf, to the point even a heavy horse would not lose much power despite their weight, and sometimes showed a long-term endurance that let them remain competitive even past their supposed prime. On the other hand, they showed weaknesses on corners, making them less ideal for corner-heavy courses like the Nakayama Racecourse and Fukushima Racecourse.

On a more humorous side, Tony Bin would also stick out his tongue and allow his handlers to play with it. Some of his progeny, such as Winning Ticket, Air Groove, and Jungle Pocket, also inherited that quirk and other related tongue quirks.

In all, he created a decently-sized dynasty, with esteemed sons and daughters who managed to make and hang their own masterpieces with their kicks, such as:

• Vega, a daughter out of Antique Value, a daughter of Northern Dancer. Named because of her star-like blaze, she overcame her physical limitations to become a Double Tiara winner who claimed the first two tiaras in an intense rivalry against Hokuto Vega and Yukino Bijin, before the former bested her at the last race of the time, Queen Elizabeth II Cup, after plans to have her skip the Tiara and challenge the Prix Vermeille overseas was abandoned due to health problems. She also had notable stories around her Oaks win, first being that of Richi Kondo's failed bid to buy her before the race, leading to a promise that he would buy one of her children, and the second being how her jockey, Yutaka Take, adopted a dog on the day he won the race, leading him to name his new pet after her. She went into an early retirement following the Takarazuka Kinen due to a leg fracture. She then became a broodmare who foaled Admire Vega and Admire Don as her G1 winners, as well as Admire Boss.
• Sakura Chitose O, a son out of Sakura Clare, a daughter of Northern Taste. In the midst of his early training, his mother gave birth to a half-sister, Sakura Candle. He struggled with health problems for much of his career, forcing him to skip most of the Classics and take lengthy breaks, except the Japanese Derby, where he placed distantly to the BNW (particularly the W, fellow Tony Bin son Winning Ticket). However, he worked his way through lower class races. In 1994, each of his lower class victories was followed by a sixth place finish in G1s. In 1995, he almost achieved his first G1 in the Yasuda Kinen, being beaten by Heart Lake from Britain, then finished in seventh in the Takarazuka Kinen due to a combination of being right behind Rice Shower when he fell and the lingering exhaustion from his Yasuda Kinen run, before finally achieving his long-awaited goal in the Autumn Tenno Sho and finishing well in his retirement run at the Arima Kinen. He had a modest career as a stud afterward.
• North Flight, a daughter out of Shadai Flight, in turn a daughter of Hitting Away. Nicknamed "Fu-Chan", she was initially doubted due to Tony Bin's early unreliable reputation as a sire. However, people got a bit of faith in her ability when fellow Tony Bin first crops Vega and Winning Ticket started to show good performance leading to the Classics, culminating in a second place finish in the Queen Elizabeth II Commemorative Cup against Hokuto Vega after a late debut, outpacing Vega in the process. She then built off from the momentum of her subsequent appearances since the last of the Tiara race to become almost undefeated in 1994, claiming the Yasuda Kinen and Mile Championship, the latter being her retirement race, to be crowned the "Queen of Miles". Her only loss that year came in the sprint Swan Stakes against Sakura Bakushin O, who she would later beat in the Mile CS, helping to show how different sprints and miles are to those in the local scene. Meanwhile, her only placement beyond second place was a fifth place finish at the Autumnal Equinox Special, only because she got sick before the race and had to race under sweltering heat. As a broodmare, she gave birth to the lead horse Kikoshi, as well as Miscast, who later went into stud and sired Beat Black.
• Winning Ticket, a son out of Powerful Lady, a daughter of Maruzensky and a direct female line descendant of outstanding broodmare Star Roch. He initially did not look promising before he grew well as he approached his debut, enough for him to be entrusted as the horse that would finally give jockey Masato Shibata his long-awaited Derby win before he had to retire shortly afterwards. He won the Hopeful Stakes, a few months before the birth of his half-brother by Sunday Silence, Royal Touch. He then set a record in the Yayoi Sho trial, with a shorter time than the then-current record set by Symboli Rudolf in the identically-arranged Satsuki Sho. However, he got defeated by Narita Taishin in the actual race while also racing against Biwa Hayahide, setting up the BNW rivalry in earnest. Fortunately, he captured the Japanese Derby under Shibata as foreseen, with his time being the then-second fastest below Ines Fujin three years prior. He never won another race afterwards, but he placed respectably in the Kikuka Sho to Hayahide and Japan Cup to Legacy World, while almost making a comeback in the All-Comer late in his career. In stud, he sired Oyster Ticket, who became the maternal granddam to siblings Shining Lei and Lei Papale. He was also remembered for his quirky behavior in the stable.
• Offside Trap, a son out of Toko Carol, a daughter of Hospitality. Associated with football, he showed a lot of promise before his debut, but a potential leg problem was noticed during his training. However, as it was considered minor at the time, he was sent to challenge the first two crowns of the Classics, where he placed far behind Narita Brian both times. Unfortunately, he was found to suffer from flexor tendinitis soon after. However, his camp persisted and had him race for four more years, constantly treating his leg with different methods and having him take extended breaks every time his condition flared up. The persistence paid off when he kept placing within the top 3 in lower class races until he finally captured three graded races in a row, including the 1998 Autumn Tenno Sho, where his younger brother World Cup had won an earlier race that day, the Nambu Tokubetsu. During the race, he was held back in order to prevent him from directly challenging Silence Suzuka. However, Suzuka was later pulled out of the race due to a fracture and Silent Hunter, who had been chasing Suzuka's pace, drifted outward as a result, opening a gap that led Offside Trap to his big win. His victory was unfortunately overshadowed by the accident and Suzuka's subsequent euthanasia, but he got the honor of being the oldest horse to win a G1. He lived the rest of his days in peace after entering one more race, with his memory being honored by the JRA when they named a special race in the Niigata Racecourse after him through fan voting and nicknamed him the "Indomitable Fighter" during JRA's 60th anniversary in 2014, then collaborated with footballer Andrés Iniesta Luján in 2022 and put him and other horses (including Soccer Boy and Hat Trick) in a special minigame.
• Air Groove, a daughter out of Dyna Carle, an Oaks-winning daughter of Northern Taste. She raced fiercely against colts, achieving the nickname of "Empress". After some struggle early in her career, including a defeat to Biwa Heidi in the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies that she avenged in the Oka Sho trial, Tulip Sho, and a brief fever that forced her withdrawal from the main race itself, she won the Japanese Oaks to become the next mother-daughter duo to win it in 42 years. After suffering from a leg fracture following the Shuka Sho, she took a break and worked her way up until she achieved a victory in the Fall Tenno Sho against Bubble Gum Fellow, becoming the first filly to win it in 17 years. She also challenged the rest of the future Autumn Triple Crown, placing second to Pilsudski in the Japan Cup and third to Silk Justice and Marvelous Sunday in the Arima Kinen, turning her into the first filly to win the Horse of the Year in 26 years. She ran for one more year after that, achieving consecutive victory in the Sapporo Kinen and putting a tough challenge against 1997 generation representatives Silence Suzuka and Mejiro Dober, as well as the Golden Generation in top races despite being defeated. She became an outstanding broodmare later on, foaling Admire Groove and Rulership as her G1 winners, as well as Forgettable, Gullveig, and Portofino, while being honored during the JRA's 60th anniversary through a special race named after her.
• Lady Pastel, a daughter out of Pink Turtle, a daughter of Blushing Groom. She made a late debut, missing the Oka Sho before finally showing a triumphant performance in the Oaks, denying T.M. Ocean the Triple Tiara when she eventually won the Shuka Sho, while also beating Rosebud (the future mother of Rose Kingdom).  She then came third in the Shuka Sho, where Ocean and Rosebud got their revenge against her, before challenging the Queen Elizabeth II Cup thrice, where she placed against To the Victory in her first attempt, Fine Motion in her second, and Admire Groove in the third. She became a broodmare after her retirement, going to Europe first before returning to Japan. However, she ultimately disappeared around 2019, with the only sign being a change of registration for her.
• Jungle Pocket, a son out of Dance Charmer, a daughter of Nureyev. Named after a children's song of the same name, he made a powerful debut against Mejiro Bailey and Tagano Teio. He kept performing against future top horses like T.M. Ocean, Kurofune, and Agnes Tachyon, the last of whom handed him his first defeat, for the rest of his junior season. He was then defeated by Tachyon again in the Satsuki Sho before he finally hit his stride in the Japanese Derby, overcoming the blistering pace set by the runaway T.M. Southpaw to beat Dantsu Flame. In the aftermath of the Derby, he seemed to celebrate by letting out a primal-sounding neigh and bobbing his head repeatedly, though it was actually because of the discomfort from his bit and the loud cheers of the audience. He then placed fourth in the Kikuka Sho to Manhattan Cafe, but he redeemed himself in the Japan Cup by giving his home team a win in their first time dominating the top three, while handing the penultimate blow to T.M. Opera O's reign. He raced four more times after that, placing second in the Hanshin Daishoten to Narita Top Road and Spring Tenno Sho to Cafe, before returning in the Japan Cup and Arima Kinen, having taken a long break due to a leg problem, scrapping the original plan to challenge the Takarazuka Kinen, King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes, International Stakes, and Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in the process. He became a prominent sire after his retirement, siring Jaguar Mail, Queen Spumante, Oken Bruce Lee, Tall Poppy, Jungle Rocket, Tosen Jordan, Aventura, Awadi, and Diadomus, as well as the mothers to several more, including Byzantine Dream. He also lent his name to a comedy trio.
• Telegnosis, a son out of Make-A-Wish, a daughter of Northern Taste. Named after the word for "clairvoyance", he lost a close match against Tanino Gimlet in the Spring Stakes before skipping the Satsuki Sho to enter the NHK Mile Cup, where he avenged his defeat, though the outcome was controversial as he veered twice, which was believed by Gimlet's jockey to have contributed to Gimlet's defeat, but in the end, he was not given any penalty. He then went unplaced in the Japanese Derby, leading his team to run him as a miler. He led a long career until 2006 where he achieved mixed placements in top mile races without winning them, ranging from second to being unplaced, including in Hong Kong and French races, as well as two tries in the Fall Tenno Sho. He got the opportunity to witness the era of many top contemporaries, like Tokai Point, Agnes Digital, Six Perfections, Nebraska Tornado, Durandal, Lucky Owners, Tsurumaru Boy, Zenno Rob Roy, Firebreak, Asakusa Den'en, Heavenly Romance, Hat Trick, Bullish Luck, and Daiwa Major, before finally retiring with a modest stud career.

In addition, he had several more children who won lower graded races or achieved notability in another way, such as Irish Dance, Air Dublin, Royce and Royce, and others.

His dynasty also extended to the children his daughters foaled, including top ones. There are so many that descriptions of them should be found within the comments, due to their sheer size that makes it so it can't be posted in the main section without overflowing the post limit. That aside, he also had other less-successful, but notable grandchildren through his daughters, like Satono Noblesse, Chateau Blanche, Silver Sonic, and many more.

The year was now 2000. His breeding career was still on a high swing, with retirement being expected in a few years, when he suddenly passed away from acute heart failure on March 10. He became the first of the three big imported sires to pass away, preceding Sunday Silence by two years and Brian's Time by thirteen years. As time went on, his direct lines fell out of prominence as Sunday Silence proved to be the definite sire for Japan, while lines that were imported shortly or after his death, like Grass Wonder, Symboli Kris S, and King Kamehameha, have been able to stand up against Sunday Silence. Meanwhile, his colors persisted more in his daughters and their descendants. Almost two decades later, he was reunited by Camici in the afterlife, followed by Gaucci a year later. Thus, while his life's work in racing and breeding may have been ephemeral in the end, it is still looked upon fondly by many.

Closing

Sorry for the long wait on the final part. Life got in the way and I got a little burnt out, especially when I yapped about the rivals and progeny, but I managed to push through. For my next essay, I will cover Treve as one of the two Arc scenario mobs after deciding on her over Dancing Brave in order to cover the 2010s era. After that, I will move to a horse outside of Europe.

Previous Work:

• Montjeu: The Renewed Pride of Broye (Part 2 and 3 in link)