Home News Legendary Japanese Racehorse Gentildonna Dies at 16

Legendary Japanese Racehorse Gentildonna Dies at 16

The horse racing and gaming communities are deeply saddened by the loss of a true legend, as Gentildonna, who is recognized as one of the greatest racehorses in Japanese history, sadly passed away at the age of 16. The Sunday Thoroughbred Club made the somber announcement on Wednesday, November 26, confirming that the incredible mare “passed away peacefully” while living at Northern Farm in Hokkaido, where she had been since retiring from her competitive career in 2014.

Gentildonna’s Historic Career

Born in 2009, Gentildonna was sired by the famous Triple Crown winner Deep Impact, and despite a quiet start to her career, everything dramatically changed in 2012 when she started dominating the racing circuit. As a three-year-old, she achieved the remarkable feat of winning the prestigious fillies’ Triple Tiara, which includes the Oka Sho, Japanese Oaks, and Shuka Sho races, thereby becoming only the fourth mare in Japanese racing history to ever capture all three titles. Later that same year, she fully solidified her incredible legacy by becoming the first three-year-old filly to win the highly competitive Japan Cup, achievements which collectively earned her the coveted Japanese Horse of the Year award in 2012.

Umamusume Connection

Fans of the extremely popular mobile game Umamusume: Pretty Derby know Gentildonna well, because her incredible racing story served as the inspiration for a character in the title. The game developer, Cygames, shared their sincere condolences following the announcement of her death; they had recently added her to the Japanese version of the game in August 2024 during the third anniversary celebration, though she has not yet appeared in the global version. Gentildonna is the third racehorse that inspired an Umamusume character to pass away this year, reminding fans of the powerful, emotional connection between the game and the real world of Japanese horse racing.

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Deep Impact mare gentildonna Gentildonna death Gentildonna Umamusume Japanese Horse of the Year legendary Japanese racehorse Mobile Games PC Games umamusume pretty derby

Sai T.

Sai is a social media manager and senior web content creator who spends his days juggling game research, deadlines, and the usual existential crisis. When he isn’t crafting content that hopefully goes viral, he’s a dedicated single parent doing his best to navigate work life balance. And in the rare moments when free time actually appears, he’s usually found with his two dogs, who are fully convinced they’re the ones in charge.