'I’d like to say to her good job and thank you' - Gran Alegria's grand send-off

Six-time Group 1 winner Gran Alegria had a retirement ceremony after racing at Nakayama on Saturday.

She entered the turf course, on which she had won the Sprinters Stakes, after sunset and might have somewhat misunderstood the purpose of her appearance as she was rather lit up in front of the 4,000 seated spectators, an attendance limited by Covid-19 regulations.

The five-year-old is a daughter of Deep Impact out of the Tapit mare Tapitsfly, who won two US turf Grade 1s, the First Lady Stakes and Just A Game Stakes, both in 2012.

Gran Alegria debuted on June 3, 2018 and duly set a new juvenile record time over the mile turf track at Tokyo.

She went on to win another eight times, from 15 career starts, including six at the top level, namely the Oka Sho 1,000 Guineas in 2019, the Yasuda Kinen, Sprinters Stakes and Mile Championship in 2020, and this year the Victoria Mile and Mile Championship again.

Of particular note was her defeat of the great Almond Eye in the Yasuda Kinen last year, while she became the sixth mare to reach prize-money earnings of one billion yen (£6,64m/€7.83m) when storming home to win this year’s Mile Championship.

Trainer Kazuo Fujisawa, who will himself retire in February, said: "Even though it was my last year, it was a good study for me that I could train her. I’d like to say to her good job and thank you."

Jockey Christophe Lemaire, who was on board for five of her Group 1 wins, said: "I am very sad. Gran Alegria is a special horse for me, so I am relieved that she can return to the farm. Her life is wonderful. It was a good feeling every time I rode her. She was different from the others."

Kenichi Ikezoe, the winning rider in last year’s Yasuda Kinen, added: "When I rode her, she was already mature so I could ride her very easily and she could run according to her ability. She was so strong in the Yasuda Kinen and I prayed Christophe would ride the other horses after that!”

Connections of Gran Alegria line up with her, including jockeys Christophe Lemaire and Kenichi IkezoeCredit: Masakazu Takahashi

Breeder Northern Farm's CEO Katsumi Yoshida said: "It's hard to find a horse so fast from the beginning. I think she might be the fastest horse in the world. I hope that her foals inherit her speed. If fillies, they would make good mares, and I think it would be great if a son turns out to be a good stallion."

Owner Sunday Racing Co Ltd CEO Shunsuke Yoshida said: "Her first foal will debut as early as three and a half years later. It's a pity that I can't make their debut as the members of Fujisawa Stable, but I would be grateful if you would support her runners returning to the turf."

Gran Alegria will return to her home, Northern Farm, to become a broodmare. Epiphaneia will be her first cover.

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