Orion the Thanks
| Orion the Thanks オリオンザサンクス | |
|---|---|
 Orion the Thanks on November 25, 2000, at Tokyo Racecourse. | |
| Breed | Thoroughbred |
| Sire | Shanghai |
| Grandsire | Procida |
| Dam | Milano Collection |
| Damsire | Rivlia |
| Sex | Stallion |
| Foaled | April 10, 1996 |
| Died | March 3, 2023 |
| Country |  Japan |
| Colour | Chestnut |
| Owner | Keiko Hiura |
| Record | 24: 11-2-1 |
| Major wins | |
| Japan Dirt Classic (1999) Haneda Hai (1999) Tokyo Derby (1999) | |
| Awards | |
| NAR Grand Prix Best 3-Year-Old Thoroughbred (1999) | |
Orion the Thanks (Japanese: オリオンザサンクス, Hepburn: Orion Za Sankusu; April 10, 1996 – March 3, 2023) was a Japanese racehorse and stallion.[1]
His major victories included the 1999 Japan Dirt Classic (JpnI). That same year, he was selected as the NAR Best 3-Year-Old Thoroughbred.[2]
Racing career
[edit source]1998: three-year-old season[a]
[edit source]Orion the Thanks was trained by Kazunori Tabe at the Hokkaido Keiba circuit.[1] He made his debut at Monbetsu Racecourse on April 15, 1998.
Following his debut victory, he contested several 1,000-meter open races at Asahikawa Racecourse, finishing seventh, second, and then going on to win the next two. In September, he contested contested in the Eikan Sho, taking first place and setting a 1,000-metre track record for the course, earning recognition as one of the most promising three-year-old horses in regional racing.[3][4]
He concluded his Hokkaido campaign with four wins from six starts before transferring to the Akama Kiyomatsu stable at Ohi Racecourse. Following the transfer, he contested in the Zen-Nippon Sansai Yushun at Kawasaki Racecourse. He broke well and raced calmly, but tired out, and struggled to navigate after the final corner; despite having been voted 4th favourite to win, he finished in 10th place.[5]
1999: four-year-old season
[edit source]Entering his four-year-old season in 1999, Orion Thanks began the year by winning the Wakajishi Tokubetsu, an open race. He lead throughout, relying on his early speed, defeating the runner-up, Reward Conga, by 1.5 seconds.[6]
He followed this with a victory in the Keihin Hai in heavy snowfall, where he again took the lead early and held on to win. Following these performances, he was regarded as the leading contender for the 1999 Minami-Kanto Triple Crown (today's "Dirt Triple Crown"). He won the opening leg at the Haneda Hai,[7] but was then beaten into third by his contemporaries, Opera Hat and Taikō Legend, in the second leg, the Tokyo Okan Sho.[8]
He participated in the inaugural Tokyo Derby, where he went off as the second favourite. It was expected that Opera Hat, the favourite, would win the race once again, giving his demonstrated high stamina on the final spurt. However, Orion the Thanks took the lead from the start and raced well, finishing first by a neck, and claiming his second crown.[9][4]
Although the victory appeared to establish him as the leading four-year-old dirt horse of the season, his health subsequently declined.[10] Unable to reproduce the speed that had characterized his earlier performances, he recorded a series of disappointing results. After returning in the autumn and having been voted favourite once more, he finished eleventh in the Super Championship.[11]
2000: five-year-old season
[edit source]In 2000, Orion Thanks competed over a variety of distances as he attempted to establish himself in new areas, including participation in dirt Grade 1 races under the Japan Racing Association. In the Frontier Sprint Hai in Ohi Racecourse, he returned to sprint racing for the first time in a while, and won by coming from behind, rather than using his usual front-running tactics.[12]
On 25 November, he was selected as the representative of regional racing for the inaugural Japan Cup Dirt (GI), held at Tokyo Racecourse and Japan's first international dirt race. He took the lead at a high pace from the start and attracted attention from the crowd, but faded in the latter stages and finished fifteenth.[13] Although he was entered for the Tokyo Daishōten at the end of the year, he was excluded as a reserve entry and instead contested the Katsushima Open, which he won.
2001 and retirement
[edit source]In 2001, following the change in Japanese horse age notation, Orion Thanks began his season in the Tokyo City Hai, where he was sent off as the favourite but finished fifth. He then travelled to Saga Racecourse for the Saga Kinen, where he finished eleventh. Following the race, he was diagnosed with Tendonitis, and retired from racing.[4][14]
Racing Record
[edit source]Orion the Thanks won 11 races out of 24 starts. This data is available on JBIS.[15]
| Date | Race | Class | Distance | Racecourse | Finish | Entry | Time | Jockey | Winner (2nd Place) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998: Three-year-old season | |||||||||
| April 15 | Three-year-old debut | Dirt 1000m | Monbetsu | 1st | 8 | 1:02.2 | Hiroki Shibuya | (Squall Chase) | |
| June 17 | Three-year-old OP | OP | Dirt 1000m | Sapporo | 7th | 1 | 1:02.5 | Hiroki Shibuya | Dai Coaster |
| July 2 | Three-year-old OP | OP | Dirt 1000m | Asahikawa | 2nd | 5 | 1:01.9 | Hiroki Shibuya | Kamiwaza |
| July 29 | Three-year-old OP | OP | Dirt 1000m | Asahikawa | 1st | 3 | 1:00.5 | Hiroki Shibuya | (Morpheroy) |
| August 26 | Three-year-old OP | OP | Dirt 1000m | Asahikawa | 1st | 5 | 1:01.6 | Hiroki Shibuya | (Wonder Power) |
| September 23 | Eikan Sho | H2[b] | Dirt 1000m | Asahikawa | 1st | 6 | 0:59.9 | Hiroki Shibuya | (Shinsei Raiden) |
| December 29 | Zen-Nippon Sansai Yushun | G2 | Dirt 1600m | Kawasaki | 10th | 13 | 1:45.2 | Hideji Hayata | Admire Mambo |
| 1999: Four-year-old season | |||||||||
| January 19 | Wakajishi Special | OP | Dirt 1700m | Ohi | 1st | 14 | 1:48.6 | Hideji Hayata | (Reward Conga) |
| February 11 | Keihin Cup | Jpn2 | Dirt 1700m | Ohi | 1st | 10 | 1:48.0 | Hideji Hayata | (Keishu Excel) |
| April 13 | Haneda Hai | Jpn1 | Dirt 1600m | Ohi | 1st | 10 | 1:41.3 | Hideji Hayata | (Rabbit Symphony) |
| May 10 | Tokyo Okan Sho | Jpn1 | Dirt 1800m | Ohi | 3rd | 10 | 1:54.8 | Hideji Hayata | Opera Hat |
| June 9 | Tokyo Derby | Jpn1 | Dirt 2000m | Ohi | 1st | 15 | 2:07.7 | Hideji Hayata | (Taiko Legend) |
| July 8 | Japan Dirt Classic | G1 | Dirt 2000m | Ohi | 1st | 6 | 2:06.9 | Hideji Hayata | (Opera Hat) |
| October 13 | Super CS | Jpn2 | Dirt 2000m | Ohi | 11th | 3 | 2:16.3 | Hideji Hayata | Ichiko Tamayuki |
| 2000: Five-year-old season | |||||||||
| February 20 | February Stakes | G1 | Dirt 1600m | Tokyo | 15th | 4 | 1:37.5 | Hideji Hayata | Wing Arrow |
| March 22 | Frontier Sprint Cup | Jpn3 | Dirt 1200m | Ohi | 1st | 9 | 1:12.4 | Hideji Hayata | (Dear Victory) |
| April 13 | Mile Grand Prix | Jpn1 | Dirt 1600m | Ohi | 5th | 11 | 1:41.2 | Hideji Hayata | Intelli Power |
| June 22 | Teio Sho | Jpn1 | Dirt 2000m | Ohi | 15th | 6 | 2:10.5 | Hideji Hayata | Fast Friend |
| September 27 | Tokyo Cup | Jpn2 | Dirt 1200m | Ohi | 8th | 10 | 1:12.5 | Hideji Hayata | Berami Road |
| October 31 | Grand Champion 2000 | Jpn1 | Dirt 2000m | Ohi | 2nd | 10 | 2:06.2 | Hideji Hayata | Makiba Sniper |
| November 25 | Japan Cup Dirt | G1 | Dirt 2100m | Tokyo | 15th | 3 | 2:13.9 | Hideji Hayata | Wing Arrow |
| December 30 | Katsushima Open | OP | Dirt 1600m | Ohi | 1st | 14 | 1:40.0 | Hideji Hayata | (Zenno Motore) |
| 2001: Six-year-old season | |||||||||
| January 17 | Tokyo City Cup | Jpn3 | Dirt 1400m | Ohi | 5th | 12 | 1:25.5 | Hideji Hayata | Surprise Power |
| February 12 | Saga Kinen | Jpn3 | Dirt 2000m | Saga | 11th | 8 | 2:13.7 | Hideji Hayata | Mitsuaki Silence |
Pedigree
[edit source]| Sire Shanghai (USA) 1989 |
Procida (USA) 1981 |
Mr. Prospector | Raise a Native |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gold Digger | |||
| With Distinction | Distinctive | ||
| Carrie's Rough | |||
| Korveya (USA) 1982 |
Riverman | Never Bend | |
| River Lady | |||
| Konafa | Damascus | ||
| Royal Statute | |||
| Dam Milano Collection (JPN) 1991 |
Rivlia (USA) 1982 |
Riverman | Never Bend |
| River Lady | |||
| Dahlia | Vaguely Noble | ||
| Charming Alibi | |||
| Fudo Gold (JPN) 1979 |
Mojabe | Swaps | |
| Somebody Who | |||
| Countess Dress Up | Dress Up | ||
| Countess Lautrec |
Orion the Thanks was inbred 3 × 3 to Riverman, and 5 × 4 × 4 to Never Bend. He was also inbred 5 × 5 to Khaled, a St James's Palace Stakes winner, through Swaps and Dress up on his Dam's side. This information is available on netkeiba and JBIS.[16][17]
Notes
[edit source]- ↑ Prior to Japan switching to the international age system for racehorses in 2001, they used an old age notation called "kazoedoshi", where all horses were considered to be one year old at birth.
- ↑ Classified as a local G2 in Hokkaido racing
References
[edit source]- 1 2 "Orion the Thanks(JPN) | JBIS-Search". www.jbis.jp. Archived from the original on 2024-12-17. Retrieved 2026-08-04.
- ↑ "NARグランプリ｜もっと！地方競馬｜地方競馬情報サイト". www.keiba.go.jp. Retrieved 2026-08-04.
- ↑ "当日払戻金｜地方競馬情報サイト". www.keiba.go.jp. Retrieved 2026-08-04.
- 1 2 3 "時代を先駆けた韋駄天オリオンザサンクス ～ジャパンダートダービー～ | 名馬ストーリー | データ&コラム". 東京シティ競馬 : TOKYO CITY KEIBA (in Japanese). Retrieved 2026-08-04.
- ↑ "レース成績表". www.keiba.go.jp. Retrieved 2026-08-04.
- ↑ "競馬データベース | 競走馬・騎手など情報満載". netkeiba (in Japanese). Retrieved 2026-08-04.
- ↑ "羽田盃 レース結果 | 1999年4月13日 大井9R". netkeiba (in Japanese). Retrieved 2026-08-04.
- ↑ "東京王冠賞1999". ahonoora.com. Retrieved 2026-08-04.
- ↑ "競馬データベース | 競走馬・騎手など情報満載". netkeiba (in Japanese). Retrieved 2026-08-04.
- ↑ "オリオンザサンクス | 馬・牧場・施設検索 | 競走馬のふるさと案内所". uma-furusato.com. Retrieved 2026-08-04.
- ↑ "競馬データベース | 競走馬・騎手など情報満載". netkeiba (in Japanese). Retrieved 2026-08-04.
- ↑ "10R フロンティアスプリント盃｜2000年3月22日(水) 21回 大井 4日｜JBISサーチ（JBIS-Search）". www.jbis.or.jp. Retrieved 2026-08-04.
- ↑ "競馬データベース | 競走馬・騎手など情報満載". netkeiba (in Japanese). Retrieved 2026-08-04.
- ↑ "オリオンザサンクスがサポートホースに！～荒木牧場功労馬サポーターズ～｜認定NPO法人引退馬協会". rha.or.jp (in Japanese). 2018-07-24. Retrieved 2026-08-04.
- ↑ "Race Records | Orion the Thanks(JPN) | JBIS-Search". www.jbis.jp. Archived from the original on 2025-07-15. Retrieved 2026-08-04.
- ↑ "Orion the Thanks Pedigree | Horse Profile". netkeiba. Retrieved 2026-08-04.
- ↑ "Five-generation Pedigree Table | Pedigree | Orion the Thanks(JPN) | JBIS-Search". www.jbis.jp. Retrieved 2026-08-04.