Admire Mars filly wins G1 Shuka Sho

Admire Mars filly Embroidery is now a double Group 1 winner after winning Sunday’s ~A$2 million Kyoto Shuka Sho 2000m G1, the final leg of the Japanese Fillies Triple Crown. 

She won the first leg, the 1600-metre Hanshin Oka Sho G1 (Japanese 1000 Guineas) in April, but was unplaced in the Tokyo Yushun Himba G1 (Japanese Oaks) a month later. However, the 1st-3rd leg double is rarely achieved: Embroidery is one of only 4 fillies to do it and the first since 2007. 

Winning jockey Christophe Lemaire said, “I had every faith in the filly that she would deliver today since the Oaks didn’t suit her distance-wise. She was calm and relaxed in the first half of the race and while the pace slowed down in the backstretch, we were able to advance to a better position. It took a while for her engine to get started, but she showed an incredible turn of foot in the last 200 metres.” 

Embroidery has now won 5 of her eight starts, also including the Tokyo Daily Hai Queen Cup G3, for prizemoney of more than A$3.4 million. 

Bred by Northern Farm, Embroidery races in the famous Silk Racing colours of champions Equinox & Almond Eye. She is the second foal of Listed winner Rottenmeier (by French Deputy’s successful sire son Kurofune), a grand-daughter of the wonderful broodmare Biwi Heidi, whose six stakes-winning progeny included Horse of the Year Buena Vista and Champion 2YO Filly Joie de Vivre. 

This family traces to the great German mare Schwarzgold, whose 28 Group 1-winning descendants also include Slip Anchor (Epsom Derby), Sagace (Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe), Steinlen (Breeders’ Cup Mile), Stacelita (Prix de Diane), Soul Stirring (Yushun Himba) and Snitzel’s son Summer Passage (Diamond S.).

Admire Mars is currently 9th on Japan’s 3YO Sires’ Premiership, with 27 winners from 57 runners, headed by Embroidery, Listed winner Namura Clara and Group 2-placed Theresa. 

Admire Mars shuttled from Shadai Stallion Station to Arrowfield for four seasons, 2021-2024, siring a likely total of around 250 foals. His first 13 runners in Australia include $600,000 earner Planet Red (from a mare by Exceed and Excel’s son Helmet), the fast-finishing runner-up to Autumn Boy in the Caulfield Guineas G1 on 11 October, and 3rd in the Guineas Prelude G3 for Mick Price & Michael Kent Jr. 

Admire Mars’ 2025 fee at Shadai Stallion Station in Japan was ¥5 million (~A$50,000) after he recorded three multiple JRA 2YO winners in 2024. They included Embroidery, who made a big impression on debut, setting a 2YO course record time of 1:45.5 for 1800 metres on turf at Niigata.

Admire Mars’ third-crop Australian yearlings will be offered for sale in 2026, among them two fillies and a colt in Arrowfield’s Magic Millions draft.