Zenno Rob Roy named Japanese Horse of the Year

ZENNO ROB ROY (Sunday Silence), who ended his year with a string of three

straight prestigious victories, was named the Japan Racing Association's (JRA)

Horse of the Year and champion older horse for 2004. The five-year-old began his

streak with a win in the Tenno Sho (Jpn-G1) in October and added the Japan Cup

(Jpn-G1) in November before a record-setting victory in the December 26 Arima

Kinen (Jpn-G1).

Japanese Derby (Jpn-G1) winner KING KAMEHAMEHA (Kingmambo) was named champion

three-year-old colt. The bay colt, also winner of the NHK Mile Cup (Jpn-G1), was

recently syndicated for a Japanese-record ¥2.1

billion ($19 million). Japanese One Thousand Guineas (Jpn-G1) winner DANCE IN

THE MOOD (Jpn) (Sunday Silence), who traveled to the United States for a

second-place finish in the American Invitational Oaks (G1) at Hollywood Park,

was named champion three-year-old filly.

MEINER RECOLTE (Chief Bearhart) secured the juvenile championship with his

victory in the Asahi Hai Futurity (Jpn-G1), while SHONAN PEINTRE (Sunday

Silence) was honored as the champion juvenile filly. ADMIRE GROOVE (Sunday

Silence), repeat winner of the Queen Elizabeth II Commemorative Cup (Jpn-G1) in

November, secured the title of top older mare.

Top dirt horse and sprinter were familiar names as ADMIRE DON (Timber

Country) and DURANDAL (Sunday Silence) repeated in their respective categories

for a second straight year. DELTA BLUES (Jpn) (Dance in the Dark) earned

homebred honors off a win in the Japanese St. Leger (Jpn-G1) and a third in the

Japan Cup (Jpn-G1).

Yutaka Take was Japan's top jockey by races won, money earned and winning

average, while Kazuo Fujisawa swept all three categories in the trainer's race.

Yusuke Fujioka was the top apprentice jockey.