Legendary Japanese racemare Vodka succumbs to laminitis at 15

Vodka, a three-time champion in her native Japan, has died after vets were unable to save her after she developed laminitis.

The daughter of Tanino Gimlet, who was 15, was at stud in Newmarket.

Trained by Katsuhiko Sumii for owner Yuzo Tanimizu, Vodka earned the first of her seven Grade 1 victories at two when she landed the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies.

In the following year she became only the third filly in history to win the Japanese Derby.

At four she added the Yasuda Kinen and Tenno Sho (Autumn) to her resume, and ran third in the Japan Cup, and at five she regained her Yasuda Kinen crown and went two places better in the Japan Cup, while also proving her prowess over shorter trips by taking the Grade 1 Victoria Mile by seven lengths.

Vodka was retired in 2010 with a record of ten wins from 26 starts and prize-money of 1.3 billion yen, and sent to Europe for her breeding career, with her progeny being sent to Japan to race.

Her first three matings were with Sea The Stars, with the 2012 tryst resulting in multiple winner Tanino Urban Sea.

Tanino Frankel, the mare's 2015 colt foal by Frankel, is also a multiple winner and has achieved Grade 3 placings.

Tanino Mission, a three-year-old Invincible Spirit filly out of Vodka, won in Japan last year.

The mare, who was inducted into the Japan Racing Association Hall of Fame in 2011, leaves a two-year-old Frankel colt who was unsold at 285,000gns at last year's Tattersalls December Yearling Sale and a filly foal by the same sire born in January.

Tanimizu said: “It's sad to lose Vodka but I'm grateful for all the great memories she gave me. She won seven Grade 1 races that I remember fondly, particularly the successes in the Derby and the Tenno Sho (Autumn) when the result was a photo finish and not announced for 13 minutes.

“Vodka had a lot of fans and we receive a lot of letters for her. When I think of her, it warms my heart.”

Vodka was bred by Country Bokujo out of the winning Rousillon mare Tanino Sister, a relation to Sister Tosho, the Japanese champion three-year-old filly of 1991.