Mejiro l’Amone

Mejiro l’Amone: Japan’s First Fillies’ Triple Crown Champion

Foaled 1983 (f). Sire: Mogami — Dam: Mejiro Hiryu. Breeder/Owner: Mejiro Farm.

Introduction

Among the many champions in Japanese horse racing, few have reached the summit of the Fillies’ Triple Crown. In 1986, Mejiro l’Amone became the very first filly to accomplish this feat, captivating fans with speed, stamina, and an unyielding will to win. This article traces her rise—from a jaw-dropping debut to a history-making autumn—and reflects on the legacy that followed.

Note on age terms: Race names in this article use their historical titles as they were at the time (for example, “4-Year-Old Fillies’ Tokubetsu”), even though today such races would be categorized for 3-year-olds. This may cause slight discrepancies between the horse’s age (given in modern terms) and the race title (recorded in its original form).

Pedigree and Background

Bloodline

Mejiro l’Amone was foaled in 1983 at Mejiro Farm. Her sire, Mogami, was French-bred and modest on the track (3 wins in 20 starts) but influential at stud in Japan. Mogami’s progeny were famed for stamina and power—sometimes at the expense of instant acceleration—and often displayed fiery temperaments. Her dam, Mejiro Hiryu, was a six-time winner and a sister to Mejiro Eagle, sire of dual Grand Prix winner Mejiro Palmer. The pedigree was steeped in the Mejiro line.

Name

Her name, l’Amone, comes from a peak in the Alps. Earlier sources sometimes rendered it “Ramone,” but the correct form is l’Amone.

Early Career (1985)

A Dazzling Debut

On October 13, 1985 at Tokyo Racecourse, Mejiro l’Amone debuted in a 1,400-meter dirt maiden. Heavily favored, she flew to the lead and never looked back. Each stride widened the gap until she was alone in the lane; she stopped the clock 3.1 seconds clear—nearly 20 lengths—a demolition that announced a star.

First Setbacks and Recovery

Next time out in the Keisei Hai 3-Year-Old Stakes (GII) she finished fourth, not beaten far. She rebounded decisively in the Kankiku Sho (Allowance) at Nakayama, then returned two weeks later to capture the TV Tokyo Hai 3-Year-Old Fillies’ Stakes (GIII) with a strong stretch surge. With three wins from four starts, she was crowned Champion Two-Year-Old Filly of 1985.

Classic Campaign (1986)

Queen Cup – A Rare Defeat

Her 3-year-old debut in the Queen Cup (GIII) at Tokyo brought an uncharacteristic fourth after she became keyed up before the start. Despite the blip, she remained the leading Classic hope.

Trial Success: Hochi Hai 4-Year-Old Fillies’ Tokubetsu (West)

On March 16 at Hanshin, she contested the Hochi Hai 4-Year-Old Fillies’ Tokubetsu (West) (GII). Racing from mid-pack, she was briefly trapped behind a fading rival, then burst through late to snatch victory on the line—a gritty, noise-rising finish that reminded everyone of her class.

Oka Sho — First Jewel

The Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas, GI) on April 6, 1986 at Hanshin crowned her spring. The 1.6 favorite settled kindly, crept closer around the final turn, then took command at the head of the stretch. For a heartbeat the pack loomed; then her stride lengthened and the crowd’s roar swelled as she drove clear, winning by 1 ¾ lengths. It was Mejiro Farm’s first Classic triumph.

Oaks Trial and The Oaks — Second Jewel

The Tokyo-based 4-Year-Old Fillies’ Tokubetsu (East) (GII) served as her Oaks trial. Facing the talented Dinah Actress, l’Amone’s determination told in the last 200 meters as she edged past to win.

In the Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks, GI) on May 18, she stumbled at the break, regrouped, and reached the straight in fifth. Then came the move—smooth, ruthless, irresistible. She swept past the leaders and opened daylight to win by 2 ½ lengths. Two jewels secured; dominance unquestioned.

Autumn Glory

Rose Stakes — The Tune-Up

After a summer freshening, she returned in the Rose Stakes (GII) at Kyoto on October 12. Not at absolute peak, she nevertheless out-fought Pot Tesco Lady by a neck.

Queen Elizabeth Cup — The Historic Triple Crown

On November 2, 1986, she contested the Queen Elizabeth Cup (GI) at Kyoto. The weight of history hung in the air—no filly had ever achieved the Fillies’ Triple Crown. Sent off the overwhelming 1.3 favorite, she tracked the pace in fourth. With 800 meters remaining, her jockey urged her forward and she seized the lead entering the straight. Though her stride shortened near the finish, she held on bravely. She crossed the line first, making history as Japan’s first Fillies’ Triple Crown winner.

Moreover, she had won six consecutive graded races, from the Hochi Hai trial to the Queen Elizabeth Cup—a record at the time.

Final Race and Retirement

Her final challenge came in the Arima Kinen (GI) on December 21. Backed as the second favorite behind Miho Shinzan, she was well-positioned early but faded in the stretch, finishing ninth. It was her only poor performance, but it marked the end of her racing career.

She retired as the Best Three-Year-Old Filly of 1986, though the coveted Horse of the Year title went to Derby winner Dinah Gulliver.

Legacy as a Broodmare

Great hopes surrounded her broodmare career, yet her direct offspring did not succeed at the highest level. However, her legacy endured through later generations:

• Field Rouge — Winner of the 2008 Kawasaki Kinen, her great-grandson.
• Glory Vase — Dual winner of the Hong Kong Vase (2019, 2021), also her great-grandson.

Thus, even though her own foals did not shine, her bloodline produced champions who excelled on the international stage.

Watch the Race Documentary

Conclusion

Mejiro l’Amone’s story is one of brilliance, courage, and history-making triumphs. From her overwhelming debut to her crowning moment in the Queen Elizabeth Cup, she etched her name into the annals of Japanese racing as the nation’s first Fillies’ Triple Crown winner. Though her broodmare record fell short of expectations, her bloodline’s continued presence in champions like Glory Vase ensures her legacy endures. She remains a shining symbol of Japanese racing in the 1980s—a filly who turned dreams into history.

Fine Motion

Fine Motion: The Irish Filly Who Ruled Japan’s Turf

In the annals of Japanese racing, few mares combined international pedigree, startling acceleration, and sheer charisma like Fine Motion. Born in Ireland and crowned in Japan, she swept through the 2002 season undefeated among her peers before facing the sport’s sternest tests. This article traces her rise, the drama of her Grade 1 triumphs, and the poignant coda to her career.

At a Glance

• Foaled: 1999, Baron's Town Stud (Ireland)
• Sire: Danehill
• Dam: Cocotte (dam of global G1 winner Pilsudski)
• Trainer in Japan: Yuji Itou
• Record: 15 starts, 8 wins (including 2 G1)
• G1 Titles: Shuka Sho (2002), Queen Elizabeth Cup (2002)

Origins and Pedigree

International Bloodlines

Fine Motion was born into excellence. By Danehill—one of the most influential sires of the modern era—and out of Cocotte, she was a half-sister to Pilsudski, the globe-trotting champion who captured six Group/Grade 1 races, including the Japan Cup. From the outset, her breeding promised both class and versatility.

Yuji Itou’s Eye for Talent

Renowned trainer Yuji Itou, known for stars such as Winning Ticket and Air Groove, frequently scouted in Ireland. On an April 1999 visit to Baron's Town Stud, he noted the foal who would become Fine Motion. Valued at over 100 million yen for her pedigree, she was recommended for purchase with long-term broodmare prospects very much in mind. Fate, however, had its own plans.

Early Training and Debut (2001)

In pre-stable preparation, Fine Motion showed uncommon balance and stamina—handling repeated climbs on a demanding 700-meter uphill course where most horses tire after a single run. Veteran jockey Yukio Okabe, famed for Symboli Rudolf, reportedly remarked, “I feel sorry for the horse that has to face her.”

She debuted in December 2001 over 2000 meters on turf, controlling the tempo from the outset and quickening through the final 600 meters faster than any rival. A French classic campaign (1,000 Guineas/Oaks) was briefly considered, but connections chose patience, believing her best was still ahead.

The Unbeaten Rise (2002)

Stepping Through the Ranks

Returning in August 2002, she rattled off two effortless wins at 2000 m and 2600 m, cruising home by five lengths without the whip.

Rose Stakes (Trial)

On September 15, Fine Motion entered the Rose Stakes as an overwhelming favorite against elite fillies, including Oka Sho heroine Arrow Carry. Sitting well within herself, she lengthened smoothly to win by three lengths—an exhibition of ability rather than an all-out effort.

Shuka Sho (G1) — A Command Performance

The Shuka Sho crowned her autumn. Sent off at staggering odds of 1.1, Fine Motion glided into position on the Kyoto backstretch, traveled silk-smooth around the final bend, and, when asked, produced a crisp, devastating turn of foot. The packed stands swelled into a roar as she drew clear; her jockey eased her down late, yet she still won by 3½ lengths. The clock stopped at 1:58.1, equaling the race record—authority made visible.

Queen Elizabeth Cup (G1) — Beating the Best of All Ages

Next came the Queen Elizabeth Cup, a clash of three generations of Oaks winners and the autumn’s definitive test for mares. Fine Motion settled with poise, shadowing the leaders through an honest tempo. Approaching the home turn she shifted out, gathered, and launched—her stride lengthening, her head low and fluent. She swept to the front inside the final 200 meters and surged away, the gap widening with each bound. It was decisive, dominant—proof that her Shuka Sho was no illusion. At six-for-six, she stood unchallenged as the queen of her crop.

First Defeat and Year-End Honors (2002)

In the year-end Arima Kinen, Fine Motion was strongly supported despite facing older male stars. Keen to go early, she over-raced, was taken on mid-race by Tap Dance City, and lost rhythm—fading to fifth. Even so, her season’s body of work earned her the title of Best Three-Year-Old Filly of 2002.

Ups and Downs (2003)

• Queen Stakes: Game second—honest and close.
• Mainichi Okan: Below form in seventh.
• Mile Championship: Produced a bold late run but was outkicked by the scintillating finisher Durandal, finishing a valiant second.
• Hanshin Himba Stakes: Returned to the winner’s circle—her first victory in nearly a year.

Final Season and Farewell (2004)

The following year proved uneven. She ran off her game in the Yasuda Kinen (13th), but summer brought a revival of form: a gritty second in the Hakodate Kinen, followed by a composed, confidence-restoring win in the Sapporo Kinen. Back in the autumn Mile Championship, she failed to land a blow and finished ninth. That race closed the curtain on a career that still gleamed with two top-level crowns.

After the Track

Imported with high hopes as a broodmare, Fine Motion was sadly infertile and never conceived. Retired from breeding, she now lives a quiet life—her reputation carried not by foals, but by the memory of her own brilliance.

Legacy

Fine Motion’s legacy rests on a dazzling truth: at her peak, she was untouchable. The Shuka Sho and Queen Elizabeth Cup were not merely wins; they were performances that stirred grandstands and seared themselves into the collective memory of racing fans. Though she proved more vulnerable when facing males, her undefeated three-year-old campaign remains one of the most exhilarating streaks in Japanese racing history.

Fine Motion may not have fulfilled every expectation as a broodmare, but her brilliance on the track ensured her place among the unforgettable heroines of Japanese racing.

Conclusion

Fine Motion’s story is one of brilliance and bittersweet turns. Imported from Ireland with high expectations as both a racer and broodmare, she dazzled on the track with an undefeated three-year-old campaign capped by emphatic victories in the Shuka Sho and Queen Elizabeth Cup. Her dominance over her peers was unquestionable, and her elegance left a lasting impression on fans.

Though she struggled against the fastest male rivals and later proved unable to fulfill her broodmare role, Fine Motion remains an unforgettable heroine of Japanese racing. Her career illustrates both the triumphs and uncertainties of the Thoroughbred world—how a single season of perfection can etch a horse’s name forever into history.

Fine Motion may not have passed on her legacy through foals, but her brilliance on the track continues to inspire admiration. She will always be remembered as the Irish filly who conquered Japan’s turf.