was a Japanese racehorse and breeding stallion trained by Katsuhiko Sumii. Pop Rock is best known for having placed second in the 2006 Melbourne Cup, ridden by Damien Oliver. By the time the race was run, Pop Rock had effectively become joint favourite. It was Oliver's 17th time racing in the Melbourne Cup.
On his next start, he managed to get the closest to Deep Impact (who won the Japanese Triple Crown in 2005 and the Japan Cup in 2006) in the 2006 Group 1 Arima Kinen and was beaten to second by Admire Moon in the 2007 Japan Cup.
In 2010 Pop Rock was sold to new owners and was trained in Ireland by Takashi Kodama. He won on his European debut at Galway Racecourse in July 2010. His final race was the Irish St. Leger but he trailed the field and was then retired to stud.
Racing career Early careers (2003–2005) Pop Rock made his debut on the 2000 metres races at Hanshin Racecourse, where he won the race by half a length over Tamamo Yamato. Then he was winless for the next six races where his best finishes was third place in four races. He managed to score his second win at the Kakitsubata Sho in 2004, winning over Silk Trigger by a neck after surging from the back at the third corner. Then his winless streak continues with three times finishing in third place. His best result in the graded race so far is only in eighth place at the St. Lite Kinen.
Popping on form, Australian journey and back to back Meguro Kinen title (2006–2007) In 2006, Pop Rock won his first race after three third-place finish streak in a 2200 metres races at the Hanshin Racecourse. He stayed on the front pack mostly at the top four position before bursting to the front on fourth corner to win the race by five lengths over Sakura Kingdom. From this race, he continued to win two races after which were Shirasagi Tokubetsu and Shirakawa Tokubetsu before running in the Meguro Kinen, his first G2 races since that St. Lite Kinen in 2004. In this race with a heavy track, he was tracking mostly in the middle of the pack before accelerating at the end and win the race against the 2nd favourite, Eye Popper by a neck. This great form encouraged an excursion journey for the horse in Australia. His first race there was the Caulfield Cup. In this race, he started slowly and roamed in the middle field but failed to gain any improvement throughout the races. He finished in seventh-place in the end, one and a quarter length behind the winner, Tawqeet. The next venture would be the Melbourne Cup. He was the first favourite of the race at 5/1 odds alongside Tawqeet. When the race began, Pop Rock positioned himself in 12th before surging up to ninth position when approaching the straight. Then, he accelerated towards the outside of track and had a final duel for last 100 yards with fellow compatriot, Delta Blues. He finished second at the line just by a shoulder against Delta Blues. This was a one-two finishes from Japanese horse and the third time that the race was won by a foreign horse. After the race, he would returned to Japan and participated in the Arima Kinen. For this race, Pop Rock was not favoured as much by the voters as he only managed to accumulate 13,380 votes, enough for the 20th-place in the standings. Despite that, he ran a great race under Olivier Peslier and finished in second place, three lengths behind Deep Impact.
Pop Rock started his 2007 season by racing in the Kyoto Kinen 17 February. On this day, Pop Rock tried to chase Admire Moon as he made he final spurt right after the fourth corner but failed. Pop Rock ended up finishing in second place by a neck. This is his third straight second place finish in three races. The owner sent him on another expedition which would be in United Arab Emirates this time around. He would ran in the Dubai Sheema Classic next. This time, he was never in contention from the start as he settled on the rear pack and failed to challenge for the lead. He ended up in sixth-place, three and a quarter length behind the winner, Vengeance of Rain. He returned back to Japan and ran in the race he won the previous year which was the Meguro Kinen. This time ridden by Yutaka Take, Pop Rock made a breakaway from the inside track at the final straight and held off Coconut Punch at the line to win by a neck. He joined the Takarazuka Kinen next when he became the tenth most voted horse at 28,866 votes from the public. He ended up in third place behind the winner Admire Moon and Meisho Samson. For the autumn campaign, there were plans by the trainer, Sumii to sent both him and Delta Blues back for a second going in the Melbourne Cup. This plan was scrapped as the equine influenza was hitting both horses during their resting time. He returned on the Kyoto Daishoten where he lost the duel against Inti Raimi at the final homestretch and finished in second place by a neck. Next, he started at the Tenno Sho (Autumn). He finished fourth for this race. Peslier who returned on his saddle explained that he tried to maneuver Pop Rock into a good position but a barge of horses came from the outside prevented it. Pop Rock tried to extend more than he could but the distance just not enough. For the next race in the Japan Cup, the competition would be at its peak. From the final stretch, Pop Rock, Meisho Samson, Admire Moon and Vodka rallied for the win with Vodka fading out before the line and the other three hit the line in three-way photo finish. Pop Rock ended up in second place again behind Admire Moon by a head. He finished the season with a run at the Arima Kinen for the second successive year. In this year with full of upset finishes without top-3 favourite on the podium, Pop Rock who was the 2nd favourite finished fifth, five lengths behind the winner Matsurida Gogh.
Final podium, decline in form, moving to Ireland and retirement (2008–2010) Instead of going on another Dubai trip, Pop Rock started the season at the Hanshin Daishoten in March. For this race, Pop Rock tracked mostly on the front group but failed to rally for the lead and finished in third place, two and half lengths behind Admire Jupiter and a neck behind second place, Eye Popper. This race turned out to be his final good performance in Japan as he missed the podium for his next eight start from 2008 until 2010. He was sent out to Takashi Kodama stable in Ireland as a move to revive his career again in which his JRA registration would be terminated. He did well under Fran Berry when he won his debut Guinness Races at the Galway Racecourse by two and half lengths over Caesar's Song. Then, he ran in the Irish St. Leger next. This race was disastrous for Pop Rock as Berry slowed him down on the final straight due to discomfort for the horse as he finished last in the race, 49 lengths behind the winner. The post race examination found that Pop Rock developed superficial digital flexor tendonitis in his right foreleg, and it was decided that he would retire from racing and going to stud.
Racing form Pop Rock would win eight races and hit the podium 13 times (with three second places finish in G1 races) out of 40 starts. This data is available based on JBIS, netkeiba, racingpost and Horse Racing Ireland. DateRacecourseRaceGradeDistance(Condition)EntryHNOdds (Favored)FinishTimeMarginsJockeyWinner (Runner-up)2003 – two-year-old seasonSep 14Hanshin2yo Newcomer2,000 m (Firm)923.7 (2)1st2:04.7–0.1Katsumi Ando(Tamamo Yamato)Nov 29KyotoKyoto Nisai StakesOP2,000 m (Heavy)8311.6 (5)4th2:07.40.6Richard HughesMystic AgeDec 20ChukyoChukyo Nisai StakesOP1,700 m (Sloppy)1514.7 (3)3rd1:46.90.3Richard HughesBlack Condor2004 – three-year-old seasonJan 24KyotoWakagoma StakesOP2,000 m (Firm)1099.9 (3)3rd2:03.10.6Yasunari IwataBlack TideMar 13HanshinYukiyanagi ShoALW (1W)2,200 m (Firm)1313.2 (2)6th2:15.10.3Yasunari IwataStratagemApr 4Hanshin3yo Allowance1W2,500 m (Good)1185.0 (3)3rd2:38.20.3Katsumi AndoCosmo StageApr 24KyotoMoonee Valley Racing Club ShoALW (1W)2,400 m (Firm)1092.1 (1)3rd2:28.30.3Katsumi AndoChikiri SansanMay 29ChukyoKakitsubata ShoALW (1W)2,500 m (Firm)1193.4 (2)1st2:34.50.0Katsumi Ando(Silk Trigger)Aug 21SapporoShikotsuko TokubetsuALW (2W)2,600 m (Soft)11810.4 (6)6th2:46.61.0Masayoshi EbinaMeisho KachidokiSep 19NakayamaSt. Lite Kinen22,200 m (Firm)15737.2 (7)8th2:11.21.1Hirofumi ShiiCosmo BulkOct 9KyotoNarutaki TokubetsuALW (2W)2,400 m (Good)969.9 (5)9th2:32.15.1Koshiro TakeT M Generous2005 – four-year-old seasonSep 25Hanshin3yo+ Allowance1W2,500 m (Firm)1348.8 (5)3rd2:35.10.6Hirofumi ShiiMayano LibertyOct 16Kyoto3yo+ Allowance1W2,400 m (Firm)1573.1 (1)3rd2:27.40.2Norihiro YokoyamaBayreuth2006 – five-year-old seasonJan 21Kokura4yo+ Allowance1W2,400 m (Fast)15103.9 (2)3rd2:38.41.0Marco MonterisoFumino Blue SkyApr 9Hanshin4yo+ Allowance1W2,200 m (Firm)16126.0 (3)1st2:15.4–0.8Hirofumi Shii(Sakura Kingdom)Apr 16HanshinShirasagi TokubetsuALW (2W)2,500 m (Good)12112.4 (1)1st2:35.9–0.2Yuga Kawada(Machikaneumajirusi)May 13KyotoShirakawa TokubetsuALW (2W)2,400 m (Heavy)1212.4 (1)1st2:30.5–1.0Yasunari Iwata(Battle Brave)May 28TokyoMeguro Kinen22,500 m (Good)1776.7 (3)1st2:33.10.0Yuga Kawada(Eye Popper)Oct 21CaulfieldCaulfield Cup12,400 m (Good)181112/1 (5)7th2:28.00.3Damien OliverTawqeetNov 7FlemingtonMelbourne Cup13,200 m (Good)24125/1 (1)2nd3:21.50.0Damien OliverDelta BluesDec 24NakayamaArima Kinen12,500 m (Firm)14131.1 (6)2nd2:32.40.5Olivier PeslierDeep Impact2007 – six-year-old seasonFeb 17KyotoKyoto Kinen22,200 m (Good)1432.2 (1)2nd2:17.20.0Olivier PeslierAdmire MoonMar 31Nad Al ShebaDubai Sheema Classic12,400 m (Good)14109/2 (2)6th2:31.60.6Olivier PeslierVengeance of RainMay 27TokyoMeguro Kinen22,500 m (Firm)1822.9 (1)1st2:31.40.0Yutaka Take(Coconut Punch)Jun 24HanshinTakarazuka Kinen12,200 m (Good)1856.9 (4)3rd2:12.80.4Yutaka TakeAdmire MoonOct 7KyotoKyoto Daishoten22,400 m (Firm)1032.1 (1)2nd2:24.80.0Hirofumi ShiiInti RaimiOct 28TokyoTenno Sho (Autumn)12,000 m (Good)16156.1 (4)4th1:59.00.6Olivier PeslierMeisho SamsonNov 25TokyoJapan Cup12,400 m (Firm)18210.5 (4)2nd2:24.70.0Olivier PeslierAdmire MoonDec 23NakayamaArima Kinen12,500 m (Good)1565.0 (2)5th2:34.50.9Olivier PeslierMatsurida Gogh2008 – seven-year-old seasonMar 28HanshinHanshin Daishoten23,000 m (Firm)1331.9 (1)3rd3:09.20.5Yutaka TakeAdmire JupiterMay 4KyotoTenno Sho (Spring)13,200 m (Firm)14108.4 (4)12th3:17.42.3Hiroyuki UchidaAdmire JupiterOct 12KyotoKyoto Daishoten22,400 m (Firm)1017.3 (3)7th2:27.20.3Hiroyuki UchidaToho AlanNov 2TokyoTenno Sho (Autumn)12,000 m (Firm)1784.1 (9)14th1:58.31.1Hiroyuki UchidaVodka2009 – eight-year-old seasonMay 3KyotoTenno Sho (Spring)13,200 m (Firm)18789.4 (16)8th3:15.20.8Yuga KawadaMeiner KitzMay 31TokyoMeguro Kinen22,500 m (Heavy)18819.1 (6)11th2:42.03.0Yuga KawadaMiyabi RanveliDec 5NakayamaStayers Stakes23,600 m (Good)16614.2 (6)14th3:52.71.4Mirco DemuroForgettable2010 – nine-year-old seasonJan 5KyotoManyo StakesOP3,000 m (Firm)13517.5 (7)5th3:07.40.6Yasunari IwataTokai TrickFeb 14TokyoDiamond Stakes33,400 m (Firm)151251.4 (9)11th3:33.61.0Katsuharu TanakaForgettableJul 30GalwayGuinness Race14 f (Firm)11129/2 (5)1st3:10.20.5Fran Berry(Caesar's Song)Sep 11CurraghIrish St. Leger114 f (Firm)829/11 (4)8th3:20.19.8Fran BerrySans Frontieres Legend:
Stud record and death When he retired, he became a stud at Napajedla stud in the Czech Republic. His two most noteworthy progenies were Kalypso of Gracie, a 2014 Slovak two-year-old colt champion and Golden Devil, who finished third in the Czech St. Leger. He continued to be a stud until he died on 26 June 2025 at age 24.
Pedigree
References