Admire Groove (Japanese: アドマイヤグルーヴ, Hepburn: Adomaiya Gurūvu; April 30, 2000 – October 15, 2012) was a Japanese Thoroughbred racehorse, broodmare and the winner of the 2003 and 2004 Queen Elizabeth II Cup.

Background Admire Groove was foaled out of Air Groove, who was the 1997 Japanese Horse of the Year and won the Yushun Himba and Tenno Sho (Autumn) in her career. Air Groove's dam, Dyna Carle also won the Yushun Himba back in 1983, making Admire Groove the third generation horse in line that managed to win Grade 1 races. Her half-brothers through the dam were Rulership (2012 Queen Elizabeth II Cup) and Forgettable (2009 Stayers Stakes). She was sired by the thirteen times leading sire in Japan and 1989 American double crown (Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes) winner, Sunday Silence.

She was being auctioned at the 2000 summer select sales for foals at hip number 33. The bid for her started at the 70,000,000 ¥ mark. In the end, she was sold for 241,500,000 ¥ to Riichi Kondo, which at that time was the highest price ever paid at the select sales and also the highest price ever for a filly. Her name was chosen from fan votes in which the name Admire Groove won by landslide with 215 suggestions from the community.

The name itself was a combination of a Kondo's preferred crown name for his stable (Admire) and also her mother's name (Groove).

Racing career

Admire Groove won her very first race, on November 10, 2002, at Kyoto. She also won her next two races at Hashin Racecourse, which included a win at the Wakaba Stakes.

Admire Groove's first major win was at the Grade-2 Rose Stakes on September 21, 2003. She came close to capturing the October Shūka Sho just weeks later, but finished second behind the second favourite, Still in Love who sealed the triple tiara at the very same race. She then picked up her first Grade-1 victory, by winning the 2003 Queen Elizabeth II Cup when she sneaked out with a nose margin over Still in Love.

Admire Groove picked up another win, at the 2004 Mermaid Stakes, on July 11, 2004. In the second half of the year, she competed in the Tenno Sho (Autumn) where she finished in third place, behind Zenno Rob Roy and Dance in the Mood. Then, she returned to the Queen Elizabeth II Cup in 2004, where she successfully defended her title.

Admire Groove tried to repeat the feat again at the 2005 Queen Elizabeth II Cup, but finished in 3rd place. On December 18, 2005, she grabbed her final win in her last race by winning the 2005 Hanshin Himba Stakes. A retirement ceremony soon followed.

Racing form Admire Groove won eight races and placed in another four out of 21 starts. This data is available based on JBIS and netkeiba. DateRacecourseRaceGradeDistance(Condition)EntryHNOdds (Favored)FinishTimeMarginsJockeyWinner (Runner-up)2002 – two-year-old seasonNov 10Kyoto2yo Newcomer1,800 m (Firm)14131.2 (1)1st1:51.8–0.2Yutaka Take(Eishin Iidesan)Dec 7HanshinErica ShoALW (1W)2,000 m (Firm)721.1 (1)1st2:03.0–0.2Yutaka Take(T M Gulch O)2003 – three-year-old seasonMar 22HanshinWakaba StakesOP2,000 m (Firm)1091.7 (1)1st2:03.10.0Yutaka Take(Big Kong)Apr 13HanshinOka Sho11,600 m (Firm)17143.5 (1)3rd1:34.20.3Yutaka TakeStill in LoveMay 25TokyoYushun Himba12,400 m (Firm)1721.7 (1)7th2:28.20.7Yutaka TakeStill in LoveSep 21HanshinRose Stakes22,000 m (Firm)1213.0 (2)1st2:01.5–0.2Yutaka Take(Yamakatsu Lily)Oct 19KyotoShuka Sho12,000 m (Firm)18102.5 (1)2nd1:59.20.1Yutaka TakeStill in LoveNov 16KyotoQEII Cup12,200 m (Firm)1573.6 (2)1st2:11.80.0Yutaka Take(Still in Love)2004 – four-year-old seasonApr 4HanshinSankei Osaka Hai22,000 m (Good)1186.4 (3)7th2:00.10.5Yutaka TakeNeo UniverseMay 24ChukyoKinko Sho22,000 m (Firm)1246.1 (4)5th1:58.10.6Yutaka TakeTap Dance CityJul 11HanshinMermaid Stakes32,000 m (Firm)1091.5 (1)1st2:00.0–0.5Yutaka Take(Cheers Message)Oct 10KyotoKyoto Daishoten22,400 m (Firm)1095.1 (2)4th2:25.90.7Yutaka TakeNarita CenturyOct 31TokyoTenno Sho (Autumn)12,000 m (Good)17817.0 (9)3rd1:59.30.4Yutaka TakeZenno Rob RoyNov 14KyotoQEII Cup12,200 m (Firm)18123.3 (2)1st2:13.6–0.1Yutaka Take(Osumi Haruka)2005 – five-year-old seasonApr 3HanshinSankei Osaka Hai22,000 m (Firm)933.9 (2)4th1:59.40.4Yutaka TakeSunrise PegasusMay 1KyotoTenno Sho (Spring)13,200 m (Firm)18310.8 (6)11th3:17.71.2Yutaka TakeSuzuka MamboMay 28ChukyoKinko Sho22,000 m (Firm)1015.2 (3)4th1:59.50.6Yutaka TakeTap Dance CityJun 26HanshinTakarazuka Kinen12,200 m (Firm)151231.2 (8)8th2:12.71.2Yutaka TakeSweep ToshoOct 30TokyoTenno Sho (Autumn)12,000 m (Firm)181796.0 (17)17th2:01.11.0Hiroyuki UemuraHeavenly RomanceNov 13KyotoQEII Cup12,200 m (Firm)18311.1 (4)3rd2:13.00.5Hiroyuki UemuraSweep ToshoDec 18HanshinHanshin Himba Stakes21,600 m (Firm)1154.5 (2)1st1:34.5–0.1Yutaka Take(Meine Samantha) Legend:

Breeding career Admire Groove's descendants include:

c = colt, f = filly

Foaled Name Sex Major Wins 2007 Admire Temba f Moiwayama Tokubetsu 2008 Admire Sceptre f Hakushu Stakes, Applause Sho, Tokachidake Tokubetsu, Sapporo Sponichi Sho 2012 Duramente c Satsuki Shō, Tōkyō Yūshun, Nakayama Kinen

Death On October 16, 2012, the JRA announced that Admire Groove had suddenly died the day prior at the Northern Farm, where she was a broodmare. It was only two days after her daughter Admire Sceptre won the Hakushu Stakes.

In popular culture An anthropomorphized version of Admire Groove appears in Umamusume: Pretty Derby, voiced by Hina Suzuki.

Pedigree

References