was a Japanese Thoroughbred racehorse and a broodmare. Her major wins include the Rose Stakes and Shuka Sho, both in 2005. Her name comes from the crown name Air, and Messiah, which means saviour in English.
Racing career She raced only once in 2004, winning her debut race. The next year, she placed second in Shiraume Sho and won the Elfin Stakes. Then, she went onto the Fillies' Revue, a major trial race for the Oka Sho, over 1400 metres at Hanshin on 19 February. She battled mostly with the eventual winner, Rhein Kraft and finished in third, a neck behind her. She also lost to Rhein Kraft in the Oka Sho, where she ineffectively tried to run on the outside track, but failed to catch up and ended up in fourth place. The next month in the Yushun Himba, she ran closely to the lead, but lost to Cesario by a neck. In the autumn campaign, she opened this section with a comfortable win in the Rose Stakes over Rhein Kraft when she overtook her just before the finish line. She repeated this feat again in the Shuka Sho wherein she chased the middle of the pack throughout the race, then took the lead early in the straight and won by a neck ahead of Rhein Kraft. She finished her season with a fifth-place finish in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup, ended the winning streak of Yutaka Take in this competition.
The next season, she started her year early in the Nakayama Kinen. Balance of Game ran out early in that race and won it by five lengths over Daiwa Major, whilst Air Messiah herself ended up in third place, one and three quarters length behind him. She had another battle with Rhein Kraft in the Hanshin Himba Stakes in which she lost by a neck to the line. In the inaugurated race of Victoria Mile, she ran mostly at the back and chased at the end of the race but just a bit short of Dance in The Mood and finished second, one and a quarter length behind. Air Messiah suffered an ingrown nail injury after the race, sidelining for the rest of the year. Her condition never improved, and she had to be retired on 28 February 2007.
Racing form Air Messiah won four races and placed in another six out of 12 starts. All the data available is based on JBIS and Netkeiba. DateTrackRaceGradeDistance(Condition)EntryHNOdds(Favored)FinishTimeMarginsJockeyWinner(Runner-up)2004 – two-year-old seasonNov 16Kyoto2yo Newcomer1,600 m (Firm)1551.4 (1)1st1:38.0–0.2Yutaka Take(Bubble Fantasy)2005 – three-year-old seasonJan 15KyotoShiraume ShoALW (1W)1,600 m (Firm)1394.5 (2)2nd1:36.80.3Yutaka TakeDia de la NoviaFeb 5KyotoElfin StakesOP1,600 m (Firm)1264.9 (2)1st1:36.00.0Yutaka Take(Judeite)Mar 13HanshinFillies' Revue21,400 m (Firm)15105.3 (3)3rd1:21.30.1Yutaka TakeRhein KraftApr 10HanshinOka Sho11,600 m (Firm)18156.5 (3)4th1:33.90.4Yutaka TakeRhein KraftMay 22TokyoYushun Himba12,400 m (Firm)1858.6 (2)2nd2:28.80.0Yutaka TakeCesarioSep 18HanshinRose Stakes22,000 m (Firm)1592.4 (2)1st2:00.1–0.1Yutaka Take(Rhein Kraft)Oct 16KyotoShuka Sho12,000 m (Firm)18102.5 (2)1st1:59.20.0Yutaka Take(Rhein Kraft)Nov 13HanshinQueen Elizabeth II Cup12,200 m (Firm)18112.5 (1)5th2:13.20.7Yutaka TakeSweep Tosho2006 – four-year-old seasonFeb 26NakayamaNakayama Kinen21,800 m (Soft)12128.2 (4)3rd1:50.01.1Yutaka TakeBalance of GameApr 8HanshinHanshin Himba Stakes21,400 m (Firm)12123.3 (2)2nd1:21.70.5Yutaka TakeRhein KraftMay 14TokyoVictoria Mile11,600 m (Good)18185.4 (3)2nd1:34.20.2Yutaka TakeDance in the Mood Legend:
Broodmare career and death She entered broodmare duty in Shadai Farm in 2007 and foaled her first progeny in 2008 which was Air One Piece. Her fourth progeny, had a good career when he won three graded stakes race (Kyoto Kimpai, Fuji Stakes and Daily Hai Nisai Stakes) whilst her final foal, was the winner of the Challenge Cup. She died in an accident whilst grazing around on 12 September 2014.
Pedigree
Air Messiah was an inbred by 4 x 5 to Almahmoud (Natalma's dam) and by 5 x 4 to Lady Angela (Nearctic's dam) Air Messiah's dam, Air Deja Vu, is the half sister of Air Shakur
In popular culture An anthropomorphized version of Air Messiah appears as a character in the media franchise Umamusume: Pretty Derby.
References