Skip to content
LEGENDSOF JAPANESE RACING
JAEN
The 140th Tenno Sho (Autumn)

REAL RACING ARCHIVE(documented racing history)

LEGEND · 2000s

Vodka

ウオッカ

2004–2019THOROUGHBRED

In 2007 she became the first filly in 64 years to win the Japanese Derby — one of seven Grade 1 wins.

The 140th Tenno Sho (Autumn), Tokyo Racecourse, 1 November 2009 — Photo: Goki / CC BY-SA 3.0

02

Horse profile

Fields that could not be verified are omitted.
Sex
Filly / Mare
Coat
Bay
Foaled
4 Apr 2004
Died
1 Apr 2019
Sire
Tanino Gimlet
Dam
Tanino Sister
Damsire
Rousillon
Breeder
Country Bokujo
Owner
Yuzo Tanimizu
Trainer
Katsuhiko Sumii
Career
26 starts, 10 wins — 22 starts and 10 wins in Japan; four starts in Dubai

03

Career overview

26
Starts
10
Wins
7
G1 wins
18
Top-three finishes

Racing career 2006–2010

04

Major victories

Grades as printed for each year’s running.

  1. 01 · 03 Dec 2006

    Hanshin Juvenile Fillies

    阪神JF

    GI · Hanshin · Turf 1600m · Hirofumi Shii · 1:33.1

  2. 02 · 27 May 2007

    Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby)

    東京優駿

    JpnI · Tokyo · Turf 2400m · Hirofumi Shii · 2:24.5

  3. 03 · 08 Jun 2008

    Yasuda Kinen

    安田記念

    GI · Tokyo · Turf 1600m · Yasunari Iwata · 1:32.7

  4. 04 · 02 Nov 2008

    Tenno Sho (Autumn)

    天皇賞（秋）

    GI · Tokyo · Turf 2000m · Yutaka Take · 1:57.2

  5. 05 · 17 May 2009

    Victoria Mile

    ヴィクトリアM

    GI · Tokyo · Turf 1600m · Yutaka Take · 1:32.4

  6. 06 · 07 Jun 2009

    Yasuda Kinen

    安田記念

    GI · Tokyo · Turf 1600m · Yutaka Take · 1:33.5

  7. 07 · 29 Nov 2009

    Japan Cup

    ジャパンC

    GI · Tokyo · Turf 2400m · Christophe Lemaire · 2:22.4

FILM

On film

Films published by the JRA official YouTube channel, shown through YouTube’s embedded player.
Vodka at the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies presentation
Vodka — Hanshin Juvenile Fillies presentation, 3 December 2006Photo: TRJN · CC BY-SA 4.0

06

The story

Her win in the 2007 Tokyo Yushun made her only the third filly ever to win the Derby, and the first in 64 years.

She became the first horse to win every Grade 1 for older horses run on Tokyo’s turf course, was Horse of the Year in 2008 and 2009, and entered the Hall of Fame in 2011.

07

Career timeline

Race records are taken from the “Racing record” tables of each horse’s Japanese Wikipedia article (which cite netkeiba.com and JBIS-Search) and cross-checked against the career start count. Grades are shown as printed for that year’s running — current grades are never applied retroactively. “R” marks a record time at the time.

2006

  1. 29 OctNewcomer raceKyoto · Turf 1600m · Katsuya Samejima1st1:35.0
  2. 12 NovKogiku ShoKyoto · Turf 1800m · Hirofumi Shii2nd1:49.5
  3. 03 DecHanshin Juvenile FilliesGIHanshin · Turf 1600m · Hirofumi Shii1st1:33.1 R

2007

  1. 03 FebElfin StakesOPKyoto · Turf 1600m · Hirofumi Shii1st1:33.7
  2. 03 MarTulip ShoJpnIIIHanshin · Turf 1600m · Hirofumi Shii1st1:33.7
  3. 08 AprOka ShoJpnIHanshin · Turf 1600m · Hirofumi Shii2nd1:33.9
  4. 27 MayTokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby)JpnITokyo · Turf 2400m · Hirofumi Shii1st2:24.5
  5. 24 JunTakarazuka KinenGIHanshin · Turf 2200m · Hirofumi Shii8th2:14.0
  6. 14 OctShuka ShoJpnIKyoto · Turf 2000m · Hirofumi Shii3rd1:59.3
  7. 11 NovQueen Elizabeth II CupGIKyoto · Turf 2200m · Scratched
  8. 25 NovJapan CupGITokyo · Turf 2400m · Hirofumi Shii4th2:24.9
  9. 23 DecArima KinenGINakayama · Turf 2500m · Hirofumi Shii11th2:35.7

2008

  1. 23 FebKyoto KinenGIIKyoto · Turf 2200m · Hirofumi Shii6th2:13.9
  2. 29 MarDubai Duty FreeG1Nad Al Sheba · Turf 1777m · Yutaka Take4th
  3. 18 MayVictoria MileJpnITokyo · Turf 1600m · Yutaka Take2nd1:33.8
  4. 08 JunYasuda KinenGITokyo · Turf 1600m · Yasunari Iwata1st1:32.7
  5. 12 OctMainichi OkanGIITokyo · Turf 1800m · Yutaka Take2nd1:44.6
  6. 02 NovTenno Sho (Autumn)GITokyo · Turf 2000m · Yutaka Take1st1:57.2 R
  7. 30 NovJapan CupGITokyo · Turf 2400m · Yasunari Iwata3rd2:25.7

2009

  1. 05 MarJebel HattaG2Nad Al Sheba · Turf 1777m · Yutaka Take5th1:49.1
  2. 28 MarDubai Duty FreeG1Nad Al Sheba · Turf 1777m · Yutaka Take7th
  3. 17 MayVictoria MileGITokyo · Turf 1600m · Yutaka Take1st1:32.4
  4. 07 JunYasuda KinenGITokyo · Turf 1600m · Yutaka Take1st1:33.5
  5. 11 OctMainichi OkanGIITokyo · Turf 1800m · Yutaka Take2nd1:45.5
  6. 01 NovTenno Sho (Autumn)GITokyo · Turf 2000m · Yutaka Take3rd1:57.5
  7. 29 NovJapan CupGITokyo · Turf 2400m · Christophe Lemaire1st2:22.4

2010

  1. 04 MarAl Maktoum Challenge Round 3G2Meydan · · Christophe Lemaire8th

08

Pedigree

Source: the pedigree table in Japanese Wikipedia, which cites JBIS-Search.

Horse

Parents

Grandparents

Great-grandparents

Tanino Gimletタニノギムレット1999
Tanino Sisterタニノシスター1993
Brian's Timeブライアンズタイム1985
タニノクリスタル1988
Rousillonルション1981
エナジートウショウ1987
Roberto
Kelley's Day
Crystal Palace
Tanino Sea-Bird
Riverman
Belle Dorine
トウショウボーイ
コーニストウショウ

Sire lineDam lineIn this archive (linked)Family フロリースカツプ(GB)

09 — MAJOR RACES

Great races contested

10 — JOCKEYS

Riders

  • Hirofumi Shii11 rides · 4 wins · G1 2
  • Yutaka Take10 rides · 3 wins · G1 3
  • Yasunari Iwata2 rides · 1 wins · G1 1
  • Christophe Lemaire2 rides · 1 wins · G1 1
  • Katsuya Samejima1 rides · 1 wins

11 — RIVALS

Grade 1 opponents

  • Daiwa ScarletGreat rival
  • アドマイヤムーンTakarazuka Kinen 2007 · Japan Cup 2007
  • アストンマーチャンHanshin Juvenile Fillies 2006
  • アサクサキングスTokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) 2007
  • マツリダゴッホArima Kinen 2007
  • エイジアンウインズVictoria Mile 2008
  • アルマダYasuda Kinen 2008

Recorded as the winner (in defeat) or runner-up (in victory). Names as recorded in Japanese.

12

Gallery

13

Legacy

  1. 2008, 2009Japanese Horse of the Year
  2. 2011JRA Hall of Fame

14 — CULTURAL CROSS REFERENCE

From racing history
to popular culture

Where the record meets the culture it inspired.

  1. REAL RACING ARCHIVE(documented racing history)

    Vodka

    ウオッカ

    2004–2019 · 7 G1 wins

    A real racehorse. The records, pedigree and honours on this page are documented facts with sources.

  2. FICTION / POP CULTURE REFERENCE(a reference to a work of fiction)

    UMA MUSUME: PRETTY DERBY — A GAME

    ウオッカ

    The game “Umamusume: Pretty Derby” features a character who bears the name of this racehorse. The character is fictional; details of the game’s story are not part of the horse’s documented history.

    Official character list ↗

This site is not affiliated with the game’s rights holders. Character artwork is not shown because permission has not been confirmed. Sources: Wikipedia / Cygames

SOURCES & REFERENCES

Sources & References

Race records are taken from the “Racing record” tables of each horse’s Japanese Wikipedia article (which cite netkeiba.com and JBIS-Search) and cross-checked against the career start count. Grades are shown as printed for that year’s running — current grades are never applied retroactively.

  1. 01
    ウオッカ (競走馬) — Wikipedia（日本語版）

    Wikipedia · Reference · Accessed 2026-09-26

  2. 02
    Vodka (horse) — Wikipedia (English)

    Wikipedia · Reference · Accessed 2026-09-26

  3. 03
    ウオッカ｜JBISサーチ

    公益社団法人 日本軽種馬協会（JBIS-Search） · Racing record · Accessed 2026-09-26

  4. 04
    ウオッカ：名馬の殿堂（顕彰馬）｜JRA

    日本中央競馬会（JRA） · Official · Accessed 2026-09-26

  5. 05
    ウマ娘 プリティーダービーの登場キャラクター — Wikipedia（日本語版, revision 111119000）

    Wikipedia · Reference · Accessed 2026-09-26

  6. 06
    CHARACTER｜ウマ娘 プリティーダービー 公式ポータルサイト

    Cygames · Official · Accessed 2026-09-26

IMAGE CREDITS

Image credits

Each photograph was checked on its individual Wikimedia Commons file page for author and licence.