The Japanese horse of the year is set to meet World Champion Sea The Stars. Superstar Japanese mare Vodka arrived at the Aga Khan’s Gilltown Stud in Ireland on Monday after travelling from Dubaï. In a match made in heaven, the six year mare that lifted all before her in her native Japan, is due to be covered by Sea The Stars that swept the board last season in Europe.

During a career spanning five seasons, Vodka accumulated ten successes of which seven came at the highest level. The daughter of Tanino Gimlet was precocious enough to win the Gr 1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies at two and she quickly demonstrated her extraordinary talent at three when becoming the first filly since 1943 to beat the colts in the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby). Vodka went on to win two editions of the international Gr 1 Yasuda Kinen, as well as the Gr 1 Victoria Mile and the important Gr 1 Tenno Sho over ten furlongs, however her greatest moment of glory came when taking the Gr 1 Japan Cup last November. Under the ride of Christophe Lemaire, she held on for victory in this prestigious mile and a half contest in which she had already finished third and fourth in previous years. She was subsequently awarded with a second JRA horse of the year title. Vodka retired before a planned attempt at the Dubai World Cup after finishing eighth in the Gr 2 Al Maktoum Challenge at Meydan on 4th March. With earnings of over 1.3 billion yen (€10.5m), she is the richest female racehorse in history.

Vodka adds her name to other exceptional racemares such as Arc heroine Zarkava, Lush Lashes, Finsceal Beo, Speciosa and Alpine Rose on the books of Sea The Stars. His list also features elite producers such as the dams of Zarkava, Azamour, Darjina and Classic hope Behkabad.

Blue-blooded Sea The Stars is a son of Cape Cross and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Urban Sea. He is the half-brother to champion racehorse and top class sire Galileo as well as Gr 1 winners Black Sam Bellamy and My Typhoon; Oaks third and Irish Oaks runner-up Melikah; Oaks second All Too Beautiful and Gr 3 winner Urban Ocean. Sea The Stars even managed to outshine this illustrious family during the 2009 racing season in which he remained unbeaten in six Group 1 outings including the 2000 Guineas, Derby, Irish Champion Stakes and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

Updated on 15/03/2010.