Eishin Flash

Eishin Flash (Japanese: エイシンフラッシュ, foaled March 27, 2007) is a retired Japanese thoroughbred racehorse.^[1]

His major wins include the 2010 Tōkyō Yūshun, the 2012 Autumn Tenno Sho, the 2010 Keisei Hai and the 2013 Mainichi Okan.

Racing career

2009: Two-year old season

Eishin Flash debuted at a debut race for 2 year olds over 1800 meters (turf) on July 12 at Hanshin, finishing in 6th place with Yuichi Fukunaga in the saddle. Two months later, the horse had his first win at another maiden race held at Kyoto, this time with Hiroyuki Uchida as his jockey. Fukunaga once again became the horse's jockey later at the Hagi Stakes but finished 3rd. Later on, with Uchida back as jockey, Eishin Flash won the Erika Sho, leading to Uchida becoming the main jockey.^[5]

2010: Three-year old season

At the Keisei Hai, because Uchida was injured in another race, Norihiro Yokoyama briefly took over the role of jockey. Eishin Flash was nonetheless the most favored to win owing to the Erika Sho victory, and subsequently won the race, making it his first graded race victory. Later, the horse was scheduled to run the Wakaba Stakes but was forced to skip the race as the horse contracted pneumonia.^[6] The horse was then sent to the Satsuki Shō, where he was the 11th most favored to win but managed to finish 3rd, securing priority entry to the Japanese Derby.

At the 77th Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) the horse was the 7th most favored to win. The horse ran in the middle of the pack, which covered the first 1000 meters at a slow pace of 1:01.6 and the first mile 1:41.6. As the pack entered the final stretch, the horse took the lead, running the last three furlongs at a record breaking 32.7 seconds, and held on to the lead across the finish line even as Rose Kingdom closed in. This marked the first Tokyo Yushun victory for both Uchida, trainer Hideaki Fujiwara, and owner Toyomitsu Hirai. == Later on in Autumn, the horse was entered in to the Kobe Shimbun Hai with the Kikka Sho in mind. However, the horse was beaten by the winner, Rose Kingdom, by a neck. The horse was still scheduled to run, but a few days before the race, the vet that checked the horse noticed symptoms of muscle pain and the plans to enter the horse in the race were scrapped at the last minute.^[7] Later on, the horse was sent to run in the Japan Cup and Arima Kinen but finished unplaced in both races.^[5]

2011: Four-year old season

Eishin Flash started the 2011 season with the Osaka Hai, but finished third behind Hiruno d'Amour. Later on, the horse ran the Spring Tenno Sho, but finished 2nd to Hiruno d'Amour again. Later at Takarazuka Kinen, Katsumi Ando took over the role of jockey following another accident that left Uchida injured. At Takarazuka, the horse finished third behind Earnestly.^[5]

In Autumn, the horse was entered in to the Autumn Tenno Sho, with Christophe Lemaire as jockey, where he finished 6th. The horse was unplaced in Japan Cup, and at Arima Kinen the horse finished 2nd behind Orfevre.^[5]

2012: Five-year old season

Eishin Flash was one of three Japanese horses that was entered in to that year's Dubai World Cup, together with Transcend and Smart Falcon, where he finished 6th, which was the best of those three. After returning to Japan, he was entered in to the Takarazuka Kinen with Uchida returning as jockey, but finished 6th, with the 5th place horse beating him by 5 lengths. After a summer break, the horse started off unplaced in the Mainichi Okan, but at the Autumn Tenno Sho, which became the first Tenno Sho in 7 years to be attended by Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko, the horse won his first race in 13 starts, and his second Grade I race since the Japanese Derby. Following the race, Eishin Flash's jockey, Mirco Demuro, dismounted from the horse, removed his helmet, and knelt in front of the Emperor and Empress.^[8]

On the horse's final race of the season, the Arima Kinen, Demuro was diagnosed with ureteral stones and Kousei Miura took over the role of jockey on the day of the race.^[9] At the race, the horse briefly took over the lead briefly but was quickly overtaken by Gold Ship and ultimately finished fourth.^[5]

2013: Six-year old season

As Toyomitsu Hirai died on the March 2, ownership of the horse was transferred to Katsuhiko, his second born son. As for the horse himself, the horse started the season with the Osaka Hai on March 31, but finished 3rd behind Orfevre. After this, the horse was sent to Hong Kong to race the Queen Elizabeth II Cup with Mirco Demuro, where he finished 3rd behind Military Attack, who finished a length and three-quarters in front of him. After a five and a half months long break, he was entered in to the Mainichi Okan and won. He was then entered to the Tenno Sho (Autumn) to win the race once again, but finished third. He later finished 10th in the Japan Cup. He was planned to run in the Arima Kinen as his final race, but his gait showed signs of problems, and as a result the horse was scratched. In spite of this, a retirement ceremony was still held at Nakayama Racecourse on December 23.^[10][11]

Stud career

Following his retirement, he stood stud at Shadai Stallion Station,^[11] before being transferred to Lex Stud in late 2018^[12] where he stayed until his retirement from stud duties in late 2025. Since then, Eishin Flash is pensioned at the Yogibo Versailles Resort Farm in Hidaka, Hokkaido.^[13]

In May 10, 2026, Eishin Flash was brought to Tokyo Racecourse to be shown at the Rose Garden located inside the race track for a day, as well as a brief reunion with Yuichi Fukunaga; who was present that day as the trainer of Diamond Knot, who was slated to run the NHK Mile Cup that same day.^[14][15]

Notable progeny

c = colt, f = filly, g = gelding
Bold: Grade 1 races

Racing form

Legend:

In popular culture

An anthropomorphized version of Eishin Flash appears in the Umamusume: Pretty Derby franchise, voiced by Ayami Fujino.^[19] She is depicted as a polite and meticulous international student from Germany, a reference to the real horse's German pedigree via his dam Moonlady. Eishin Flash's racing record is also reflected in the character's career mode, as well as mechanics such as her pre-race bowing gesture being a nod to Demuro's kneel at the 2012 Autumn Tenno Sho.^[20]

References

1. ^ "Eishin Flash(JPN)". JBIS-Search. Retrieved 2024-04-08.
2. ^ "2012 ドバイ・ワールドカップ・デイ施行競走 登録要綱（簡易版）". Retrieved 2024-04-08.
3. ^ "第146回 天皇賞（秋）" (in Japanese). www.jra.go.jp. Retrieved 2024-04-08.
4. ^ "2013 オーデマ・ピゲ・クイーン・エリザベスII世カップ（G1）及びチャンピオンズマイル（G1）の要綱". Retrieved 2024-04-08.
5. ^ "Eishin Flash Race Record and Form | Horse Profile". netkeiba. Retrieved 2024-04-14.
6. ^ "エイシンフラッシュが回避／若葉S" (in Japanese). 競馬ラボ. Retrieved 2024-04-08.
7. ^ "【競馬】菊花賞 エイシンフラッシュ、筋肉痛で出走取りやめ" (in Japanese). MSN Sankei News. 2010-10-21. Archived from the original on 2010-10-27. Retrieved 2024-04-08.
8. ^ "【ウマ娘史実発掘隊】エイシンフラッシュの「決めポーズ」ルール的にはアウトだった！" (in Japanese). 東スポ競馬. 2021-10-28. Retrieved 2024-04-14.
9. ^ "★★デムーロ騎手、病気のため騎手変更（中山）★★～エイシンフラッシュは三浦皇成" (in Japanese). ラジオNIKKEI. 2012-12-23. Retrieved 2025-09-21.
10. ^ "エイシンフラッシュ号の有馬記念（GI）出走取りやめについて". Japan Racing Association. 2013-12-19. Archived from the original on 2013-12-19. Retrieved 2024-04-08.
11. ^ "エイシンフラッシュ号の引退式について【１２月２３日（祝・月）】" (in Japanese). Japan Racing Association. 2013-12-20. Archived from the original on 2013-12-20. Retrieved 2024-04-08.
12. ^ "エイシンフラッシュがレックススタッドに移動" (in Japanese). uma-furusato.com. 2018-12-18. Retrieved 2024-04-08.
13. ^ "在籍馬紹介" (in Japanese). Yogiboヴェルサイユリゾートファーム. Retrieved 2026-01-28.
14. ^ "エイシンフラッシュが東京競馬場でファンと再会！ 初回のお披露目から1000人超が駆けつける" (in Japanese). サンスポZBAT!. 2026-05-10. Retrieved 2026-05-11.
15. ^ "福永祐一調教師が東京競馬場に来場したエイシンフラッシュと再会！「元気そうでよかった」" (in Japanese). サンスポZBAT!. 2026-05-10. Retrieved 2026-05-11.
16. ^ "T O Socrates(JPN)". JBIS-Search. Retrieved 2024-04-08.
17. ^ "Vela Azul(JPN)". JBIS-Search. Retrieved 2024-04-08.
18. ^ "Onyankopon(JPN)". JBIS-Search. Retrieved 2024-04-08.
19. ^ "エイシンフラッシュ｜ウマ娘 プリティーダービー 公式ポータルサイト｜Cygames" (in Japanese). ウマ娘 プリティーダービー 公式ポータルサイト. Retrieved 2025-12-01.
20. ^ Yajō, Garçon (August 20, 2021). "【ウマ娘】エイシンフラッシュはなぜ几帳面で礼儀正しいのか？ 史実エピソードや勝負服、ファル子のマネージャー的存在の理由などゲームの元ネタを紹介" (in Japanese). Famitsu. Retrieved April 20, 2026.