Maurice to Stud at Shadai Stallion Station
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Photo: Hong Kong Jockey Club
Maurice winning the Dec. 11 Longines Hong Kong Cup (G1)
The anticipated retirement of multiple Japanese champion Maurice came this week with an announcement that the son of Screen Hero will stand at Shadai Stallion Station.
Racing Post reported Jan. 4 the six-time grade 1 winner will enter stud for a fee of ¥4 million (US$34,000).
Maurice ended his sterling racing career on the highest of notes, capturing the Dec. 11 Longines Hong Kong Cup (G1) in dramatic fashion over 2015 Cup winner A Shin Hikari. The victory gave Maurice his seventh graded stakes win in 18 starts and raised his total earnings to US$9,315,273.
Kieckhefer: Maurice Rolls to Victory in Hong Kong Cup
The bay horse was bred in Japan by Togawa Bokujo and is the first stakes winner out of Mejiro Frances, a daughter of multiple group 1 winner Carnegie.
Maurice was sold as a 2-year-old for ¥10.5 million ($120,500) at the 2013 Hokkaido Training Sale to Katsumi Yoshida's Northern Farm. He broke his maiden at first asking and was a stakes winner by his third race. After an uneventful sophomore season, Maurice hit his stride at 4 when he was undefeated is six starts and won four graded stakes, three of them grade 1. He was named Japan's 2015 Horse of the Year, champion sprinter, and champion miler. In 2016 he won three grade 1 stakes, was second in a grade 1 and grade 2 stakes, and earned more than $5 million.