2021 Japanese Horse of the Year Efforia (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}–Katie's Heart {Jpn}, by Heart's Cry {Jpn}) has been retired from racing and will take up stallion duty at Shadai Stallion Station, owner U Carrot Farm announced on their website. The 5-year-old was pulled up in Sunday's G2 Kyoto Kinen with atrial fibrillation, and, although a Monday morning electrocardiogram showed no abnormalities, the decision was made to retire the 2021 Japanese Champion 3-Year-Old Colt.
Bred by Northern Farm, the colt won his two juvenile starts for trainer Yuichi Shikato in 2020, and then strode to victories in the G3 Tokinorminoru Kinen, and the G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) in succession at three. Second by only a nose to subsequent globetrotter Shahryar (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby), the bay was back on top in the G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn) and sealed his dual championship honours with a 3/4-length victory in the G1 Arima Kinen that December.
Winless in three starts as a 4-year-old last year, Efforia made his 5-year-old bow in the G2 Kyoto Kinen on Sunday and retires with a record of 11-6-1-0 and $6,884,415 in earnings.
Out of the three-time winner Katie's Heart, Efforia is a half-brother to two winners, while his dual French listed-winning second dam Katie's First (Kris {GB}) is a half-sister to three-time Japanese champion Hishi Amazon (Theatrical {Ire}) and three other stakes winners. My Katies (Jpn) (Sunday Silence), a half-sister to Katie's Heart, foaled fellow Japanese Horse of the Year and sire Admire Moon (Jpn) (End Sweep).
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