Takamatsunomiya Kinen Winner, Short-Distance Champion Mad Cool, Retires to Stud

It has been announced that Mad Cool, the short-distance champion known as the winner of the Takamatsunomiya Kinen, will retire from racing and begin his new career as a breeding stallion at Yushun Stallion Station in Hokkaido. This news spread rapidly, primarily on the social media platform 'X' (formerly Twitter), drawing a wide range of reactions from numerous horse racing fans.

While many fans expressed regret over his retirement with comments like 'Mad Cool, seriously...? 😢' and 'It's sad to see him go...', there was also a flood of grateful messages for his magnificent victory in last year's Takamatsunomiya Kinen, such as 'Glad he could win a G1!' and 'The Takamatsunomiya Kinen was truly moving! Thank you.' Some posts also hinted at an injury-related retirement, leading to wishes for Mad Cool's recovery, like 'First, heal your injury, take care' and 'Hope you get well soon.'

Fans are also expressing great anticipation for his new role as a breeding stallion. Numerous comments like 'Carry on his bloodline,' 'Looking forward to good offspring,' and 'Propagate his valuable bloodline widely' were seen. As a precious entity inheriting the blood of his sire, Dark Angel, there were also specific breeding expectations, such as 'I'd like to see him bred with King Kamehameha-line mares' and 'European speed bloodline x Sunday Silence mare line.' His offspring are eagerly awaited to bring a new speed bloodline to the Japanese sprint racing scene.

Furthermore, Mad Cool's unique facial expressions were also beloved by fans. Comments like 'I really loved his humorous and charming face' and 'Why are all the photos of you like this, Mad Cool-kun? Is that okay?' show that his endearing side is well-remembered by many. Mad Cool, who greatly enlivened the short-distance racing world, is now ending his active racing career and will take on the significant role of producing future star horses. Carrying the gratitude and expectations of many fans, he embarks on his second life as a horse.

The context

Takamatsunomiya Kinen: One of Japan's most prestigious Group 1 (G1) sprint races, run over 1,200 meters at Chukyo Racecourse. Winning this race solidifies a horse's status as a top sprinter.

Group 1 (G1): The highest level of thoroughbred horse racing, signifying elite competition.

Yushun Stallion Station: A prominent stallion station located in Hokkaido, Japan, a major hub for horse breeding in the country. Many successful racehorses retire here to begin their careers as sires.

Dark Angel: A highly successful European stallion known for siring fast sprinters. His progeny are sought after globally for their speed and precocity.

King Kamehameha (キンカメ系): A hugely influential Japanese stallion who produced numerous G1 winners across various distances. His bloodline (King Kamehameha-line mares) is highly valued in Japanese breeding for its versatility and success.

Sunday Silence (サンデー牝系): Arguably the most dominant and influential stallion in modern Japanese racing history. His daughters (Sunday Silence mare line) are considered extremely valuable broodmares, often bred with stallions from different bloodlines to create successful outcrosses and hybrid vigor.