Mejiro Ramonu

Mejiro Ramonu was one of the defining Japanese fillies of the 1980s, a dark bay mare foaled on 9 April 1983. Bred and owned by Mejiro Stud and trained at Miho by Shinji Okuhira, she came from a notable Mejiro family: she was by Mogami out of Mejiro Hiryu, a daughter of Never Beat. Her background was strong enough on paper, and it proved even stronger on the track, where she became the standout filly of her generation.

Her racing career was brief but brilliant. From 12 starts she won 9 races, earning more than ¥300 million, and built her reputation around the classic middle distances. In 1986 she captured the Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) over 2400 meters at Tokyo, winning as the favorite under Hideki Kawachi. Later that same year she added the Queen Elizabeth II Cup, again over 2400 meters and again as the public choice, confirming her class against top fillies and mares.

Those victories formed part of a much larger achievement: Mejiro Ramonu became the first filly to complete Japan’s Triple Tiara in 1986. That made her a historic horse, not simply a classic winner but a trailblazer whose name remained attached to one of the sport’s most important milestones for fillies. Her exploits also brought major recognition, including championship honors for her age group and later induction into the Japan Racing Association Hall of Fame.

She closed out her three-year-old season by taking on open company in the Arima Kinen, where she started as the second favorite but finished ninth over 2500 meters at Nakayama. Even so, that appearance helped underline how highly she was regarded at the end of her racing days: she was not just dominating her own division, but being asked to meet the very best. She retired with a compact record that carried an impact far beyond its size.

At stud, Mejiro Ramonu produced 12 foals whose JRA runners combined for 13 wins, though none matched her own championship level or became a JRA Group or G1 winner. Her family remained significant through the Mejiro line, and her siblings included Mejiro Ardan. Mejiro Ramonu died on 22 September 2005, but her place in Japanese racing history was already secure as the first Triple Tiara heroine and one of the emblematic mares of her era.

Sources

• netkeiba: Mejiro Ramonu | Horse Profile, Pedigree, Form, Race Record
• Wikipedia: Mejiro Ramonu
• JBIS Horse Information