Today I would like to share the story of a horse with a cute name, high potential, but an extremely tragic ending. Her name was Egao o Misete (エガオヲミセテ), which literally means “let me see your smile.” She was also called “Nico-chan,” a nickname her fans and those close to her gave her, taken from a Japanese word for “smiling happily.”

There is an original Umamusume design based on her, created by 无央ナオ. It’s really cute, so I highly recommend checking it out.

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Gift

Egao o Misete was born on May 27, 1995, which was pretty late compared to most racehorses. Her mother was Curly Angel, whose mom Dyna Carle won the Japanese Oaks in 1983, and gave birth to Air Groove (エアグルーヴ) in 1993; and her father was the famous Sunday Silence. Altogether, she had a very strong bloodline.

She was bought by Yuuichi Odagiri (小田切 有一), who was famous for giving his horses unique names, and she was later named "Egao o Misete". Fun fact: she was one of the first racehorses ever to have the Japanese character “ヲ” in her name.

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Then, she was trained by Hidetaka Otonashi (音無 秀孝) and debuted in a 1400m turf race at Kyoto on November 2, 1997. Though she was the most favorited horse thanks to her excellent bloodline, she ended up a disappointing 15th. But she soon cheer herself up and ran in first in her next race under the same conditions.

Next, she ran seventh in the Wasurenagusa Sho, before finally securing another win in the Sweetpea Stakes, which gave her a priority entry to the G1 Japanese Oaks. By then, many people realized that she was not just as a horse with a interesting name, but as a serious contender whose talent demanded respect.

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Before the race, Egao o Misete wasn’t in her best shape: she had a small injury during training, which gave her less time to adjust her condition and caused her to gain too much weight, and came in overweight. On top of that, the 2400m turf at Tokyo and the super-slow race pace didn’t suit her, leaving her to finish only 15th. The race was won by Erimo Excel (エリモエクセル), who had also taken the Wasurenagusa Sho. It was the first Japanese Oaks victory for her trainer, owner, jockey, and breeding farm.

And then, she decided to take on the challenge of the G3 Mermaid Stakes on the 2000m turf at Hanshin. All her rivals were mares, but each was at least a year older than her. Even so, she broke out from the pack at the last moment and finished third. This race helped more people see her potential.

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After four months, she returned for the final leg of the Triple Tiara: the G1 Shuka Sho. Before the race, she was only the 11th favorite. Air Deja Vu (エアデジャヴー), who had finished third in the Oka Sho and second in the Japanese Oaks, was the top favorite. Phalaenopsis (ファレノプシス), the Oka Sho winner, was the second choice, and Erimo Excel was the third.

This time, Egao o Misete held the lead from the start all the way to the final stretch. But in the last moments, Phalaenopsis, Narita Luna Park (ナリタルナパーク), and Air Deja Vu swept past her one after another, leaving her in fourth.

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I Want to Respond to Those Expectation

Her next race was the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup. This was her second time facing older opponents, but this time, her rivals were much stronger, featuring stars like Mejiro Dober (メジロドーベル) and Air Groove (エアグルーヴ). In the end, she could only manage to finish eighth.

One month later, thirteen mares lined up at Hanshin Racecourse for the G2 Hanshin Himba Tokubetsu. Among them were our protagonist, the sixth favorite Egao o Misete, her old rival Erimo Excel, and the 1997 Oka Sho winner Kyoei March (キョウエイマーチ).

Egao o Misete ran in fourth or fifth most of the way. As they entered the final stretch, she went into a duel with Kyoei March. Passing the 200-meter mark, Egao o Misete quickened, and Kyoei March couldn’t keep up with her speed. In the end, she shook off a late challenge from Admire Sunday (アドマイヤサンデー) and captured her first graded race victory.

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Wishing to keep the winning streak, Egao o Misete participated in the G3 Kyoto Himba Tokubetsu, but only finished in a disappointing 8th place.

But she wasn’t frustrated after the race. Instead, she decided to challenge herself by running in the G2 Milers Cup, held at Hanshin Racecourse. This was her first time running in a graded race that included male horses. Her opponents included Phalaenopsis, Kyoei March, Matikanefukukitaru (マチカネフクキタル), and Midnight Bet (ミッドナイトベット), who had just won a graded race in Hong Kong. One after another, her rivals were strong, and none could be overlooked.

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In the light rain, the G2 Milers Cup had a smooth start. Egao o Misete stayed in the front pack at first, then gradually moved up to the lead. When she reached the final stretch, she was in the perfect spot to launch her attack, especially against Kyoei March and Keiwan Viking (ケイワンバイキング), who were just ahead of her.

She started her spurt and swept past Keiwan Viking with ease. But Kyoei March didn’t just let her go, she tried to fight back. Even so, Egao o Misete crossed the line ahead of her and claimed her second graded race victory.

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Even It's Not an Easy Path, It's Fine

Then, she took on the challenge of “the Golden Generation,” and at the mile distance, the top contenders included Grass Wonder (グラスワンダー) and Air Jihad (エアジハード). She tried twice in graded mile races, but could only finish eighth and sixth.

Just two weeks later, she rushed back to Hanshin, the track where she had already won two graded races, and lined up in the G3 Mermaid Stakes again. Her main rival was, once more, Erimo Excel, while Egao o Misete went off as the third favorite. This time, Erimo Excel got the better of her and won the race, with Egao o Misete finishing third.

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Three months later, her run in the G3 Challenge Cup ended with a fifth-place finish. She then stayed in Tokyo to prepare for her next target: the G3 Fuchu Himba Stakes. As the name suggests, this race was restricted to mares, and many viewed it as a trial for the autumn racing season. Once again, Erimo Excel showed up in the same field. But this time, Egao o Misete was sent off as the top favorite, Narita Luna Park as the second favorite, and Erimo Excel as the third.

Egao o Misete stayed right behind the frontrunner from the start all the way to the final stretch, then launched her spurt. But the uphill stretch made it hard for her to close the gap. Just as she finally caught up, Erimo Excel, who had stayed at the back of the pack, finally squeezed her way out and unleashed her own burst of speed. Her brilliant power and guts allowed her to catch Egao o Misete at the very last moment and snatch the win right in front of her eyes. Egao o Misete finished second.

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The Proof of Not Giving Up

Next, she stepped up to the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup. But her past performance suggested that 2200m might be too long for her. Plus, the field included many familiar rivals: Erimo Excel, Phalaenopsis, Narita Luna Park, and the most formidable of all, Mejiro Dober, who had already captured four G1 victories, including the Queen Elizabeth II Cup last year, at the time. Considering all these factors, this was never going to be an easy race for her. Yet she still faced it head-on, spreading her smile to as many people as she could.

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On November 14, 1999, the battle for the queen’s crown began. Egao o Misete stayed right behind the frontrunner once again. Erimo Excel was on the outside of the pack, while Phalaenopsis and Mejiro Dober held their spots on the inside. The stalemate lasted until they reached the final corner. If you remember, Kyoto Racecourse has both an outer and inner course. At the point where the two merge, there was a section without the inner rail, and Egao o Misete seized the chance to slip through on the inside and pass the frontrunner.

But at the same time, Mejiro Dober also launched her spurt, and the distance between the two of them grew shorter and shorter. After passing the 200-meter mark, another horse suddenly broke out trying to catch up, but it was neither Erimo Excel or Phalaenopsis. It was Fusaichi Airedale (フサイチエアデール), only three years old that year. She surpassed Egao o Misete as Egao struggled to keep up the pace, but she wasn't able to catch up to Mejiro Dober at the end and ended up in the second place, while Egao o Misete getting third. Mejiro Dober became the first horse ever to achieve back-to-back wins in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup.

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Because I’m Not Alone

Egao o Misete had run well in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup, and by then she had become the most famous horse in the Otonashi Stable. Not just because of her name, but also for her high potential and solid strength, bringing a smile to every fan’s face.

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Besides Egao o Misete, there was another star horse in the Otonashi Stable. His name was Yusei Top Run (ユーセイトップラン), and he had won the G3 Diamond Stakes and G2 Copa Republica Argentina before, but had been facing a dry spell recently. He was two years older than Egao o Misete, but despite the age gap, the two shared a bond like best friends.

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For trainer Otonashi, Egao o Misete held a very special place in his heart. Back when he was still a jockey, he only captured one G1 victory: the 1985 Japanese Oaks, aboard Noah no Hakobune (ノアノハコブネ), a horse owned by Yuuichi Odagiri, the same owner as Egao o Misete. Ever since Otonashi became a trainer, Odagiri had sent most of his horses to his stable, and Egao’s strong performances on the track felt like a way of repaying that trust and gratitude.

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Otonashi, along with her fans, was looking forward to her next start: the G2 Hanshin Himba Tokubetsu, a race well-suited to her aptitude and one she had won before. But to everyone’s surprise, she only finished ninth. A month later, she slipped further, finishing 14th in the G3 Tokyo Shimbun Hai.

Then, trainer Otonashi decided to let her have a short rest at the Yamamoto Training Center (山元トレーニングセンター) in Miyagi Prefecture, hoping she could come back stronger.

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When the Purple Butterflies Fly By

At midnight on February 11, 2000, staff at the Yamamoto Training Center spotted massive smoke and flames bursting out from one of the stables. Because the stable was built of wood, there was no way for them to put out the fire on their own. They immediately called emergency services and rushed to rescue the horses inside.

Though they did their best to save seven horses, while one even managed to escape on her own, 22 horses still lost their lives in this catastrophic fire:

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In memory of:

English Name	Japanese Name	Gender/Age	Birth Date (yyyy/mm/dd)
Morriston Belle 1997	モーリストンベルの1997	Stallion/3	1997/03/15
Ever Prosper 1997	エバープロスパーの1997	Mare/3	1997/05/20
Live House 1997	ライブハウスの1997	Mare/3	1997/06/12
Assertion 1997	アサーションの1997	Mare/3	1997/04/16
All Spice	オールスパイス	Stallion/3	1997/04/01
Ramose Blade	ラモースブレイド	Mare/3	1997/03/26
Magic Max	マジックマックス	Stallion/5	1995/03/27
Tender Passion	テンダーパッション	Mare/3	1997/04/04
Flash Red	フラッシュレッド	Stallion/4	1996/05/17
Shimano Blanton	シマノブラントン	Stallion/3	1997/04/18
Stadium Blue	スタジアムブルー	Mare/4	1996/05/19
White Hope	ホワイトホープ	Stallion/5	1995/04/22
Candelaria	カンデラリア	Mare/3	1997/04/24
Fusaichi Grandprix	フサイチグランプリ	Stallion/3	1997/04/19
Crying Winner	クライングウイナー	Stallion/5	1995/03/23
Lahaina Luna	ラハイナルナ	Mare/4	1996/03/11
Kiss on Sunday	キスオンサンデー	Mare/3	1997/01/25
Aly’s Gift	アリーズギフト	Mare/3	1997/02/19
Hey Miss Lulu	ヘイミスルル	Mare/4	1996/01/09
Paradise Lagoon	パラダイスラグーン	Stallion/4	1996/03/31
Star Chandelier	スターシャンデリア	Stallion/4	1996/02/21
Egao o Misete	エガオヲミセテ	Mare/5	1995/05/27

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The one who broke down the door and escaped was Hana Ramman (ハナランマン), and she went on to become a broodmare after surviving that hellish scene.

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That night, there were four more stables housing many racehorses at the Yamamoto Training Center, including notable names like Eagle Cafe (イーグルカフェ) and Fusaichi Airedale. Fortunately, the fire didn’t spread further and claim more lives.

The blaze was said to have been caused by an electrical fault. It shook the entire racing industry, but nothing hit harder than the sudden loss of Egao o Misete. A horse whose very name meant “let me see your smile” was taken away in the cruelest way imaginable. No one could have known she would leave the racetrack like this, and no one dared to imagine what she might have gone through in her final moments.

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For her fans, the truth was hard enough to accept. But for trainer Otonashi and owner Odagiri, it was far more than they could endure. Even so, the racing schedule didn’t change because of the tragedy. Just two days later, two graded races went on as planned: the G3 Diamond Stakes and the G3 Kisaragi Sho. And in the Diamond Stakes stood Yusei Top Run, the other star of Otonashi’s stable, ready to carry the weight of sorrow on his back.

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Under a heavy sky shrouded in thick clouds, and in an atmosphere filled with grief, the G3 Diamond Stakes began.

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Smile! Smile!

With jockey Hiroki Gotou (後藤 浩輝) taking the reins, Yusei Top Run settled at the back of the pack during the first lap, but on the backstretch of the second lap, he suddenly surged forward, as if someone were pushing him from behind. By the time they passed the third corner, he was already at the front of the pack. Did he rush himself? What was the jockey thinking? Many were puzzled by the move, believing he had gone too soon and wouldn’t be able to hold the lead until the end.

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But once they reached the grand stretch, Yusei Top Run’s pace never wavered. Even after he had run more than 2600 meters and was facing the tough uphill climb of the Tokyo Racecourse, the gap between him and the rest kept widening.

At last, Yusei Top Run won the race by five lengths, capturing his first victory in 15 months. While jockey Gotou smiled as he struck a winning pose, trainer Otonashi was in tears, feeling as if Yusei Top Run and Egao o Misete were together telling him to stay strong and keep moving forward.

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In the interview, jockey Gotou admitted that he kind of messed up. He realized that Yusei Top Run was acting in an unexpected way, but chose to let him do whatever he wanted, and the horse moved to the front early. Trainer Otonashi also said it wasn’t a good choice to be in front as early as the third corner, and that it was a miracle Yusei Top Run managed to hang on until the end.

“I felt like he gave everything he had until the very end. And part of me wondered… maybe Egao was pushing him on from heaven,” trainer Otonashi said in his interview.

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The miracle didn’t just happen at Tokyo Racecourse. Just five minutes later at Kyoto Racecourse, the G3 Kisaragi Sho ended with Silver Cockpit (シルヴァコクピット) taking the win. Silver Cockpit was the half-brother of Star Chandelier (スターシャンデリア), one of the horses tragically lost in the fire.

These two wins might have been a coincidence, but many believed it was a message from those who were lost: please keep smiling, even if we’re no longer here.

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I'll Pass Down My Story

After the fire, owner Odagiri still sent many racehorses to trainer Otonashi. One of them was named “Genki o Dashite (ゲンキヲダシテ),” meaning “Cheer up” in Japanese. This horse shared the same sire, Paradise Creek, with Paradise Lagoon (パラダイスラグーン), one of the victims of the fire. Perhaps owner Odagiri was trying to tell trainer Otonashi and racing fans, that the best way to honor the horses that were lost, including Egao o Misete, was to cheer up and keep smiling.

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One month before the devastating fire, Egao o Misete’s mother, Curly Angel, gave birth to another foal. The chestnut colt, with his golden mane and tail, seemed destined to inherit the dreams and carry the smiles once entrusted to his sister. After he was bought by owner Odagiri, he was given the name Orewa Matteruze (オレハマッテルゼ), a name that can be depicted as "I've been waiting for so long", and "I'm obsessed with it". Carrying his sister’s spirit, his own story had just begun.

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笑顔を見せてくれて、ありがとう。

Thank you for showing your smile.

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To the next stories.

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My past work:

Resistencia’s Weight-Check Series: 1,231 Days of a Cameraman’s Love Story

Sushi Train: Horse with a Bizarre Name and a Big Dream

Offside Trap: The Winner on the Glorious but Silent Sunday

Hokuto Vega: Stardust Scattered in a Foreign Land

Narita Hayabusa: A Sand Falcon Born in the Wrong Era