Kiseki: A Trail of Miracles and Its Followers
Ah, Kiseki, a simple, direct name, which literally means "Miracle." No, he isn't directly related to Fuji Kiseki (フジキセキ), but his sire is Rulership (ルーラーシップ), a son of King Kamehameha (キングカメハメハ) and Air Groove (エアグルーヴ), and his damsire is Deep Impact (ディープインパクト).
He is known not only for his own career, his fanbase is also legendary in the Japanese horse-racing community. It is hard to explain how fond they are of Kiseki with text, so here is one example. Here is a clip of one of Kiseki's fans hyping up when he is merely implied, not even mentioned by name, in another Umamusume character’s story.
To understand why so many people adore him so much, we should start with his signature “crane-neck pose” at the races.
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Kiseki's Pose
What is the crane-neck pose, you might ask? In the paddock and during warm-ups, he would often bend his neck like a crane, holding it low and curved as he moved, here is some example of his crane-neck pose.
It did not necessarily help his performance in race, but it became both a habit and his signature. His fans even make a little call “N’ho~ (んほ～)” whenever they see it. It may sound a bit odd, but it is a quirky tradition of his fanbase.
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Coincidentally, the term「鶴首」that his fans use to describe this posture also carries another meaning: “to wait eagerly.” In that double meaning, you can hear their hopes for Kiseki, a wish that he would run well and reward their patience.
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But the crane-neck pose isn’t unique to Kiseki. Many horses would use this pose to express their feelings, Kiseki simply displayed it more often. The pose alone wouldn’t be enough to make so many racing fans fall in love with him. After all, performance decides everything on the track.
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Being Kiseki
Kiseki was the winner of the 2017 Kikuka Sho. At the time, a powerful typhoon had just struck the Kansai region, and another was on its way, yet the race at Kyoto went ahead as scheduled. Under the heavy rain, Kiseki and the other seventeen runners began their battle on a muddy track.
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At the time, although Kiseki had not yet won a graded race, the absence of the top three runners in the Japanese Derby, together with Kiseki's great performance in the G2 Kobe Shimbun Hai, made him the most favorited horse in the field, followed by Satsuki Sho winner Al Ain (アルアイン).
At first, Kiseki settled near the rear of the field. After they ran passed the Yodo slope for the second time, as other horses began to run out of stamina and fade, Kiseki was already at the outermost position of the pack and started his chase. Turning into the final stretch, with mud flying at every stride, Kiseki swept past his rivals one by one, and even started to further accelerate while surpassing the front runner.
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His white silks were nearly black with mud as he stormed past the finish line to win his first G1 by two lengths, giving his owner, Tatsue Ishikawa (石川 達絵), her first G1 victory and his jockey, Mirco Demuro, his first Kikuka Sho. The win was also the first G1 for Rulership’s progeny, and the winning time was 3:18.9, almost 15 seconds slower than the previous year; the last time a winner took this long in the Kikuka Sho was in 1946.
His brave figure when he break through the squall may have won him many fans, but his most famous performances were his two attempts at the G1 Japan Cup.
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Kiseki's Record
After a disappointing result in the 2018 Spring season, Kiseki opened his autumn with back-to-back third-place finishes in the G2 Mainichi Okan and the G1 Tenno Sho Autumn, leading many to hope he could capture another G1 race.
His next start was the G1 Japan Cup, and his rivals were formidable: seven G1 horses in total, including Cheval Grand (シュヴァルグラン), last year’s Japan Cup winner; Satono Diamond (サトノダイヤモンド), a two-time G1 winner; Satono Crown (サトノクラウン), the 2016 Hong Kong Vase winner; and, most fearsome of all, Almond Eye (アーモンドアイ), the Triple Tiara heroine who had finished second only once and won all her other races at the time.
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His new jockey in the autumn, Yuga Kawada (川田 将雅), adopted a different tactic during his ride on Kiseki. He pushed Kiseki to the front at the start of the race and turned him into a front-runner. He controlled his pace, intent on draining others’ stamina, and the tactic seemed to work. When he entered the final stretch and began to speed up, almost no one could catch him, except Almond Eye, who was right behind him. Almond Eye's pursuit was intense, and after passing the 200-meter mark, she is already catching up and being beside him.
Kiseki couldn’t stop her from snatching the G1 title, and Almond Eye won by one and three-quarter lengths in 2:20.6, setting a new world record for 2400 meters on turf by nearly one and a half seconds. It could be said that, were it not for Almond Eye, the miraculous record-breaker would have been Kiseki, who finished in 2:20.9.
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Because of his stunning performance, his fanbase grew even stronger, and they believed he would eventually secure another G1 title. But they soon realized that his temperament and habit of starting late, along with the strong rivals he faced, made that wish hard to achieve.
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Starting in Kiseki Style
In the G1 Arima Kinen that year, Kiseki finished 5th, while Blast Onepiece (ブラストワンピース) claimed his first G1 title. In the spring of 2019, he ran in the G1 Osaka Hai and the G1 Takarazuka Kinen, and ended up finishing 2nd in both races, losing to Al Ain and Lys Gracieux (リスグラシュー) respectively.
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In the autumn, considering his astounding victory on muddy turf in the Kikuka Sho, he even traveled to France to try his luck in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, but he finished 3rd in the trial race, the Prix Foy, and 7th in the Arc. Back to Japan, he competed in the Arima Kinen, Kiseki started late and finished in 5th place again, watching Lys Gracieux to complete the dual Grand Prix win.
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In his first start in 2020, the G2 Hanshin Daishoten, Kiseki screwed up his start so badly that he was about three lengths behind all other horses just after the start. That's not all, as they began the second lap, he had already made up the lost ground and surged to the front. Keep in mind the Hanshin Daishoten is a 3000-meter race, and his reckless use of his stamina left him unable to quicken in the final stretch, and he finished in 7th place at last.
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After the race, he was required to retake a starting-gate test, despite being a G1 horse. Incredible as it seemed, he was not the first G1 winner to do so. You see, Gold Ship (ゴールドシップ) and Orfevre (オルフェーヴル) had all experienced this kind of thing, so perhaps it is not a big deal?
Anyway, after passing the test, he entered the G1 Tenno Sho Spring. But once, he entered the runaway mode, and trying to outrun from other horses despite he was already in front. At the final stretch, he faded out and ran in 6th at last.
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Just as his fans began to worry about his condition, he rebounded in his next start, the G1 Takarazuka Kinen. He controlled the pace well as a closer and launched his spurt in the final stretch. Unfortunately, the rival he needed to catch was Chrono Genesis (クロノジェネシス), and she continued to widen the gap despite his acceleration. Kiseki finished second, but the race progression reassured his fans that he could still produce a miracle if he could control his desire to break slowly or run too freely.
This view was reinforced in his next start, the G2 Kyoto Daishoten, where he again controlled his pace well and nearly won.
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Creating Kiseki's Pace
Next, he returned to the G1 Japan Cup. And this time, the race seemed destined for the history books as soon as the field was confirmed.
There were three Triple Crown/Tiara winners in the field. First was Contrail (コントレイル), the undefeated Triple Crown winner who was trying to extend his winning streak. Next was Daring Tact (デアリングタクト), the undefeated Triple Tiara winner with the same goal. And then there was Almond Eye, the formidable rival Kiseki had faced multiple times; this would be his last race against her, as it was her last race before retirement.
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Sent off as the 6th favorite, Kiseki decided to make the race more interesting and try to benefit from the tactic, perhaps even stealing the win.
After the start, Almond Eye secured a good position in the front of the pack, while Daring Tact and Contrail settled behind her. Kiseki paid them no mind and went straight to the lead, steadily opening the gap. He kept speeding up and set a blistering pace, trying to gain as much advantages as he can before the final showdown.
Entering the final stretch, his lead was nearly twenty lengths, but they were closing quickly. After passing the 200-meter mark, he could no longer sustain the pace and began to slow down, and the three Triple Crown/Tiara winners stormed past at top speed. Almond Eye won her 9th G1 race, a record only she has reached until this day, while Kiseki finished 8th.
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Though he faded in the end, his great escape in front of three Triple Crown/Tiara winner had earned him even more fans. Now it would take only one more spark for the Kiseki fanbase to come together and become legendary on Japanese horse-racing forums.
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Ah, Kiseki~♡
Almost a year after that legendary Japan Cup, Kiseki watched Chrono Genesis win both the Arima Kinen and the Takarazuka Kinen next year, while he struggled in both races. He even traveled to Hong Kong again, finishing 4th in a seven-runner G1.
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His first start of the 2021 autumn season was the G2 Kyoto Daishoten, the race he had nearly won the year before. By then he was already seven, an pretty old age for an active racehorse, yet there was an even older runner in the field.
Makahiki (マカヒキ), the 2016 Japanese Derby winner, was eight years old at the time and had not won a race since the G2 Prix Niel during his trip to France in 2016, more than five years earlier. Because of this, he was the ninth favorite, while our protagonist, Kiseki, was the fourth favorite, keep that in mind. The top choice was Aristoteles (アリストテレス). Although he had won a graded race early in the year, his didn't do well in his recent runs.
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For this race, Kansai Television assigned announcer Morio Kawashima (川島 壮雄) to handle the broadcast. His call became legendary in a rather unusual way. It is best to feel his passion for Kiseki through his own words, so here is a translated excerpt from the broadcast. Let’s jump in!
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"That's a good start for Kiseki. Orange hat with white silks, Kiseki, now running toward front."
The first name called after the start was the fourth favorite, Kiseki. Interesting.
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"...after Belenus comes the red cap Stay Foolish, Danburite on his outside and—Ah, Kiseki! Holding fourth despite a four-month rest! With a new partner today, Ryuji Wada (和田 竜二), Kiseki sits fourth and aiming to the front!..."
Wait, why's he so hyped up when seeing Kiseki? Anyway, let’s keep watching.
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"...Danburite being at second place, Kiseki now third. With a new partner today, Ryuji Wada, this is his first start after a long break...”
I thought I just heard that information 20 seconds ago...?
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“...and Kiseki looks great in third, aiming for his first victory in four years. Kiseki holds third!...”
That’s a lot of information for a fourth favorite.
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"...Danburite is taking the lead now, but Kiseki is also pushing forward! Kiseki is pushing forward!
和田竜二 Ryuji Wada,
闘魂注入 fighting soul injected,
鞭が飛ぶ the whip flies fast..."
I see, writing a poem now!
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"...Danburite is in front. Ryuji Wada, driving hard with the left whip! Kiseki moves into second! Kiseki into second! Is this his revival? Kiseki is now second!..."
Oh wow, Kiseki is catching up and become first place!
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"...But Kiseki is hanging on in front! Aristoteles is closing, but Kiseki will not give in! Aristoteles and Kiseki, the two of them are fighting for the win!..."
Come on Kiseki, you can do it! Hold on!
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"...Aristoteles, Kiseki, these two are still fighting! But from the outer side comes Makahiki! The Derby horse is coming! Makahiki!"
What a stunning finish to the race! The 2016 Derby winner finally took another victory after five years. Aristoteles finished second, with Kiseki in third. Ah, Kiseki, another near miss.
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Announcer Kawashima’s affection for Kiseki in that race call quickly became popular on Japanese racing forums, and his lines turned into catchphrases for Kiseki fans. Such as the little verse for Ryuji Wada and “Ah, Kiseki~♡ (あっキセキぃ~♡),” which they use whenever his name appears. Around that time, the fanbase name “Kiseki-min (キセキ民)” took hold and cemented its place on the forums.
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Chasing After Kiseki
Kiseki’s next start was the G1 Japan Cup. It was his third appearance in the race, and fans looked forward to seeing how he would perform after his astounding run in the previous Japan Cup.
There were four Japanese Derby winners in the field: the 2016 winner Makahiki, the 2018 winner Wagnerian (ワグネリアン), the 2020 winner Contrail (コントレイル), and the 2021 winner Shahryar (シャフリヤール). The 2020 Triple Crown winner, Contrail, was set to retire after the race, so most people focused on his last performance. They were strong rivals for Kiseki, but he had faced tougher fields in the past, so it isn't a problem for him at all.
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And by “no problem,” I mean he was still being himself, starting late again. And at the middle of the race, Kiseki suddenly took off from the end of the pack and surged all the way to the front. Noticing Kiseki surging to the front, Kansai Television’s announcer and cameraman shifted their focus to him and watched as he pulled away from the pack. As he approached the final turn, he was four lengths clear of the runner-up, and the announcer called, “Kiseki is going! Kiseki is going! Surely the front is where Kiseki belongs!”
At the grand stretch, while staying at the far outside of the course, Kiseki had used up all his strength and started to slow down. Even so, the announcer kept calling his name, even during the fierce duel between Contrail and Shahryar. At last:
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空の彼方に最後の軌跡、コントレイル！
Sora no kanata ni saigo no kiseki, Contrail!
A final contrail across the sky, Contrail!
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Kiseki? *neuron activation*
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Contrail swept past the finish first, sealing a perfect end to his racing career and dispelling any doubts about his strength.
His final performance was surely moving, but the clip also showed just how much the announcer loved Kiseki. Many viewers praised Contrail while discussing Kiseki’s run in the comments, despite him ran in 10th place at last.
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The Last Kiseki
Given his age, his team decided that the G1 Arima Kinen would be his final start, and the Kiseki-min grew even crazier than ever when they learned their beloved idol was about to retire.
Anyway, let's check on his rivals. The field included Chrono Genesis, bidding for a fourth straight win in the Grand Prix series; the three-year-old Efforia (エフフォーリア), chasing his third G1 of the year; Deep Bond (ディープボンド), the 2021 Prix Foy winner; the “great escaper” Panthalassa (パンサラッサ); the tiny idol Melody Lane (メロディーレーン) and her half-brother Titleholder (タイトルホルダー); and Stella Veloce (ステラヴェローチェ), seeking his first G1 title. All in all, a lineup worthy of the year’s final G1.
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This time, Kiseki settled mid-pack and gave his front seat to Panthalassa. In the end, he could not follow up others' pace and could only watch the leaders fight for their glory. The miracle did not come, and he finished 10th. As for the winner, better to hear it from the announcer:
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"Efforia, Efforia, Efforiaaaaa!!!!!"
Here we found a fan of Efforia.
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The Kiseki Legacy
Though the miracle never came and he did not win another race after the 2017 Kikuka Sho, finishing with 4 wins from 33 starts, Kiseki remained loved and missed by his fans. One sign of this was the Idol Horse Audition hosted by Kyoto Racecourse in 2021. The top five in the audition would have Uma-doll figures made just like them, and Kiseki placed third in the final round with 14,461 votes, behind Yoshio (ヨシオ) and Melody Lane.
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After retiring from racing, Kiseki began his new life at stud at Breeders Stallion Station (ブリーダーズ・スタリオン・ステーション) in Hidaka, Hokkaido, and this year (2025) is the first year that his offspring debut.
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His trail had deeply carved in every Kiseki-min's heart, and they have extended that love to anyone connected to him: his younger sister Big Ribbon (ビッグリボン), who won the 2023 Mermaid Stakes; and Soul Rush (ソウルラッシュ), winner of the 2024 Mile Championship and the 2025 Dubai Turf, who shares Kiseki’s owner and home farm.
Speaking of his home farm, Shimokobe Farm (下河辺牧場) has been crowned as the “head of the Kiseki-min.” Not only did they bring Kiseki into the world, they have also shared many updates and reflections about him on their Twitter (X) account, even after his retirement.
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Even now, whenever someone mentions Kiseki, the Kiseki-min will always return to tell his story and share their love for him. The miracle Kiseki left in every Kiseki-min's heart will last forever, and be passed down through his offspring.
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My past work:
Hana’s Goal: Make the Flowers of Happiness Bloom Down Under
Orewa Matteruze: Smile, Because I’m Here!
Egao o Misete: Please Keep Smiling, Even After I’m Gone
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
Posted Nov 4, 2025, 9:26 PM UTC