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SARGA.CO - One of the finest milers of modern Japanese horse racing is bidding farewell, as four-time G1 winner Jantar Mantar officially retires after a storied career that saw him rewrite the record books.

The announcement was made on 30 June by trainer Tomokazu Takano, who confirmed that the five-year-old son of Palace Malice will begin his new career as a stallion at Shadai Stallion Station in Abira, Hokkaido.

Jantar Mantar's final appearance came in April's FWD Champions Mile (G1) at Hong Kong's Sha Tin Racecourse, where he finished 13th. While it was hoped that he would recover from the overseas campaign, his condition did not improve sufficiently.

Considering his outstanding achievements on the track and his considerable value as a future stallion, his connections elected to retire him rather than continue racing.

"I just want to say, 'Thank you, Jantar Mantar, and well done,'" Trainer Takano said after the announcement. “I'm relieved that he's been able to make it safely to stud,” he added, reported by Netkeiba.

The trainer also expressed his gratitude to the horse's owners, Shadai Farm, jockeys Katsuma Sameshima and Yuga Kawada, stable staff, and longtime groom Matsui for their dedication throughout Jantar Mantar's career.

Few horses have dominated Japan's top-level mile races quite like Jantar Mantar.

He became the first horse ever to win all four JRA G1 mile races open to colts and older horses: the Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes in 2023, the NHK Mile Cup in 2024, and both the Yasuda Kinen and the Mile Championship in 2025. 

This unprecedented achievement secured his place among the greatest milers in Japanese racing history.

He was crowned Japan's Champion Two-Year-Old Colt in 2023 after his juvenile campaign before earning Champion Miler honours in 2025 following his G1 double.

As Jantar Mantar heads to Shadai Stallion Station, horse racing fans now look forward to seeing whether the qualities that made him one of Japan's greatest Mile Kings can be passed on to his future offspring.

Trainer Takano believes his multi-season consistency and prodigious ability will serve him well as a stallion. "His greatest strength over a mile was his sustained speed. Along with the precocity to become a champion at two, he also had the ability to keep improving and win G1 races over three consecutive seasons. I'm convinced he'll sire outstanding offspring,” he said.

Having conquered every major domestic mile G1 available to him, retirement marks a fitting conclusion for a horse whose value now lies in shaping the next generation of champions.