

SARGA.CO – In the world of Japanese horse racing, few names echo as powerfully on dirt tracks as Hokko Tarumae. Foaled on May 26, 2009, this dark bay stallion boasts an elite pedigree: King Kamehameha as sire and Madam Cherokee as dam.
Yet it wasn’t just his bloodline that set him apart—it was his relentless will to win.
Trained by Katsuichi Nishiura and partnered with loyal jockey Hideaki Miyuki (renowned for mounts like Still In Love), Hokko Tarumae became the dominant dirt specialist of his generation. Alongside fierce rivals such as Copano Rickey and Wonder Acute, he helped define a golden era of Japanese dirt racing marked by drama, grit, and determination.
Hokko Tarumae’s strength lay in his racing style. Known for the Senkou or “stalker” tactic, he would sit just behind the early leader, study the race, and strike at precisely the right moment. Combined with sheer power and speed, this approach produced unforgettable finishes and countless victories.
A Glittering Record: Total Dirt Domination, 2012–2016
From his debut in 2012 until retirement in 2016, Hokko Tarumae raced 39 times, claiming 17 wins and five second-place finishes, earning over ¥1.078 billion in prize money.
His peak came between 2013 and 2016, when he collected a trove of top-tier titles:
Teio Sho (Jpn1) – 2 victories
Tokyo Daishoten (G1) – 2 victories
Kawasaki Kinen (Jpn1) – 3 victories
Champions Cup (G1) – 1 victory, a career-defining performance
The Champions Cup triumph crowned him JRA’s Best Dirt Horse of 2014, an accolade that confirmed his reign as Japan’s undisputed dirt king.
After retiring, Hokko Tarumae began a new chapter as a stallion at Yushun Stallion Station. To date, he has sired over 689 foals, including promising runners such as Mega Million. Though he no longer thunders down the track, his winning spirit lives on in his progeny.
Today, Hokko Tarumae’s legend has taken on a new life in pop culture through the hit franchise Uma Musume: Pretty Derby, where legendary racehorses are reimagined as energetic, anime-style girls. In the game, Hokko Tarumae’s anthropomorphic character captures her real-life namesake’s champion aura, fierce personality, and trademark stalker strategy.
Hokko Tarumae's presence in Uma Musume is both a sweet tribute and a new introduction to the younger generation about her former prowess on the track. In the game, we see Tarumae in an anthropomorphic version, bringing a champion aura, a tough personality, and, of course, her signature "stalker" spirit.
He isn’t called the “King of Dirt” merely for his titles, but for his cool, lethal precision and his enduring mark on Japanese racing history.
Even as his hooves have been replaced by pixels on a smartphone screen, Hokko Tarumae’s spirit still runs free. Because true legends never stop racing—they simply find new tracks to conquer.
(Sources: FB Atha.ID, Wikipedia, Uma Musume Wiki Fandom, Netkeiba)
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