Rice Shower

Rice Shower
Rice Shower at the 1995 Takarazuka Kinen
Breed	Thoroughbred
Sire	Real Shadai
Grandsire	Roberto
Dam	Lilac Point (JPN)
Damsire	Maruzensky
Sex	Stallion
Foaled	March 5, 1989
Died	June 4, 1995(1995-06-04) (aged 6)
Country	Japan
Breeder	Utopia Bokujo[1]
Owner	Hideo Kuribayashi
Trainer	Koji Iizuka
Record	25:6–5–2–12[2]
Earnings	¥729,497,200
Major wins
Kikuka-shō (1992) Nikkei Sho (1993) Tenno Sho (1993, 1995)

Rice Shower (in Japanese: ライスシャワー, March 5, 1989 − June 4, 1995) was a Japanese Thoroughbred racehorse who won multiple Group 1 titles.

His name refers to the tradition of throwing rice at weddings for good luck.^[3]

Rice Shower's first race was on September 21, 1991, when he won the 1991 Fuyo Stakes at Nakayama Racecourse.^[2]

On November 8, 1992, Rice Shower captured the first major win of his career by winning the 1992 Kikuka-shō, defeating the favored Mihono Bourbon in the process. This was the horse's only win of 1992, though he came in second at the 1992 Tokyo Yūshun.^[2]

Rice Shower had a strong 1993 season. He captured the Nikkei Sho on March 21, then followed it up by winning the April 23rd Tenno Sho, which are both Group 1 titles,^[2] dashing hopes for Mejiro McQueen to win the race three times in a row.^[2]

He was winless in 1994, but in 1995, he captured the Tenno Sho (Spring) for a second time on April 23.

After that, Rice Shower entered Takarazuka Kinen on June 4, 1995. In this race, the majority of the runners in the field are selected by a vote from racing fans. That time, Rice Shower was running the race as a vote leader. Rice Shower fell during the race because of fatal left front leg fracture and was euthanized. He was 6 years old at the time.

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