Aventura (horse)

Aventura began her racing career in a contest for previously unraced juveniles over 1600 metres at Hanshin Racecourse on 20 June and won from Eishin Osman, a colt who went on to win the New Zealand Trophy. After three-month break she was moved up in class for the Grade 3 Sapporo Nisai Stakes and finished second, three quarters of a length behind the colt All As One.[5] On 12 December at Hanshin, Aventura was one of eighteen contenders for the Grade 1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies over 1600 metres and started the 8.9/1 third choice in the betting. Ridden by Ryuji Wada she was restrained towards the rear before making steady progress in the straight and finished fourth behind Reve d'Essor, Whale Capture and Rice Terrace, beaten two and a half lengths behind the winner.[6]

In the official Japanese rankings for 2010, Aventura was rated the fourth-best juvenile filly, five pounds behind the top-rated Reve d'Essor.[7]

Aventura wins the Shuka Sho

Aventura missed the first half of the 2011 season after sustaining a leg fracture.[8] She made her first appearance of the year on 30 July at Hakodate Racecourse when she won the Isaribi Stakes from the four-year-old Silk Earnest and ten others.[5] Kenichi Ikezoe took the ride two weeks later when the filly was made the 1.7/1 favourite for the Grade 3 Queen Stakes at Sapporo. After racing in fourth or fifth place for most of the way she took the lead in the straight and won by a neck from Cosmo Nemo Shin.[9]

On 16 October, with Yasunari Iwata in the saddle, Avenura started second favourite behind Whale Capture (who had won the Rose Stakes on her last start) in the Grade 1 Shuka Sho over 2000 metres at Kyoto Racecourse. The other sixteen runners included Marcellina (Oka Sho), Meine Isabel (Niigata Nisai Stakes), Erin Court (Yushun Himba) and Calmato (Shion Stakes). After racing in third place behind the front-running outsider Memorial Year, Aventura took the lead in the straight and won by one and a quarter lengths from Kyowa Jeanne with Whale Capture the same distance back in third.[10][11] Iwata commented:

"It is the first time I have ridden her but I didn't feel any concerns".[8]

Aventura made her final run of the year in the Queen Elizabeth II Commemorative Cup over 2200 metres at Kyoto on 13 November when she started second favourite behind the British-trained four-year-old Snow Fairy who had won the race in 2010. After racing in mid-division she finished strongly to take second place, a neck behind Snow Fairy, with Apapane, Whale Capture, Reve d'Essor, Erin Court, Dancing Rain and Saint Emilion finishing behind.[12]

In the Japanese rankings for 2011, Aventura was rated best three-year-old filly, four pounds ahead of Whale Capture and Reve d'Essor.[13] In January 2012 Aventura topped the poll for the JRA Award for Best Three-Year-Old Filly, taking 268 of the 285 votes.[14]