Makahiki (horse)

Makahiki made his only appearance as a two-year-old in a contest for previously unraced horses over 1800 metres at Kyoto Racecourse on 18 October. He made a successful debut, beating Enbharr and nine others.[6]

Makahiki beats Satono Diamond in the Tokyo Yushun

Makahiki began his second season on 23 January when he was moved up to Listed class and won the Wakagoma Stakes over 2000 metres at Kyoto. On 3 March he was stepped up again for the Grade 2 Yayoi Sho (a major trial race for the Satsuki Sho) over 2000 metres at Nakayama Racecourse and started second favourite behind Leontes, the Japanese champion juvenile of 2015. Ridden by Christophe Lemaire he produced a strong finish to win by a neck and two lengths from Leontes and Air Spinel.[7] The Racing Post's Sam Walker rated his performance as the best by a three-year-old in 2016 up to that time and described the winner a potential Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe contender.[8] Lemaire rode the favourite Satono Diamond in the Satsuki Sho on 17 April at Nakayama with Yuga Kawada taking over the ride on Makahiki who was the 2.7/1 third choice in an eighteen-runner field. Makahiki raced towards the rear of the field on the outside before finishing strongly to take second place, beaten one and a half lengths behind the 30/1 outsider Dee Majesty.[9] Commenting on the colt's performance Tomomichi said "He wasn’t able to catch the winner, who had made his move before he did, but this horse did run really well in the stretch. He lost but I think it was by no means a bad race".[10]

On 29 May, in front of a 140,000 crowd at Tokyo Racecourse, Makahishi was one of eighteen colts to contest the 83rd running of the Tokyo Yushun. Dee Majesty, Leontes, Air Spinel and Satono Diamond were again in opposition in a race run over 2400 metres on firm ground. With Kawada again in the saddle, he raced towards the middle of the field before making progress approaching the final turn but looked unlikely to obtain a clear run in the straight. Kawada sent Makahishi through a narrow gap 300 metres from the finish, took the lead in the closing stages and won by a nose from Satono Diamond.[11] Commenting on his successful tactics Kawada said "The colt broke smoothly and I was able to race him in good position as planned. I gradually advanced him while marking Satono Diamond and he stretched really well after threading through a small opening. The moment we crossed the wire, I felt that we were a margin in front but I was overwhelmed with joy when the photo-finish result came out".[12]

In the summer of 2016 Makahiki was sent to France prepare for a run in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe which was run that year at Chantilly Racecourse as Longchamp was closed for redevelopment. He trialed for the race in the Group Two Prix Niel over 2400 metres at Chantilly on 11 September. Ridden by Lemaire, he started the odds-on favourite against four opponents including the British-trained Midterm, the one-time favourite for The Derby. After racing in third place until the straight he overtook Midterm in the closing stages and won by a neck.[13] Lemaire commented "Today was just a step and I think he was 70%, 80% fit. I’m sure he will improve... He's a very clever and relaxed horse. He knows his job, he really does what you ask him to do and he preserves himself. Today he came very easily to the front and then just relaxed."[14] On 2 October the colt started 3.9/1 second favourite for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, but never looked likely to win and finished fourteenth of the sixteen runners behind Found.

On his debut as a four-year-old Makahiki started favourite for the Kyoto Kinen over 2200 metres on 12 February but finished third behind Satono Crown and Smart Layer.