Ushba TesoroJapanese: ウシュバテソーロ、Foaled March 4, 2017)[1] is a Japanese thoroughbred racehorse who won the Tokyo Daishoten in 2022, before going on to win the Kawasaki Kinen and the Dubai World Cup in 2023.

Ushba Tesoro
ウシュバテソーロ
Ushba Tesoro winning the Yokohama Stakes in 2022
BreedThoroughbred[1]
SireOrfevre[1]
GrandsireStay Gold[1]
DamMillefeui Attach[1]
DamsireKing Kamehameha[1]
SexStallion
Foaled (2017-03-04) March 4, 2017 (age 7)[1]
CountryJapan[1]
ColourBay[1]
BreederChiyoda Farm[1]
OwnerKenji Ryotokuji Holdings[1]
TrainerNoboru Takagi[1]
Record36:11-4-5[1]
Earnings2,239,576,400 JPY[2][note 1]
Japan:453,884,000 JPY[1]
(JRA)119,884,000 JPY
(NAR)334,000,000 JPY
Overseas:13,110,000 USD
(UAE):9,360,000 USD[5][6]
(USA):250,000 USD[7]
(KSA):3,500,000 USD[8]
Major wins
Tokyo Daishōten (2022, 2023)
Kawasaki Kinen (2023)
Dubai World Cup (2023)
Awards
JRA Special Award (2023)[9]
NAR Dirt Grace Race Special Award (2023)[10]
Last updated on November 3, 2024

The name "Ushba" is derived from a mountain in Georgia, while "Tesoro" is the eponym used by its owner.[2]

Racing career

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Up until his four-year-old season (2021)

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Ushba Tesoro was bought by Kenji Ryotokuji, founder of Ryotokuji University, at the JRHA Select Sale Foal Session for 25 million yen.[11][12]

He would make his debut at a maiden race on August 25, 2019, at the Niigata Racecourse, but finished in fifth place.[13]

Ushba Tesoro would win his first race after seven unsuccessful races at a maiden race held at Tokyo Racecourse. The following month, the horse entered the Principal Stakes, a trial race for the Japanese Derby, but came in fourth place. The horse would return to allowance races but could not win a 2nd race for the rest of that year.

On his third race of his four-year old season, Ushba Tesoro won his first race in over a year. Later that year, on November, he scored his third victory at the Sanriku Tokubetsu.[14]

2022: Five-year-old season

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Ushba Tesoro's jockey Kazuo Yokoyama

Ushba Tesoro ran three allowance races but lost all three of them. After coming in 6th place in the last of those three, it was decided that the horse's next race would be on a dirt track. On April 30, Ushba Tesoro entered the Yokohama Stakes (dirt 2100m) and was the 7th favored. Once the race started, Ushba Tesoro passed all the other horses from the back on the final stretch, finishing his first dirt race in a victory.[15] On the Radio Nippon Sho in September, the horse came up from 10th place and covered the last three furlongs the fastest but came in third place.[16] The following month, Ushba Tesoro won his first Listed Race at the Brazil Cup, where he covered the last three furlongs at 35.5 seconds and passed all the other horses from behind.[17] Ushba Tesoro won his next race. the Canopus Stakes, as well in a similar fashion, where he came in from 10th place and passed the other horses in the final stretch, covering the last three furlongs in 37.3 seconds.[18] Ushba Tesoro would run his first group race at the end of the year at the Tokyo Daishoten, which doubled as the horse's first Group I race. The horse went in as the second most favored behind Meisho Hario, the winner of that year's Teio Sho, another 2000m dirt race held at Oi Racecourse. The horse stayed with the group for most of the race, and started to go forward as it went around the fourth corner. The horse went from the outside and passed the likes of Shonan Nadeshiko and Sunrise Hope that was running in front of him, and crossed the finish line with a 1.75 lengths gap behind Notturno, who came in second place. This victory marked his first group race win and Group 1 win for the horse, after just five races on the dirt track.[19] The horse covered the last 3 furlongs at 37.2 seconds, once again the fastest of the entrants.[20] This race also marked the first dirt G1 race win for the horse's jockey, Kazuo Yokoyama.

2023: Six-year-old season

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Ushba Tesoro started the season with the Kawasaki Kinen. In that race, he ran with the pack, and quickly took the lead after passing the final corner, winning his second Group 1 race with a half-a-length lead behind T O Keynes.[21][22]

On February 24, it was officially announced that the horse was invited to that year's Dubai World Cup.[23] As Yokoyama was already scheduled to ride Titleholder at the Nikkei Sho as well as Aguri on the Takamatsunomiya Kinen, it was also announced that Yuga Kawada would be riding the horse in Dubai.[23] At the race, Ushba Tesoro trailed the pack from behind for most of the duration, coming up and passing them from behind on the final stretch. This victory marked the first time since Victoire Pisa in 2011 for a Japanese horse to win the race, and the first time ever that a Japanese horse won the race since the race was switched from track surface to dirt.[24] During the post-race interview, Kawada commented "There were hurdles to overcome in logistics and surfaces, as it was the horse's first time abroad, but the horse moved very well during training, so I focused on whether it can channel that in this race when I rode him" and "Ushba Tesoro worked hard to win the number one race in the world, so I'm proud that I was able to show that a Japanese jockey can fight in the global stage."[25]

On mid-April 2023, Ushba Tesoro's trainer announced that after taking a break for the summer, the horse will run at this year's Nippon TV Hai before moving on to the BC Classic in Santa Anita. Kawada would reprise his role as jockey.[26] On September 27, he returned to race as scheduled in Nippon TV Hai. After breaking out of the gates well, the race progressed as he was traveling around third or fourth position along the way, stalking the leader Mitono O. As he approached the fourth corner, he surged to the front, and with a light urging from Kawada, he won by 2 and a half lengths.[27] After that, he arrived in Santa Anita without any issues and was set to race in the BC Classic on November 4.[28] He ran the race from the last position after a slow start. Approaching the home straight, Kawada pushed him up from the back of the pack to chase the leaders, however, he was unable to chase them down and finished 5th, breaking his winning streak.[29] He went home to Japan afterward and it was decided that he would run at the Tokyo Daishoten again if his condition was good. Additionally, his connections plan to continue his career next year, aiming for a consecutive victory in the Dubai World Cup.[30] In the Tokyo Daishoten, he was held back from the start and until the final straight where he caught Wilson Tesoro in his final strides, achieving consecutive victories of the race. He was the fifth horse to win the race consecutively since Omega Perfume from 2018 to 2021.[31] With his achievements in winning the Tokyo Daishoten consecutively and winning the Dubai World Cup, he was awarded the JRA Special Award and the NAR Dirt Grade Race Special Award of the year.[32][33]

2024: Seven-year-old season

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Ushba Tesoro started his seven-year-old season in the Saudi Cup. Amidst the intense competition for the lead in the race, he sat at the back of the pack as usual. Gradually closing the gap around the third corner, he began to move up in the straight, overtaking the strong frontrunner, Saudi Crown and took the lead, but was overtaken by Senor Buscador from the outside just 50 meters from the goal, finishing second.[34] He earned approximately 500 million yen by placing second, surpassing Panthalassa and T M Opera O with his total prize money amounting to 1,876,317,000 yen, ranking fourth in Japanese horseracing history.[35]

On March 30, he ran as scheduled at the Dubai World Cup to defend his title. He ran from behind as usual, but he was unable to chase down the tearaway leader, Laurel River, who had a huge comfortable lead, he finished second place.[36] With the money he earned in this race by placing second, he surpassed Equinox, becoming the highest-earning horse in Japanese history with his prize money amounting to 2,215,678,200 yen.[37]

Racing statistics

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The following statistics is based on data available at netkeiba.com,[38] JBIS Search,[39] Emirates Racing Authority,[40] and Total Performance Data.[41]

Date Track Name Grade Distance
(Condition)
Entry HN Odds
(Favored)
Finish Time Margins Jockey Winner
2nd Place)
2019 – two-year-old season
Aug 25 Niigata 2YO Newcomer 1,800 m (Firm) 12 1 12.9 (5) 5th 1:50.6 0.6 Takuya Ono Liguge
Sep 16 Nakayama 2YO Maiden 2,000 m (Yielding) 10 4 8.6 (4) 4th 2:03.4 0.6 Takuya Ono Colombe d'Or
Dec 14 Nakayama 2YO Maiden 2,000 m (Firm) 17 15 27.8 (8) 5th 2:01.5 0.7 Teruo Eda Xenoverse
2020 – three-year-old season
Jan 6 Nakayama 3YO Maiden 2,000 m (Firm) 16 9 6.8 (4) 3rd 2:02.5 0.3 Teruo Eda Flowering Night
Jan 25 Nakayama 3YO Maiden 2,200 m (Firm) 15 6 4.9 (2) 3rd 2:17.4 0.6 Teruo Eda Kanbala
Feb 8 Tokyo 3YO Maiden 2,400 m (Firm) 14 9 5.3 (3) 3rd 2:27.8 0.6 Teruo Eda Eternal Bond
Apr 26 Tokyo 3YO Maiden 2,400 m (Firm) 8 4 2.3 (1) 1st 2:28.5 -0.2 Teruo Eda (Edono Felice)
May 9 Tokyo Principal Stakes L 2,000 m (Firm) 11 5 59.4 (8) 4th 2:00.5 0.7 Teruo Eda Bitter Ender
May 30 Tokyo 3YO Allowance 1 win 2,400 m (Firm) 9 6 5.2 (3) 4th 2:24.8 0.7 Teruo Eda Anticipate
Aug 15 Sapporo 3YO+ Allowance 1 win 2,600 m (Good) 8 6 2.3 (1) 5th 2:43.8 1.4 Takuya Ono Hishi Elegance
Aug 29 Sapporo Rusutsu Tokubetsu 1 win 2,600 m (Firm) 10 10 14.3 (5) 9th 2:44.9 2.0 Takuya Ono Win Kiitos
Sep 20 Nakayama 3YO+ Allowance 1 win 2,500 m (Firm) 14 4 11.5 (5) 9th 2:37.3 1.6 Teruo Eda Baie des Anges
2021 – four-year-old season
Mar 21 Nakayama 4YO+ Allowance 1 win 2,000 m (Yielding) 16 1 53.2 (13) 2nd 2:04.6 0.3 Ikuya Kowata Lovinger
Apr 17 Nakayama 4YO+ Allowance 1 win 2,200 m (Firm) 15 9 8.7 (3) 3rd 2:14.6 0.4 Ikuya Kowata Arata
May 8 Niigata 4YO+ Allowance 1 win 2,200 m (Firm) 11 7 1.9 (1) 1st 2:15.8 -0.5 Katsuma Sameshima (Pole to Win)
Oct 3 Nakayama Ibaraki Shimbun Hai 2 wins 1,800 m (Firm) 12 1 012.8 (5) 6th 1:47.6 0.6 Keita Tosaki Variamente
Oct 16 Tokyo 3YO+ Allowance 2 wins 2,400 m (Firm) 8 1 9.1 (5) 4th 2:29.0 0.3 Keita Tosaki Plume d'Or
Nov 7 Fukushima Sanriku Tokubetsu 2 wins 2,600 m (Firm) 16 9 11.5 (6) 1st 2:40.9 0.0 Hiroto Mayuzumi (Wolf's Howl)
Dec 25 Nakayama Grateful Stakes 3 wins 2,500 m (Good) 10 7 013.6 (5) 4th 2:34.3 0.3 Hiroto Mayuzumi (Veloce Oro)
2022 – five-year-old season
Jan 10 Nakayama Geishun Stakes 3 wins 2,200 m (Firm) 15 10 24.6 (10) 5th 2:15.1 0.4 Keita Tosaki Smile
Feb 5 Tokyo Soshun Stakes 3 wins 2,400 m (Firm) 14 4 025.5 (8) 11th 2:26.8 1.7 Teruo Eda Heart's Histoire
Apr 3 Nakayama Miho Stakes 3 wins 2,000 m (Good) 9 6 16.0 (6) 6th 2:02.3 0.2 Kazuo Yokoyama Evergarden
Apr 30 Tokyo Yokohama Stakes 3 wins 2,100 m (Muddy) 14 10 15.6 (7) 1st 2:08.1 -0.7 Kazuo Yokoyama (Peptide Nile)
Sep 18 Nakayama Radio Nippon Sho OP 1,800 m (Standard) 16 13 8.2 (4) 3rd 1:50.7 0.4 Takuya Kowata Ashaka Tobu
Oct 23 Tokyo Brazil Cup L 2,100 m (Standard) 15 11 2.8 (1) 1st 2:10.0 -0.3 Takuya Kowata (Vaisravana)
Nov 27 Hanshin Canopus Stakes OP 2,000 m (Good) 16 3 3.0 (1) 1st 2:03.7 -0.4 Kazuo Yokoyama (History Maker)
Dec 29 Oi Tokyo Daishoten 1 2,000 m (Standard) 14 6 4.3 (2) 1st 2:05.0 -0.3 Kazuo Yokoyama (Notturno)
2023 – six-year-old season
Feb 1 Kawasaki Kawasaki Kinen JpnI[a] 2,100 m (Standard) 10 5 2.6 (2) 1st 2:16.0 -0.1 Kazuo Yokoyama (T O Keynes)
Mar 25 Meydan Dubai World Cup 1 2,000 m (Standard) 15 14 9.6 (4) 1st 2:03.25 -- Yuga Kawada (Algiers)
Sep 27 Funabashi Nippon TV Hai JpnII[b] 1,800 m (Standard) 11 4 1.6 (1) 1st 1:51.7 -0.5 Yuga Kawada (Tenkaharu)
Nov 4 Santa Anita Breeders' Cup Classic 1 2,000 m (Standard) 12 8 2.1 (1) 5th -- -- Yuga Kawada White Abarrio
Dec 29 Oi Tokyo Daishōten 1 2,000 m (Standard) 9 5 1.7 (1) 1st 2:07.3 -0.1 Yuga Kawada (Wilson Tesoro)
2024 – seven-year-old season
Feb 24 King Abdulaziz Saudi Cup 1 1,800 m (Standard) 14 13 4.9 (2) 2nd 1:49.51 0 Yuga Kawada Senor Buscador
Mar 30 Meydan Dubai World Cup 1 2,000 m (Standard) 12 11 4.05 (2) 2nd 2:03.86 1.5 Yuga Kawada Laurel River
Sep 25 Funabashi Nippon TV Hai JpnII[c] 1,800 m (Standard) 13 4 1.4 (1) 2nd 1:53.0 0.2 Yuga Kawada William Barows
Nov 3 Del Mar Breeder's Cup Classic 1 2,000 m (Standard) 14 7 24.40 (9) 10th -- -- Yuga Kawada Sierra Leone

Legend:
  Dirt   Turf

Notes:

  1. ^ The Kawasaki Kinen is classified as a local, Japanese Grade 1 event. Internationally as a Listed event.
  2. ^ The Nippon TV Hai is classified as a local, Japanese Grade 2 event. Internationally as a Listed event.
  3. ^ The Nippon TV Hai is classified as a local, Japanese Grade 2 event. Internationally as a Listed event.

Personality

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2023 Tokyo Daishoten, paddock

When training or walking around the paddock, Ushba Tesoro always looked unmotivated. Because of this, he was notoriously called by Japanese horseracing fans an "average Monday salaryman,"[42] while the overseas media called him a "lazy worker."[43] Furthermore, his jockey from the Dubai World Cup, Yuga Kawada, mentioned, "He usually tries to return home with the other horses who have already finished galloping before he had even started galloping himself."[43]

His trainer, Noboru Takagi, and the assistant trainer explained, "Regarding his drooping neck when walking the paddock, he is actually concentrating," and "He's fired up and ready to go."[42]

Pedigree

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  • "*" indicates the horse was brought to Japan from abroad.
  • Ushba Tesoro was inbred 4 × 5 to Northern Taste, meaning that this stallion appears in both the fourth and fifth generations of his pedigree.
Pedigree of Ushba Tesoro[1]
Sire
Orfevre
ch. 2008
Stay Gold
d.b. 1994
*Sunday Silence Halo
Wishing Well
Golden Sash *Dictus
Dyna Sash
Oriental Art
ch. 1997
Mejiro McQueen Mejiro Titan
Mejiro Aurora
Electro Art *Northern Taste
*Grandma Stevens
Dam
Millefeui Attach
b. 2006
King Kamehameha
b. 2001
Kingmambo Mr. Prospector
Miesque
*Manfath *Last Tycoon
Pilot Bird
*Sixieme Sens
d.b. 1992
Septieme Ciel Seattle Slew
Maximova
Samalex Ela-Mana-Mou
Pampas Miss

Footnotes

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Notes

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  1. ^ Earnings earned overseas are converted to JPY using the formula provided by JRA by year: 2023,[3] 2024.[4]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o "ウシュバテソーロ". JBISサーチ. Retrieved 2023-03-25.
  2. ^ a b "競走馬情報 - ウシュバテソーロ". 日本中央競馬会. Retrieved 2023-03-25.
  3. ^ 外国の競馬の競走における本賞金の換算について(2023 年)(Foreign Horseracing Prize Money Conversion 2023) - Page 8 (PDF). JRA (in Japanese). Retrieved March 12, 2024.
  4. ^ 外国の競馬の競走における本賞金の換算について(2024 年)(Foreign Horseracing Prize Money Conversion 2024) - Page 8 (PDF). JRA (in Japanese). Retrieved March 12, 2024.
  5. ^ "2023ドバイ・ワールドカップ・デイ施行競走 登録要綱(簡易版)". Retrieved 2023-03-26.
  6. ^ "2024 Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airline". Retrieved 2024-03-31.
  7. ^ "Equibase|Charts". Equibase. Retrieved 2023-11-05.
  8. ^ "2024 サウジカップ|Charts". jairs.jp. Retrieved 2024-02-24.
  9. ^ "「2023年度JRA賞」決定!年度代表馬はイクイノックス! JRA". jra.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-01-09.
  10. ^ INC, SANKEI DIGITAL (2024-01-16). "【NARグランプリ2023】イグナイターが2年連続で地方年度代表馬に決定!". サンスポZBAT! (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-03-31.
  11. ^ "セレクトセール2017 セール結果". 日本競走馬協会. Retrieved 2023-01-09.
  12. ^ "What a Day for Japan!". www.jrha-selectsale.com. Japan Racing Horse Association. 2023-03-30. Archived from the original on 2023-04-30. Retrieved 2023-04-30.
  13. ^ "【POG】ウシュバテソーロ抜群の動き 高木師「能力の高さを感じます」". netkeiba.com (in Japanese). 2019-08-23. Retrieved 2023-04-30.
  14. ^ "【三陸特別】(福島)先行したウシュバテソーロが押し切る". ラジオNIKKEI (in Japanese). 2021-11-07. Retrieved 2023-04-30.
  15. ^ "横浜ステークス|2022年4月30日 | 競馬データベース - netkeiba.com". db.netkeiba.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-04-30.
  16. ^ "ラジオ日本賞|2022年9月18日 | 競馬データベース - netkeiba.com". db.netkeiba.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-04-30.
  17. ^ "ブラジルカップ|2022年10月23日 | 競馬データベース - netkeiba.com". db.netkeiba.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-04-30.
  18. ^ "カノープスステークス|2022年11月27日 | 競馬データベース - netkeiba.com". db.netkeiba.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-04-20.
  19. ^ "【東京大賞典】ウシュバテソーロ、ダート転向5戦目、初挑戦で頂点 砂の新星誕生". 極ウマ. 2022-12-30. Retrieved 2023-04-30.
  20. ^ "東京大賞典競走|2022年12月29日 | 競馬データベース - netkeiba.com". db.netkeiba.com. Retrieved 2023-04-30.
  21. ^ "【地方競馬】4連勝の大出世!ウシュバテソーロが川崎記念を制覇!ドバイWCも視野に". netkeiba.com. 2023-02-01. Retrieved 2023-04-30.
  22. ^ "川崎記念|2023年2月1日 | 競馬データベース - netkeiba.com". db.netkeiba.com. Retrieved 2023-03-26.
  23. ^ a b "4連勝中のウシュバテソーロがドバイWCの招待受諾 川田との新コンビ". 2023-04-30. デイリースポーツ. 2023-02-24. Retrieved 2023-03-26.
  24. ^ "【ドバイワールドC】ウシュバテソーロがV!!5連勝で日本馬2頭目の頂点 川田「アメイジング!」". スポーツニッポン. Retrieved 2023-03-26.
  25. ^ "【ドバイWC】ウシュバテソーロを頂点に導いた川田将雅騎手「日本人騎手が世界で戦えることを示せて誇りに思う」". UMATOKU (in Japanese). Sports Hochi. 2023-03-26. Retrieved 2023-04-30.
  26. ^ "ドバイWC覇者ウシュバテソーロ、BCクラシック挑戦 ステップレースは日本テレビ盃". スポーツニッポン. Retrieved 2023-04-19.
  27. ^ 松田直樹. "ウシュバテソーロ貫禄の2馬身半差圧勝!米BCクラシック制覇に順調に歩み進める/日本テレビ盃 - 共通 | 競馬 : 日刊スポーツ". nikkansports.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-03-31.
  28. ^ "米ブリーダーズカップ出走予定の日本馬9頭が現地到着 各陣営がコメント | 競馬ニュース". netkeiba (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-03-31.
  29. ^ "【BCクラシック】5着ウシュバテソーロはドバイに続く快挙達成ならず 川田「世界一の舞台に精一杯チャレンジしてくれた」". 東スポ競馬 (in Japanese). 2023-11-05. Retrieved 2024-03-31.
  30. ^ "BCクラシック5着ウシュバテソーロは東京大賞典を検討 来春はドバイWC連覇目指す | 競馬ニュース". netkeiba (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-03-31.
  31. ^ "【東京大賞典】ウシュバテソーロが大外一気で連覇 来年は再び世界挑戦へ". 東スポ競馬 (in Japanese). 2023-12-29. Retrieved 2024-03-31.
  32. ^ "【JRA賞】特別賞にドバイ・ワールドC制覇のウシュバテソーロ 高木調教師「直行で連覇目指し進めていく」". スポーツ報知 (in Japanese). 2024-01-09. Retrieved 2024-03-31.
  33. ^ INC, SANKEI DIGITAL (2024-01-16). "【NARグランプリ2023】イグナイターが2年連続で地方年度代表馬に決定!". サンスポZBAT! (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-03-31.
  34. ^ "日本馬ウシュバテソーロ2着 世界最高賞金サウジカップ". 日本経済新聞 (in Japanese). 2024-02-25. Retrieved 2024-03-31.
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  36. ^ "【ドバイWC】ウシュバテソーロ 末脚爆発も連覇逃す 川田騎手「あれだけしっかり走られては、どの馬にもノーチャンス」|テレ東スポーツ:テレ東". テレ東 (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-03-31.
  37. ^ "ドバイWCで2着好走のウシュバテソーロ 総獲得賞金で歴代1位浮上 | 競馬ニュース". netkeiba (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-03-31.
  38. ^ "ウシュバテソーロの競走成績". netkeiba.com. Net Dreamers Co., Ltd. Retrieved 2023-03-25.
  39. ^ "ウシュバテソーロ 競走成績". JBISサーチ. 公益社団法人日本軽種馬協会. Retrieved 2023-03-25.
  40. ^ "Emirates Racing Authority". emiratesracing.com. エミレーツ競馬協会. Retrieved 2023-03-26.
  41. ^ "Total Performance Data". Retrieved 2023-04-07.
  42. ^ a b "【ブリーダーズカップ】ウシュバテソーロの独特すぎる「やる気サイン」 〝見た目〟は月曜朝のサラリーマン…実は気合十分!". 東スポ競馬 (in Japanese). 2023-10-31. Retrieved 2024-03-31.
  43. ^ a b 編集部, GJ. "BCクラシック参戦のウシュバテソーロ!「怠惰な労働者」は転向から1年半で世界最強ダートホースとなるか!?". GJ | 真剣勝負の裏にある真実に斬り込むニュースサイト. Retrieved 2024-03-31.