King Kamehameha (JPN)
March 20, 2001 – August 10, 2019
Kingmambo (USA) x Manfath (IRE), by Last Tycoon (IRE)
Family 22-d
March 20, 2001 – August 10, 2019
Kingmambo (USA) x Manfath (IRE), by Last Tycoon (IRE)
Family 22-d
A first-class racehorse and Classic winner in Japan, King Kamehameha became a champion sire and champion broodmare sire in Japan and has had some influence in Korea as well. In addition, King Kamehameha has led the American broodmare sire list for three years.
Race record
8 starts, 7 wins, 0 seconds, 1 third, ¥429,733,000
2004:
At the time that King Kamehameha raced, Japanese Group races were accorded listed status by the International Catalogue. Within Japan, his wins in the Tokyo Yushun and NHK Mile Cup were considered Group 1 races; the Kobe Shimbun Hai was a Group 2 event, and the Mainichi Hai was a Group 3 race.
Honors
Japanese champion 3-year-old male (2004)
Assessments
Rated at 117 pounds on the World Thoroughbred Rankings for 2004, 13 pounds below overall highweight Ghostzapper (the American Horse of the Year) and 5th among Japanese-based horses.
Earned a Timeform rating of 125 pounds at 3.
As an individual
A short-coupled, powerful bay horse with prominent withers, King Kamehameha was retired due to tendonitis in his right foreleg. At the time of his death, he had poor sight due to cataracts.
As a stallion
King Kamehameha was a versatile stallion whose progeny excelled from sprint distances up to 2400 meters and won at the top level over both dirt and turf. His progeny were said to be extremely determined. According to records maintained by The Jockey Club, King Kamehameha sired 1220 winners (68.4%) and 102 stakes winners (5.7%) from 1784 named foals of racing age.
Sire rankings
Per Arion Pedigrees (https://www.arion.co.nz):
Per The Blood-Horse:
Per Japan Bloodstock Information Systems (https://www.jbis.jp/ranking/):
Per the Korean Stud Book (https://studbook.kra.co.kr/neweng/main.jsp):
Notable progeny
Arapane (JPN), Belshazzar (JPN), Chuwa Wizard (JPN), Duramente (JPN), Hokko Tarumae (JPN), Jun Light Bolt (JPN), Leontes (JPN), Let’s Go Donki (JPN), Lord Kanaloa (JPN), Lovely Day (JPN), Mikki Rocket (JPN), Peptide Nile (JPN), Rey de Oro (JPN), Rose Kingdom (JPN), Rulership (JPN), Stunning Rose (JPN)
Notable progeny of daughters
Akaitorino Musume (JPN), Blast Onepiece (JPN), Daring Tact (JPN), Indy Champ (JPN), Mozu Katchan (JPN), Ushba Tesoro (JPN), Wagnerian (JPN)
Connections
King Kamehameha was bred by Katsumi Yoshida’s Northern Farm. A ¥81,900,000 purchase as a weanling, he raced for Makoto Kaneko. He was trained by Kunihide Matsudo and was ridden to his win in the Tokyo Yushun by Katsumi Ando. He entered stud at Shadai Stallion Station in 2005. He died from a chronic condition that was rapidly weakening his immune system in August 2019, about a month after he was officially pensioned.
Pedigree notes
King Kamehameha is inbred to the great international sire Northern Dancer, the 1964 Canadian Horse of the Year and American champion 3-year-old male. He is a half brother to 2000 Santa Anita Derby (USA-G1) winner The Deputy (by Petardia). He is also a half brother to Travessia (by Deep Impact), second dam of Japanese Group 3 winner Ho O Biscuits.
Manfath, the dam of King Kamehameha, placed third once from seven starts. She is a daughter of 1986 European champion sprinter Last Tycoon, the Australian champion sire of 1993/94, out of English listed stakes winner Pilot Bird (by 1969 Derby Stakes winner Blakeney). Produced from the Green Dancer mare The Dancer, she is a half sister to listed stakes winners Mack the Knife (by Kris) and Pretty Lady (by High Top). She is also a half sister to Spring Reel (by Mill Reef), second dam of multiple Group 1 winner Musir, multiple South African Group 2 winner Merhee, and South African Group 3 winner Moofeed.
A winner of two stakes races in England, The Dancer ran third in the 1980 Oaks Stakes (ENG-G1). She is a full sister to Kazadancoa, dam of 1994 Schuylerville Stakes (USA-G2) winner Changing Ways (by Time for a Change), 1995 Santa Anita Breeders’ Cup Handicap (USA-G3) winner Jacodra’s Devil (by Devil’s Bag), and 1991 Potrero Grande Handicap (USA-G3) winner Jacodra (by Highland Park) and second dam of 2017 American champion turf female Lady Eli; Grade 2 winners More Royal, Pays to Dream, and Tejano Run; and multiple Grade 3 winner Bizzy Caroline. Produced from the Charlottesville mare Khazaeen, The Dancer is a half sister to The Dundass (by Amber Rama), a stakes winner in Trinidad and Tobago, and is also a half sister to Beaming Bride (by King Emperor), dam of multiple Grade/Group 1 winner Alwuhush (by Nureyev), 1993 Rothmans Ltd. International Stakes (CAN-G1) winner Husband (by Diesis), multiple Grade 2 winner Simply Majestic (by Majestic Light), and French listed stakes winner Pia Bride (by El Gran Senor).
Fun facts
Last updated: February 4, 2025
Race record
8 starts, 7 wins, 0 seconds, 1 third, ¥429,733,000
2004:
- Won Toyko Yushun (Japanese Derby) (JPN-L, 2400mT, Tokyo)
- Won NHK Mile Cup (JPN-L, 1600mT, Tokyo)
- Won Kobe Shimbun Hai (JPN-L, 2000mT, Hanshin)
- Won Mainichi Hai (JPN-L, 2000mT, Hanshin)
- Won Sumire Hai (JPN-L, 2000mT, Hanshin)
- 3rd Keisei Hai (JPN-L, 2000mT, Nakayama)
At the time that King Kamehameha raced, Japanese Group races were accorded listed status by the International Catalogue. Within Japan, his wins in the Tokyo Yushun and NHK Mile Cup were considered Group 1 races; the Kobe Shimbun Hai was a Group 2 event, and the Mainichi Hai was a Group 3 race.
Honors
Japanese champion 3-year-old male (2004)
Assessments
Rated at 117 pounds on the World Thoroughbred Rankings for 2004, 13 pounds below overall highweight Ghostzapper (the American Horse of the Year) and 5th among Japanese-based horses.
Earned a Timeform rating of 125 pounds at 3.
As an individual
A short-coupled, powerful bay horse with prominent withers, King Kamehameha was retired due to tendonitis in his right foreleg. At the time of his death, he had poor sight due to cataracts.
As a stallion
King Kamehameha was a versatile stallion whose progeny excelled from sprint distances up to 2400 meters and won at the top level over both dirt and turf. His progeny were said to be extremely determined. According to records maintained by The Jockey Club, King Kamehameha sired 1220 winners (68.4%) and 102 stakes winners (5.7%) from 1784 named foals of racing age.
Sire rankings
Per Arion Pedigrees (https://www.arion.co.nz):
- Led the Japanese general sire list in 2010 and 2011; 2nd in 2012-2018; 5th in 2019-2021; 6th in 2022.
- Led the Japanese broodmare sire list in 2020-2023; 2nd in 2019 and 2024; 3rd in 2018.
- 5th on the Korean broodmare sire list in 2023; 8th in 2024.
- 4th on the North American broodmare sire list in 2022.
Per The Blood-Horse:
- Led the American broodmare sire list in 2020, 2023, and 2024; 4th in 2022.
- 9th on the International general sire list in 2022.
Per Japan Bloodstock Information Systems (https://www.jbis.jp/ranking/):
- Led the Japanese general sire list in 2010 and 2011; 2nd in 2012-2018; 5th in 2019-2021; 6th in 2022; 9th in 2009.
- Led the Japanese broodmare sire list in 2020-2023; 2nd in 2019 and 2024; 3rd in 2018.
- Led the Japanese juvenile sire list in 2009
Per the Korean Stud Book (https://studbook.kra.co.kr/neweng/main.jsp):
- 5th on the Korean broodmare sire list in 2023; 8th in 2024.
Notable progeny
Arapane (JPN), Belshazzar (JPN), Chuwa Wizard (JPN), Duramente (JPN), Hokko Tarumae (JPN), Jun Light Bolt (JPN), Leontes (JPN), Let’s Go Donki (JPN), Lord Kanaloa (JPN), Lovely Day (JPN), Mikki Rocket (JPN), Peptide Nile (JPN), Rey de Oro (JPN), Rose Kingdom (JPN), Rulership (JPN), Stunning Rose (JPN)
Notable progeny of daughters
Akaitorino Musume (JPN), Blast Onepiece (JPN), Daring Tact (JPN), Indy Champ (JPN), Mozu Katchan (JPN), Ushba Tesoro (JPN), Wagnerian (JPN)
Connections
King Kamehameha was bred by Katsumi Yoshida’s Northern Farm. A ¥81,900,000 purchase as a weanling, he raced for Makoto Kaneko. He was trained by Kunihide Matsudo and was ridden to his win in the Tokyo Yushun by Katsumi Ando. He entered stud at Shadai Stallion Station in 2005. He died from a chronic condition that was rapidly weakening his immune system in August 2019, about a month after he was officially pensioned.
Pedigree notes
King Kamehameha is inbred to the great international sire Northern Dancer, the 1964 Canadian Horse of the Year and American champion 3-year-old male. He is a half brother to 2000 Santa Anita Derby (USA-G1) winner The Deputy (by Petardia). He is also a half brother to Travessia (by Deep Impact), second dam of Japanese Group 3 winner Ho O Biscuits.
Manfath, the dam of King Kamehameha, placed third once from seven starts. She is a daughter of 1986 European champion sprinter Last Tycoon, the Australian champion sire of 1993/94, out of English listed stakes winner Pilot Bird (by 1969 Derby Stakes winner Blakeney). Produced from the Green Dancer mare The Dancer, she is a half sister to listed stakes winners Mack the Knife (by Kris) and Pretty Lady (by High Top). She is also a half sister to Spring Reel (by Mill Reef), second dam of multiple Group 1 winner Musir, multiple South African Group 2 winner Merhee, and South African Group 3 winner Moofeed.
A winner of two stakes races in England, The Dancer ran third in the 1980 Oaks Stakes (ENG-G1). She is a full sister to Kazadancoa, dam of 1994 Schuylerville Stakes (USA-G2) winner Changing Ways (by Time for a Change), 1995 Santa Anita Breeders’ Cup Handicap (USA-G3) winner Jacodra’s Devil (by Devil’s Bag), and 1991 Potrero Grande Handicap (USA-G3) winner Jacodra (by Highland Park) and second dam of 2017 American champion turf female Lady Eli; Grade 2 winners More Royal, Pays to Dream, and Tejano Run; and multiple Grade 3 winner Bizzy Caroline. Produced from the Charlottesville mare Khazaeen, The Dancer is a half sister to The Dundass (by Amber Rama), a stakes winner in Trinidad and Tobago, and is also a half sister to Beaming Bride (by King Emperor), dam of multiple Grade/Group 1 winner Alwuhush (by Nureyev), 1993 Rothmans Ltd. International Stakes (CAN-G1) winner Husband (by Diesis), multiple Grade 2 winner Simply Majestic (by Majestic Light), and French listed stakes winner Pia Bride (by El Gran Senor).
Fun facts
- The Kamehameha dynasty of Hawai’i ruled the Kingdom of Hawai’i from 1795 to 1874. The dynasty was founded by Kamehameha I, who was the first monarch to unite all the major islands of Hawai’i under one rule, and included four other kings of that name.
Last updated: February 4, 2025