Grade 1-placed as a juvenile, Wajima blossomed at 3. While he missed the American Triple Crown events, he had a strong enough record in the second half of the 1975 racing season to edge out Foolish Pleasure as the best American 3-year-old male of the year. He did not race as a 4-year-old and was a disappointing sire.
Race record
16 starts, 9 wins, 5 seconds, 0 thirds, US$537,837
1974:
1975:
Honors
Eclipse Award, American champion 3-year-old male (1975)
Assessments
Rated at 113 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1974, 14 pounds below champion Foolish Pleasure.
Co-highweighted with Foolish Pleasure on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1975, 1 pound above Preakness Stakes winner Master Derby and Belmont Stakes winner Avatar.
As an individual
A well-balanced bay horse standing 16.1½ hands, Wajima had a deep chest and powerful hindquarters with hocks well let down. He had a long stride and an equable temperament and could be placed as his jockey desired. His 2-year-old campaign was limited by bucked shins, and he was kept out of the American Triple Crown races by a splint in his left foreleg. A completely honest horse who always gave his best, he was courageous and determined in a drive.
As a stallion
According to records compiled by The Jockey Club, Wajima sired 266 winners (55.0%) and 26 stakes winners (5.6%) from 484 named foals of racing age.
Notable progeny
Key to the Moon (CAN)
Notable progeny of daughters
The Iron (VEN)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Wajima was bred by Claiborne Farm and was sold through the 1973 Keeneland July yearling sale for US$600,000. He was owned by East-West Stable (Zenya Yoshida, Harold Snyder, Dr. James Welch, and James Scully) and was trained by Steve DiMauro. He was ridden by Braulio Baeza throughout his racing career. He entered stud in Kentucky in 1976 at Spendthrift Farm. In 1987, he moved to nearby Stone Farm. He was pensioned in 1992 and remained at Stone Farm until he was euthanized due to the infirmities of old age in August 2001. He was buried at Stone Farm.
Pedigree notes
Wajima is inbred 4x4 to English and French champion sire Pharos and 5x5 to three-time English champion sire Blandford. He is a half brother to the 1970 Everglades Stakes winner and good sire Naskra (by Nasram) and to Veroushka (by Njijinsky II), dam of multiple Grade 2 winner Lucence (by Majestic Light) and 1986 Demoiselle Stakes (USA-G2) winner Gild (by Mr. Prospector), second dam of multiple Grade 3 winner Discover, and third dam of Grade 2 winner High Ridge Road, multiple Grade 3 winner High Stakes Player, and Grade 3 winner Senor Rojo. Wajima is also a half brother to Accommodate (by Honest Pleasure), dam of multiple listed stakes winner Accomodator (by His Majesty), and to Tender Logic (by Hail to Reason), third dam of Grade 3 winner Top Notch Lady.
Wajima and his siblings were produced from the winning French import Iskra, whose sire Le Haar won the 1957 Prix Jean Prat and led the French general sire list in 1963. Iskra is a half sister to 1960 Prix Vermeille winner Lezghinka (by Golden Charger) and to French stakes winner Sila (by St. Paul II).
Iskra, in turn, is out of Fasciola, whose sire Fastnet (by Pharos) was a good stakes winner in France and India before becoming a good sire of both flat racers and steeplechasers in France. Produced from Foxcraft (by 1929 Ascot Gold Cup winner Foxhunter), Fasciola is a full sister to 1951 Doncaster Cup winner and 1952 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud winner Fast Fox and a half sister to 1953 Grand Prix de Marseille winner Faircraft (by Fair Copy).
Books and media
Footage of Wajima’s victory in the 1975 Marlboro Gold Cup can be accessed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwRikOF_Sbo.
Fun facts
Last updated: July 4, 2025
Race record
16 starts, 9 wins, 5 seconds, 0 thirds, US$537,837
1974:
- 2nd Laurel Futurity (USA-G1, 8.5FD, Laurel)
1975:
- Won Monmouth Invitational Handicap (USA, 9FD, Monmouth)
- Won Travers Stakes (USA-G1, 10FD, Saratoga)
- Won Governor Stakes (USA-G1, 9FD, Belmont)
- Won Marlboro Cup Handicap (USA-G1, 10FD, Belmont)
- Won Marylander Handicap (USA, 9FD, Bowie; new track record 1:49)
- 2nd Woodward Stakes (USA-G1, 12FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (USA-G1, 16FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Saranac Stakes (USA-G2, 8FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Dwyer Handicap (USA-G2, 9FD, Belmont)
Honors
Eclipse Award, American champion 3-year-old male (1975)
Assessments
Rated at 113 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1974, 14 pounds below champion Foolish Pleasure.
Co-highweighted with Foolish Pleasure on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1975, 1 pound above Preakness Stakes winner Master Derby and Belmont Stakes winner Avatar.
As an individual
A well-balanced bay horse standing 16.1½ hands, Wajima had a deep chest and powerful hindquarters with hocks well let down. He had a long stride and an equable temperament and could be placed as his jockey desired. His 2-year-old campaign was limited by bucked shins, and he was kept out of the American Triple Crown races by a splint in his left foreleg. A completely honest horse who always gave his best, he was courageous and determined in a drive.
As a stallion
According to records compiled by The Jockey Club, Wajima sired 266 winners (55.0%) and 26 stakes winners (5.6%) from 484 named foals of racing age.
Notable progeny
Key to the Moon (CAN)
Notable progeny of daughters
The Iron (VEN)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Wajima was bred by Claiborne Farm and was sold through the 1973 Keeneland July yearling sale for US$600,000. He was owned by East-West Stable (Zenya Yoshida, Harold Snyder, Dr. James Welch, and James Scully) and was trained by Steve DiMauro. He was ridden by Braulio Baeza throughout his racing career. He entered stud in Kentucky in 1976 at Spendthrift Farm. In 1987, he moved to nearby Stone Farm. He was pensioned in 1992 and remained at Stone Farm until he was euthanized due to the infirmities of old age in August 2001. He was buried at Stone Farm.
Pedigree notes
Wajima is inbred 4x4 to English and French champion sire Pharos and 5x5 to three-time English champion sire Blandford. He is a half brother to the 1970 Everglades Stakes winner and good sire Naskra (by Nasram) and to Veroushka (by Njijinsky II), dam of multiple Grade 2 winner Lucence (by Majestic Light) and 1986 Demoiselle Stakes (USA-G2) winner Gild (by Mr. Prospector), second dam of multiple Grade 3 winner Discover, and third dam of Grade 2 winner High Ridge Road, multiple Grade 3 winner High Stakes Player, and Grade 3 winner Senor Rojo. Wajima is also a half brother to Accommodate (by Honest Pleasure), dam of multiple listed stakes winner Accomodator (by His Majesty), and to Tender Logic (by Hail to Reason), third dam of Grade 3 winner Top Notch Lady.
Wajima and his siblings were produced from the winning French import Iskra, whose sire Le Haar won the 1957 Prix Jean Prat and led the French general sire list in 1963. Iskra is a half sister to 1960 Prix Vermeille winner Lezghinka (by Golden Charger) and to French stakes winner Sila (by St. Paul II).
Iskra, in turn, is out of Fasciola, whose sire Fastnet (by Pharos) was a good stakes winner in France and India before becoming a good sire of both flat racers and steeplechasers in France. Produced from Foxcraft (by 1929 Ascot Gold Cup winner Foxhunter), Fasciola is a full sister to 1951 Doncaster Cup winner and 1952 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud winner Fast Fox and a half sister to 1953 Grand Prix de Marseille winner Faircraft (by Fair Copy).
Books and media
Footage of Wajima’s victory in the 1975 Marlboro Gold Cup can be accessed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwRikOF_Sbo.
Fun facts
- Wajima (“Circular Sea” in Japanese) was named for a noted sumo wrestler, Wajima Hiroshi. The 54th man to attain sumo wrestling’s highest rank as a yokozuna, he won 14 tournament championships during his career. Wajima is also the name of a Japanese city located in Ishikawa Prefecture. The city is noted for a unique variety of lacquerware and is also the home of the Shiroyone Senmaida Rice Terraces, a collection of over one thousand rice terraces which are together considered one of the prefecture’s most scenic locations. In honor of the victims of the 2007 Noto Earthquake, the terraces are lit for about four hours nightly from the end of September until the beginning of the rice-growing season in March.
- Wajima’s purchase price of US$600,000 was a record for a Thoroughbred yearling sold at auction. When the bidding opened on Wajima, the auctioneer set the opening bid at an unprecedented US$500,000.
- Wajima’s champion sophomore season made Zenya Yoshida the first Japanese owner to campaign an American champion.
- Wajima was the last champion sired by eight-time American champion sire Bold Ruler, who was euthanized due to sinus cancer in July 1971.
- Wajima helped Steve DiMauro join the exclusive club of trainers who have handled two or more divisional champions in the same year, as DiMauro also trained 1975 American champion 2-year-old filly Dearly Precious. DiMauro won the 1975 Eclipse Award as America's top trainer based on the accomplishments of his two stars.
- At the end of the 1975 racing season, Wajima’s four owners drew straws to determine who would keep which of Wajima’s racing trophies.
Last updated: July 4, 2025