Narita Brian

Narita Brian (Japanese: ナリタブライアン, Hepburn: Narita Buraian; May 3, 1991 – September 27, 1998) was a Japanese Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. Until Special Week surpassed him in 1999, Narita Brian was Japan's top money earner. He was the fifth colt to win the Japanese Triple Crown in 1994, and also won the Arima Kinen in the same year. Narita Brian was nicknamed the "shadow roll monster" because he wore a shadow roll while racing. He debuted in August 1993 and, from November of that year until March 1995, achieved five consecutive GI wins, including the Classic Triple Crown, and placed in the top two in 10 consecutive races. He was awarded the 1993 JRA Award for Best Three-Year-Old Colt and was chosen as the 1994 JRA Horse of the Year as well as Best Four-Year-Old Colt. After developing a hip joint disease in the spring of 1995, his performance declined, winning only one graded race in six starts (with no GI victories in five starts). However, he drew fan attention with the match race against Mayano Top Gun at the 44th Hanshin Daishoten and by running in short-distance races such as the 26th Takamatsunomiya Kinen. Following tendonitis that developed after running in the Takamatsunomiya Kinen, he was retired from racing in October 1996. He became a sire after retirement, but in September 1998, he suffered a stomach rupture and was euthanized.