Champion Sire King Kamehameha Dead at 18

Mark Smith - Sunday August 11

Less than two weeks after the loss of Deep Impact, Shadai Stallion Station suffered another blow with the death on Saturday of King Kamehameha (Kingmambo), the twice leading sire in Japan in 2010 and 2011.

Purchased as a foal for 78 million yen by Makoto Kaneko, King Kamehameha was crowned Japanese champion 3-year-old in 2004, highlighted by his win the Japanese Derby.

Recently pensioned, King Kamehameha had been on restricted duties since 2016.


He is the sire of Japanese champions Leontes, Duramente, Rey De Oro, Lovely Day, the fillies' Triple Crown winner Apapane, Hong Kong Group 1 victor Rulership and the champion sprinter Lord Kanaloa who has made an exceptional start to his stud career as the sire of the champion Almond Eye.

King Kamehameha's breeder Katsumi Yoshida of Northern Farm told the Racing Post: "I heard he passed at 5am. In the past five years his condition had improved and then got worse again. His sight was poor because of a cataract.

"Although two huge stars have gone, they have left successors for the next generation. King Kamehameha made a tremendous contribution not only to this farm but also to the Japanese racing scene. I would like to say thank you very much to him."

Following his two sire championships, King Kamehameha was a perennial runner-up to Deep Impact but he was also the Japanese Champion Two-Year-Old Sire in 2008 and 2009.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Kiwi Longshot Hope for Cup
Grant Cooksley came tantalisingly close to getting his hands on the Melbourne Cup as a jockey, and he is hoping to rectify that on Tuesday as a trainer when he lines-up Trust In You in the two-mile feature.
Will it be a fairytale finish for Tasmanian-bred mare The Map?
Fresh from sweeping the sire awards at the 2024 Tasmanian Racing Awards this season, the Armidale Stud team is in line for another significant achievement with The Map (Alpine Eagle x This Moment) flying the flag for resident stallion Alpine Eagle in the 2024 Lexus Melbourne Cup on Tuesday 5 November.
Antrim Coast to Fly Flag for The Oaks Stud
The well-renowned colours of The Oaks Stud will feature across two feature Trans-Tasman meetings this week, kicking off with Antrim Coast lining up in the Listed Furphy Plate (1800m) on Melbourne Cup Day at Flemington.
Sires With Winners - Monday November 4
Here is the full list of 21 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Melbourne Cup Tips – Tara Talks Racing
Tara Talks Racing is now online having had a Sunday arvo drink or two as we go through the Cup horses, so what do Clocker and I like for this year’s Melbourne Cup?
Zoustar 6YO Stepping up to 2000m
Pre-post favourite Habana will head into unfamiliar territory at Ellerslie, but there is confidence in his camp that it will be a smooth transition.
Juvenile Trial Watch – Rosehill
Two heats at the Rosehill trials on Monday morning over 900m and the quickest of those was won by an expensive son of Golden Slipper winning first season sire Farnan.
Kiwi Grey Targets Subzero on Cup Day
The Subzero Handicap (1400m), a race solely for registered grey thoroughbreds, has proven to be a fan favourite at Flemington on Melbourne Cup Day, and this year, Kiwis will have their own grey to barrack for.
Bellatrix Star May Back Up in G1 Champions Sprint
Te Akau and Fortuna Racing’s filly Bellatrix Star proved she is among Australia’s top sprinting three-year-olds last Saturday at Flemington, finishing second in the A$2 million Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m).
Te Akau Chasing Another Cup Day Success
Last year’s Melbourne Cup Day concluded in success for Mark Walker in the Gr.3 Hong Kong Jockey Club Stakes (1400m), a race he will chase back-to-back crowns in on Tuesday with Kiwi mare Quintessa.