According to sources in Japan, mighty racemare Vodka has been retired after bleeding from the nose when disappointing on last week's Super Thursday card at the Dubai Carnival.
The six-year-old will now be sent to Ireland, where she will be covered by last year's world champion Sea The Stars.
One of the most popular horses in Japanese racing history, Vodka finished only eighth behind compatriot Red Desire when well fancied for the third round of the Maktoum Challenge at Meydan, where she was being primed for the Dubai World Cup.
Twice named Japan's horse of the year, Vodka made history in 2007 when she became the first filly in 64 years to win the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby), one of seven Grade 1 victories for the highest-earning female racehorse the world has ever seen.
A daughter of Tanino Gimlet, Vodka was trained by Katsuhiko Sumii and ridden for most of her glittering career by Yutaka Take before Christophe Lemaire took over last year and duly partnered her to a famous Japan Cup victory as she touched off Oken Bruce Lee.
Vodka landed at least one Grade 1 event in each of her four seasons on the track before 2010.
In 2006, she won the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies, Japan's only Grade 1 event for two-year-old fillies, but each of her subsequent top-level wins came at Tokyo racecourse, where she has long since earned superstar status.
After winning the Derby in 2007, 2008 saw her win both the Yasuda Kinen and Tenno Sho (autumn) before finishing third in the Japan Cup.
In 2009 she won the Victoria Mile before a repeat success in the Yasuda Kinen and then the Japan Cup, after which connections decided to target her for the world's richest race in Dubai.
SOURCE : www.racingpost.co.uk (Nicholas Godfrey)