Filly Triple Crown winner Liberty Island withdraws from Hong Kong Queen Elizabeth II Cup and is euthanized due to poor prognosis
Liberty Island, who became the seventh horse in the history of Japanese horse racing to win the Triple Crown for fillies in 2023, withdrew from the race at the Queen Elizabeth II Cup held in Hong Kong on Sunday, April 27, 2025, and was euthanized after being diagnosed with poor prognosis. She was 5 years old. The race was a one-two finish for Tastiella and Prognosis, who both competed from Japan.
Results - Racing Information - Horse Racing - The Hong Kong Jockey Club
The Hong Kong Jockey Club has posted a replay of the race on YouTube below.
[FWD Champions Day 2025] FWD QEII Cup Race Replay - YouTube
Liberty Island is on the far outside (at the far end of the photo), horse number 11. The jockey riding him is Masayoshi Kawada, who has been his partner in every race since his debut. Other horses competing from Japan include 2023 Derby winner Tastiella and three-time GⅡ winner Prognosis.
The race started with No. 5 Elvencedor from New Zealand taking the lead, while No. 3 Tastiella was in the lead pack, and Liberty Island and No. 2 Prognosis were racing from the back.
As they rounded the final corner, the pack became one big bunch. Tastiella and Liberty Island were both on the outside of the pack, waiting to move ahead. Prognosis was still at the back.
Elvencedor held on until the straight, and was attacked by local Hong Kong Derby winner No. 9 Cap Ferrat and Tastiella. Liberty Island was also trying to move forward from behind. Prognosis was coming up from the outside of the pack.
With about 300 meters remaining, No. 7 Ensud, who was following the lead pack, changed course to the left (right side of the screen), and Liberty Island, who was running next to him on the left, was pushed even further to the left and became sandwiched between the pack that was already running on the left side, losing its way.
After a brief battle, Liberty Island slowed down and dropped back, while Tastiella took the lead by a length over Cap Ferrat. Jockey Kawada explained that the narrowing of the path was unrelated to Liberty Island's breakdown.
Prognosis came from behind with a vengeance, but Tastiella came up just a length short and won.
Liberty Island was withdrawn from the race and was euthanized due to its poor prognosis.
Liberty Island was born in 2020. After winning the G1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies, the 2-year-old queen race, in 2022, she won the Oka Sho, Yushun Himba (Oaks), and Shuka Sho in 2023, becoming the seventh horse in history to achieve the Filly Triple Crown.
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