Nakayama Festa has reportedly passed away on August 23, 2026 at 20 years old. He was a horse loved by many in life, even as an umamusume. According to a post, he had been dealing with health issues since earlier this month. Still, this was really unexpected. I never thought he would be gone so soon. Personally, I've really liked Festa, he was a kind of underdog during his racing years. His first and last G1 win, the Takarazuka Kinen, was amazing. Nakayama snatched the win as only the 8th favorite, beating Dream Journey and Buena Vista. Another notable race he ran was the 2010 Prix de L'arc de Triomphe, one of the most prestigious races in the world. For context, the Arc is an international French race no Japanese horse has ever won for decades. Nakayama Festa was probably the closest a Japanese horse has gotten to victory at that race, losing by only a small margin. Rest in peace, Nakayama Festa. May you reunite with your owners and caretakers.
- Music is Gift (off-vocal) from Umamusume: Pretty Derby
