Champion and Hall of Fame racemare Azeri has been pensioned from her broodmare career in Japan. Azeri has resided in Japan since she was purchased for $2.25 million by Katsumi Yoshida at the 2009 Keeneland November breeding stock sale, and has now moved into a new phase of her life in her adopted home. The Northern Horse Park in Tomakomai on the island of Hokkaido recently posted a video showing Azeri, a 23-year-old daughter of Jade Hunter, in her new role as a "lead horse," an older mare turned out with weanlings or newly turned yearlings in order to provide companionship and equine leadership. "Azeri is strong and tough, teaching the weanlings social skills," the Horse Park's video stated. The other "lead mares" at the Northern Horse Park include Japanese champion Biwa Heidi, in turn the dam of champion Buena Vista and Japanese champion and multiple stakes producer To the Victory. The newly turned yearlings in the group presided over by Biwa Heidi include Azeri's final foal, a 2020 filly by Eclipse Award champion sprinter Drefong, who began his stud career in Japan in 2018. The Northern Horse Park described the filly as "cheeky." :: DRF BREEDING LIVE: Real-time coverage of breeding and sales Azeri, who raced as a homebred for the Allen E. Paulson Living Trust, was Horse of the Year in 2002 for a campaign that included seven graded stakes victories. Under the care of Laura De Seroux, she captured, in succession, the Grade 1 Santa Margarita Handicap, Grade 1 Apple Blossom Handicap, Grade 1 Milady Handicap, Grade 1 Vanity Handicap, Grade 2 Clement L. Hirsch Handicap, and Grade 2 Lady's Secret Handicap. She concluded the campaign with a five-length victory in the Breeders' Cup Distaff at Arlington Park. Azeri was also honored as the Eclipse Award outstanding older female for 2002, and claimed that title again in 2003, with repeat victories in the Apple Blossom, Milady, Vanity, and Clement Hirsch. In 2004, Azeri was transferred to Wayne Lukas, and scored a third straight win in the Apple Blossom. In a campaign that included multiple starts against top-level males, she added Grade 1 tallies in the Go for Wand at Saratoga and Spinster at Keeneland, enough for a third straight divisional Eclipse. She retired at the end of that season with a record of 24-17-4-0 and earnings of $4,079,820. She was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 2010. Azeri produced 12 foals during her broodmare career - her first three in the U.S. before nine in Japan. Her two daughters born in the U.S. are multiple graded stakes winner Wine Princess, by Ghostzapper, and Grade 2-placed Arienza, by Giant's Causeway. Both are now the dams of winners. In Japan, she is the dam of Group 2-placed runners Leukerbad and Shirvanshah, both by legendary Japanese sire Deep Impact.