Just three days after fans saw Buena Vista mark the end of her racing career on Christmas Day, the retirement of 2011 Dubai World Cup winner Victoire Pisa was announced, news not wholly unexpected after recent lackluster runs -- an eighth place in the Arima Kinen (The Grand Prix) and a 13th in the Japan Cup.

The Japan-bred, Neo Universe-sired Victoire Pisa, who turned 5 with the turn of the year, will stand at Shadai Stallion Station in Hokkaido. Victoire Pisa ended his career with 8 wins, including three of Grade 1 races, in 15 starts at home and abroad. Trainer Katsuhiko Sumii expressed his regrets over the decision to retire his stable's star runner, but with an eye to priorities, said, “He hasn't been able to give us results in his last two races and I am truly apologetic. But, the most important thing is that he does not suffer any major injuries and that I can bring him safely to stud duty in Hokkaido.”

Plagued by injuries and forced to withdraw from a planned Hong Kong run following the World Cup, Victoire Pisa failed to again attain anywhere near the heights he reached at Meydan Racecourse in the United Arab Emirates city of Dubai.

Last year, on March 26, just 15 days after Japan was hit by a massive earthquake, the then 4-year-old led a historical one-two finish for Japan in its first win of the World Cup. In doing so, the colt also helped give hope and encouragement to a nation reeling in the aftermath of March 11's triple blow.

Already in Dubai for the race at the time of the earthquake that hit Japan's northern east coast, a quake that then set off a devastating tsunami that triggered a nuclear disaster, Victoire Pisa's connections, owner Yoshimi Ichikawa and trainer Sumii, made the brave decision to go ahead with their plans to run. The decision was made all the more difficult by the cancellation of racing in Japan and a virtual shutdown of any event or behavior that could be construed as inappropriate or disrespectful in a time of such widespread loss, grief, uncertainty and fear.

Nonetheless, the Japan team in Dubai decided it could still demonstrate its solidarity with those back home, and not only demonstrate its deepest sympathies but hope to somehow help. The Victoire Pisa team, as well as the teams of eventual runnerup Transcend and three other Japanese runners in Dubai last year, carried a message to all in the form of shirts and helmets emblazoned with the Japanese national flag and the single word, “Hope.”Hisami Yamashita, an exercise rider with the Transcend team, had said, “We decided to wear these shirts in memory of all the victims of the disaster, with wishes for a speedy recovery and in the hope that we can help give others a bit of courage and hope,” he said.

And bring them hope they did, in a victory, that was cheered the world over by all well-wishers to Japan. Following the win, Sumii had said, “I think this is a victory that can help put some life back into the darkness in Japan after the huge earthquake and tsunami. Not just for racing fans, but for all the people of Japan, we will do our utmost to bring them, even in this small way, the hope to carry on.” Owner Ichikawa expressed the same sentiment, saying, “I think with this we can bring some bright news back to a what are dark days in Japan.”

Sumii, who jumped into the spotlight worldwide after saddling a one-two scoop of the 2006 Melbourne Cup -- Delta Blues and Pop Rock – sent Victoire Pisa with four firsts and a second to victory in the Satsuki Sho (2000 Guineas) in 2010, followed by a third in the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby). That same year, the colt took on the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe for the first time and finished seventh behind winner Workforce. Victoire Pisa returned home to a third in the Japan Cup, then held off 2010 Horse of the Year Buena Vista in the Arima Kinen by a nose. He was awarded Best 3-Year-OId Colt of the year in 2010.

However, the 2011 Dubai World Cup was to be Victoire Pisa's last time in the winner's circle. Intended for the Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Sha Tin in May of last year, Victoire Pisa was discovered to be lame in his right-hind leg and withdrawn from the race.

In August, just days after arriving in France for his second bid in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, Victoire Pisa suffered another leg injury after a workout. Plans for an Arc run in October were scratched. His return to racing came at the end of November in the Japan Cup. A 13th-place finish there was written off largely to the long months sidelined but his eighth-place in his next outing, the Dec. 25 Arima Kinen, resulted in the decision to take him off the track permanently.

"He was the leader of my stable after Vodka's retirement, and I wish him all the best in his future as a stallion -- he is a world-class Grade 1 title holder," said the Ritto-based Sumii. “He has a lot of work ahead of him as a stallion and the expectations of the breeding world are big. I'm looking forward to celebrating new beginnings.” Ichikawa felt the same, “I was happy just to have been able to race him in the World Cup, and he won it. I'm looking forward to seeing the birth of his next generation.”

Victoire Pisa was bred at Shadai Farm by the Sunday Silence-sired Neo Universe, out of the Machiavellian mare Whitewater Affair. He earned nearly 600 million yen in Japan alone, nearlyone billion yen overall.

A retirement ceremony will be held for Victoire Pisa on Jan. 15 at Kyoto Racecourse. He will stand at the Shadai Stallion Station in Abira-cho, Hokkaido.