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"...TM Opera O is still racing third from the back! Entering the back stretch, No.5 Jo Big Bang is in the lead..."

Born in 1996 at Kinusu Farm in Urakawa , Urakawa District, Hokkaido . About 10 days after the horse's birth, Takezono Masatsugu and Iwamoto Ichizo , who would later become the horse's owner and trainer, respectively, visited the ranch. Of the seven or so horses brought out, Takezono took an immediate liking to the horse and offered to buy it. When Kamata told Takezono that Opera House's offspring were required to be traded in the market and that they would have to be bid on at the auction, Takezono replied, "I'll definitely bid on this horse, so don't show it to anyone else. This horse will definitely go all the way to the open races. It might even win a major prize. " Takezono later recalled his impression, saying, "The moment I saw the horse's body, I fell in love with it at once. It had big hips, strong bones, and soft joints. It had cleared all of my checkpoints, and had a certain refined air about it. Of course, I didn't think it would become such a great horse at the time, but I remember thinking that I wouldn't have to worry about injuries with this horse." Iwamoto said, "I wasn't that impressed."

"The horses swiftly enter the curve of the No. 3 corner! Now, the curve of the corner, TM is currently third or fourth from the back, he shows signs of getting ready to steadily move up from the rear, passing between the midpoint of No. 3 and No. 4 corner, Here Wada moves up! Wada moves up!"

Jockey Ryuji Wada rode in all of T.M. Opera O’s races. He was in his third year when he was hired to ride TM Opera O, "Well, he seemed like a normal three-year-old horse. Its name was exactly the same... I hadn't ridden a G1-class horse yet, so I didn't know what it was like to ride a G1 horse." After Opera O’s retirement, Wada pledged, “I won’t go see Opera O until I’ve grown enough to win a G1 race on my own.” However, despite his efforts, he was unable to win another G1 for many years. Then, on May 17, 2018, T.M. Opera O passed away. One month later, on June 24, Wada finally claimed victory in the prestigious Takarazuka Kinen (G1) with a horse named Mikky Rocket. It was his first G1 win in 17 years since the days of Opera O. As he crossed the finish line, the now-seasoned Wada couldn’t hold back his tears. In the winner’s interview, he tearfully said, “Opera O gave me a push on my back.” For Opera O and Wada, the Takarazuka Kinen was the race that marked the end of their reign as champions. Their defeat at the 2001 Takarazuka Kinen was the end of their era.

"No. 4 corner quickly approaches! From the outside quickly, Narita Top Road! Outside of that, Daiwa Texas! What will TM Opera do?"

Early in the morning on the day of the race(2000 Arima Kinen), Opera O was in his stable at Nakayama Racecourse. While waiting for the start of the race, a horse in the opposite room stood up on its hind legs, and Opera O was so startled that it crashed its head into the wall. This caused his left eyelid to swell and he was bleeding so badly that he could barely see, so the stable hand worked hard to wipe his nose until just before the race. When the race started, his rivals mercilessly surrounded the champion, who was aiming for his eighth win of the year.

"...What will TM do? There's only 310 meters to go!"

In 2023, Sports Graphic Number magazine interviewed the jockeys who rode in this Arima Kinen for a retrospective project called "The Jockeys' View of TM Opera O's Siege". In the interview, Masayoshi Ebina (riding Daiwa Texas) recounted, "Everyone knew that Opera O was the strongest. Looking at the lineup, he was in a tough position, so I made a move with the intention of outwitting him. If you keep winning like that, of course you become a target. I'm sure the other jockeys were thinking the same thing." During the interview, no one nodded in agreement to the reporter's question, "If you could redo that Arima Kinen, would you be confident of winning?"

"Daiwa Texas from the outside! and Narita Top Road! Which will it be?!?! Daiwa Texas or Narita Top Road?!? In-course, American Boss also breaks through! 200 meters to go! Only 200 meters to go! Is TM not coming?" (Frustrated shouts from the crowd in support of the beleagured champion can be heard in the call: "FUZUKENNA!" DONT MESS WITH ME!)

In the post-race interview, Jockey Wada was crying, "I wanted to get in front, but I got sandwiched at the first corner... I think I made a mistake. I was in a situation where I couldn't make a move, and I didn't want to go around the outside, so I thought my only option was to go into the open space. If I got stuck, it was all over. In the straight, there was a gap wide enough for one horse, and Opera O went in without hesitation. We had momentum when Meisho Dotou came back. It was a tough race, but in the end, only one horse won in a way that was on a different level." After the race, Opera O's legs were covered in bruises, and Wada thought that there was nothing more pathetic for a jockey than giving up on Opera O and asked to be replaced. Opera O's owner refused his resignation. A famous photograph from the race shows TM Opera O prancing, head held high, while Wada crouches in the saddle, clutching his face with emotion.

"... Is TM not coming?"

The 2000 Arima Kinen, featured King Halo, Daiwa Texas, American Boss, Admire Boss, Meisho Odo, the "Horse Terrorist" Stay Gold, who just so happens to be son of the legendary Meijiro McQueen, in turn, the future Sire of Gold Ship. The 1999 racing season saw the emergence of the "Big Three", Narita Top Road, and Meisho Doto, and...Well, as the year 2000 rolled on, many said there was only a "Big One"...

"HERE COMES TM! HERE COMES TM! HERE COMES TM!!! HERE COMES TM!! WILL HE OVERTAKE? MEISHO DOTO AND TM!"

Year 2000. Victory in every start. Total rule over the senior G1 races.

Only the finale of the Year, Arima Kinen remains.

But rivals too... want to win.

If you keep winning, all the horses become your enemies.

Boxed in on all sides, there was no exit.

The road should have disappeared.

When even Wada almost gave up, he blazed his own trail.

TM Opera O, why were you able to run?

"TM!!! TM!!!! IS IT TM!!! IS IT JUST BARELY TM!?!?!"

The 2000 Arima Kinen, AKA "The Siege of TM Opera O"

TM Opera O, "The Overlord of Century's End"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nj0Vj5r4HMU

(The Arima Kinen movie) "Hear me! Young werthers who seek to shatter my golden age! Stand Proud! For you have the privilege of falling before me!"