December 2006 Vol. 14 No. 5 2 5 6 7 8 Report from International Series’ Dr. Pat Harris’s Summary of 16th Japanese Graded Hokkaido, Present and Future Lectures on Horse International Race Results Looking Back 2006 Nutrition to Conference of Breeders and Stable Racing Analysts and Personnel Veterinarians (c) Sport the Library November 7, 2006 1st. Delta Blues (JPN) Melbourne Cup (GI) Turf (firm) 3,200m 5-y-o colt, 56.0kg, Yasunari Iwata, T-Katsuhiko Sumii 3:21.42 Flemington Racecourse, Australia 2nd. Pop Rock (JPN) 5-y-o colt, 53.0kg, Damien Oliver, T-Katsuhiko Sumii HD Report from Hokkaido, Looking Back 2006 by Yasufumi Yamada Song of Wind won the Kikuka Sho (GI). 2006. “Post-Sunday Silence” was the last year. As of the October 31 closing Rising, along with Deep Impact and key phrase, and posed an urgent proposi- date, his offspring had achieved more Delta Blues, are all Sunday Silence’s tion, on the Japanese classic race scene, than 2,560 JRA victories. Other records offspring. Sunday Silence’s blood has especially with regard to the Triple they have set include most career graded been indispensable to the successes of Crown events. This illustrious 1989 U.S. race wins (278), most GI wins (63 – Japan-bred horses overseas, as is appar- Horse of the Year, and Kentucky Derby since the introduction of the graded race ent on the racing scene. and Breeders’ Cup Classic winner, was system in 1984), and although the re- The first among the generation born purchased immediately upon retirement cords are still being rewritten, most wins in 2004 to bathe in the spotlights was in 1990 by a major consortium of Japa- in a year (328 in 2004, with 38 graded not a JRA horse, but Hokkaido Racing’s nese breeders who succeeded in bringing race wins in 2003) and the highest annu- Moere Genius (JPN), a two-year-old him to Japan by assembling a ¥2.5 bil- al earnings (¥9.220044 billion in 2005). colt by Fusaichi Concorde (by Caerleon, lion syndicate. This syndicate was much Despite the strenuous efforts of the JPN). He ran away with his maiden discussed at the time in Japan as being staff and veterinarians, Sunday Silence race at 2 years and 6 months of age, and second in size to the one for Lammtarra died on August 19, 2002, of laminitis became a highly graded race winner (by Nijinsky, USA). But in a real sense, brought on by bacterial peritendinitis. after seeking out a turf track and taking Sunday Silence only demonstrated his The road toward the next generation up the challenge of a high-level JRA greatness once his foals debuted. He must be laid so that we cannot say the event. He has fine lineage. His sire was was the champion sire of two-year-olds final generation has ended and Japan’s Caerleon (by Nijinsky, USA) colt and in 1994 when his first foals debuted and horse racing has degenerated. Stay Japan Derby winner, and his dam’s half- quickly became the overall champion Gold, who won the 2001 Dubai Sheema brother, Creator (by Mill Reef, GB), sire the following year, continuing to Classic and Hong Kong Vase, Cesario, won France’s Prix d’Ispahan. There reign supreme and boasting an over- who won the 2005 American Oaks, this were hopes for successes from the age whelming disparity from that point until year’s Dance in the Mood and Asahi of three on, but he subsequently became injury-prone and was unable to achieve man hands.” Newborn foals suckle every was wracked by disease that year and the expected level of success. Bred by two hours. He said that the mother mi- the treatment he was undergoing while Urakawa’s Kanaishi Stud, he was the raculously recovered, but because she standing stud doubtless had no small farm’s first graded race winner. was unable to lactate due to the effects effect. Showing with his own body just Maruka Shenck, a highly anticipated of total anesthesia, the entire family went how important health management is to Sunday Silence colt bred by Shadai without sleep to look after the foal until stud stallions, was this heroic stallion’s Farm, deployed a clever final thrust to she was weaned. That was the depth of parting bequest. Like it or not, it was a win his second race after his debut at their feeling for this horse. year in which one sensed an approach- the 1,400-meter G2 Daily Hai Nisai Meanwhile, Fusaichi Richard (by ing generational changeover. Stakes. But after an easy victory in the Kurofune, JPN), who in contrast had The classic race schedule picked up Kyoto Nisai Stakes, he was forced into a obtained a ¥99 million bid at the select steam at the start of the year. The first lengthy recuperation upon confirmation sale, was a chosen champion two-year- event was the Oka Sho. Sunday Silence of a fracture. Although he was ultimately old colt. His sire, Kurofune (by French offspring, Admire Kiss and Fusaichi in time for the classic series, he eventu- Deputy, USA), won the Japan Cup Dirt Pandora, were favorites, but Kiss to ally finished the season unable to display in a record time. His dam, Fusaichi Heaven, daughter of Derby winner and the performance he had displayed as a Airedale, was one of the most able fillies Sunday Silence colt, Admire Vega, won. two-year-old. produced by Sunday Silence. Debuting Her breeder, Showa Yamamoto Bokujo, In the midst of this, T.M. Precure (by with attention focused on his lineage, has nine broodmares. Kiss to Heaven Paradise Creek, JPN), who fought tough- he lagged fourth in his maiden race, but gave this family-run farm its first JRA ly, had been dealt on the market for a subsequently employed the ability to graded race victory. This filly was the mere ¥2.5 million. This filly did not have take the lead with the speed bequeathed 11th out of her dam, Long Virgin (by the best bloodline, with Breeders’ Cup by his sire to win four straight. He ef- Northern Taste, JPN), who has had no Turf winner Paradise Creek (by Irish fortlessly ascended to the two-year-old remarkable foals to date and was shifted River, USA) as her sire, but stood out as champion’s throne. Breeder Northern from another farm while pregnant with a champion two-year-old filly with three Farm was also Deep Impact’s (by Sun- Kiss to Heaven. Following the good invincible consecutive victories. She was day Silence, JPN) breeder, as well as a daughter’s great feat, breeder Masaaki bred by Taniguchi Farm, which could be distinguished stable that was resplendent Yamamoto scratched his head and said, described as a typical Japanese family- as champion breeder for two consecutive “I somehow feel I owe the farm that operated farm. It won its first GI race years in 2004 and 2005. covered her an apology,” but it is not in its 40th year of operations. President Although Sunday Silence was chosen unusual for a broodmare with character Sadayasu Taniguchi recalled, “Her dam, as the champion sire of two-year-olds, in to come into bloom after a change of Feriado (by Stately Don, JPN), had to the final analysis, this generation of foals scene. Water, grass, dirt and the human be hospitalized after collapsing with a has to be described as a low point among environment around the farm, all ended twisted gut two days after giving birth. the 12 generations he produced. There up lending Kiss to Heaven strength. That is why this filly was raised by hu- were many factors, but Sunday Silence However, the Hidaka region was hit by Song of Wind and connections at the Kikuka Sho (GI) award Kiss to Heaven and connections at the Oka Sho (GI) award ceremony. ceremony. experienced an instant in which it sud- denly came into full bloom. The breeder, Mitsuishi Kawakami Bokujo, was es- tablished 18 years previously when Koji Kawakami, the second son of the owner of Kosho Bokujo, which is one of the most distinguished farms in Urakawa, set out on his own. Dam Takano Secre- tary (by Seattle Slew, USA) was the first horse he bought overseas. Kawakami Princess was sent to the track after the father took care of the stud service, the younger brother raised her, and the older brother trained her. With this filly as Kawakami Princess and connections at the Japanese Oaks (GI) award ceremony. well, the entire family grabbed the glory. Song of Wind (JPN), an El Condor Pasa (by Kingmambo, USA) colt, won the last of the classic crowns, the Kikuka Sho, in record time. Breeder Oiwake Farm is like a younger sibling to Shadai typhoon No. 10, a disaster that caused born foal to be of good quality yet could Farm and Northern Farm, the movers and dozens of deaths and casualties in the not find a buyer. “It was tough. However, shakers on the Japan breeding scene. Ha- year of Kiss to Heaven’s birth. Nobody some friends helped me. I had no horses ruya Yoshida, the Yoshida family’s third was injured at the Yamamoto farm, but to sell, no broodmare, and the future was son, serves as president. He set his farm they say that the pasture was flooded. looking gloomy, but I had to do what I up on a site previously used by the Sha- Moreover, due to distaste for her small could,” said Hayashi, who picks up the dai group as a hay pasture, and started it frame, the filly had not found a buyer at stones on the pasture and collects muck off as a training stable.