The rise of Sunday Silence

[Gemini]

Has anyone else seen this? A friend sent me the link. So far it's quite interesting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IywC3QwJJuk

[Ridan_Remembered]

Has anyone else seen this? A friend sent me the link. So far it's quite interesting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IywC3QwJJuk

Thanks for posting the link to that excellent video. I had seen it before, but am grateful to see it again. Sunday made all the difference in Japan.

[Gemini]

Has anyone else seen this? A friend sent me the link. So far it's quite interesting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IywC3QwJJuk

Thanks for posting the link to that excellent video. I had seen it before, but am grateful to see it again. Sunday made all the difference in Japan.

Yes, the Japanese are astute horsemen and breeders. It seems they don't fall for "commercial trends". They've also recognized that Sunday Silence's bloodlines have become prolific, so they've judiciously imported outcrosses in recent years... Unlike some other (ahem) countries that keep crossing Northern Dancer with Mr. Prospector five times over and wonder why their bloodstock doesn't measure up anymore....

[tachyon]

Has anyone else seen this? A friend sent me the link. So far it's quite interesting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IywC3QwJJuk

Thank you.
I have rewatched this vdeo for the first time in a while.
Kudos to Arrowfield and Shadai Group that produced this wonderful TV show. It's still fresh.
I especially like the introduction part of the 52 minutes show.
As Naohiro Goda, the pioneer of introducing international racings to Japanese fans, put it here,
''Everything started in that year in 1981'' when top Japanese horses were well beaten by foreign horses in the first running of the Japan Cup.
''All of us realized that our horses were such slow. And owners, trainers, breeders and JRA, all determined to improve racings and Japanese horses.''
And, needless to say, ''The Rise of The Japanese Thoroughbred'' really happened thanks to Sunday Silence(USA)!!




-- replay of the inaugural Japan Cup in 1981
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRtSJa2BID4

finish position horse no. horse name trained country sex/age jockey trainer time

1 (14) Mairzy Doates (USA) USA m5 Cash Asmussen John Fulton 02:25.3
2 (1) Frost King (CAN) CAN g3 Lloyd Duffy Bill Marco 02:25.5
3 (11) The Very One (USA) USA m6 Richard Migliore Stephen Di Mauro 02:25.7
4 (3) P'Tite Tete (FR) USA h5 William Shoemaker Robert Frankel 02:25.7
5 (9) Gold Spencer (JPN) JPN h6 Naohiro Onishi Senji Nakao 02:25.8

Mairzy Doates(USA) is one of my all-time favorite horses, too.

[tachyon]

Another sad news....
R.I.P. Neo Universe.

Neo Universe(JPN), 2000H. Sunday Silence(USA) x Pointed Path(GB) by Kris(GB), died in an accident while covering a mare at Lex Stud on March 8th 2021.
The dual classic winner (Satsuki Sho and Tokyo Yushun in 2003) & the successful sire lost his balance and fell down on the ground after covering his first mare of this season. He broke his bone and was euthanized.
As a stallion, he sired such G1 winners as Victoire Pisa(JPN)(Satsuki Sho, Arima Kinen and Dubai World Cup), Unrivaled(JPN)(Satsuki Sho), Logi Universe(JPN)(Tokyo Yushun) and Neorealism(JPN)(Hong Kong Queen Elizabeth II Cup).
His grandson Brave Smash(JPN)(Tosen Phantom), multiple G1 winner in Australia, is standing at Aquis Farm, Australia.
Victoire Pisa was sold to stand in Turkey last year.



Neo Universe, Mirco Demuro, Teruya Yoshida, after winning the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) in 2003



http://www.jbis.jp/horse/0000701577/

-- replay of the 2003 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGmt16G5BVM
1st. (#13) Neo Universe(JPN)(Sunday Silence)
2nd. (#3) Zenno Rob Roy(JPN)(Sunday Silence)
3rd. (#18) That's the Plenty(JPN)(Dance in the Dark)

-- JBIS chart
https://www.jbis.jp/race/result/2003060 ... 1613900274

[Starine]

What a shame. An excellent racehorse and sire, and I had the utmost respect for him -- even though I was more of a Zenno Rob Roy fan.

[tachyon]

What a shame. An excellent racehorse and sire, and I had the utmost respect for him -- even though I was more of a Zenno Rob Roy fan.

Both Zenno Rob Roy(JPN) and Neo Universe(JPN) were very popular.

The two had contrastive pedigrees --- one was o/o of the brilliant dirt mare in the states, the other was o/o the mare full of European turf flavor. It was a bit shame that Zenno Rob Roy was not tested on the dirt, even if he became Japan's Horse of the Year at 4 racing thoroughly on the turf.
Zenno Rob Roy is semi-pensioned at Murakami Bokujo (Farm) this year, after covering 10 mares at Breeders Stallion Station last year.
Now there are not so many Sunday Silence sons standing at stud left..

[tachyon]

Agnes Gold Double in Brazil!!!

Agnes Gold(JPN)(Sunday Silence) sired two G1 winners at Gavea on March 14th 2021.
He is simply amazing!

Janelle Monae(BRZ), 2017F. Agnes Gold(JPN) x Just Lucky(BRZ) by Spend A Buck(USA), won the G1 Grande Premio Diana (Brazilian Oaks, second leg of the Triple Tiara in Rio) 2000m turf in dominating fashion.
She remains unbeaten 3 for 3 now and will try next to become the sixth Triple Tiara winner in history in the G1 Zélia Gonzaga Peixoto De Castro.


photo: https://elturf.com/noticias-ver?id_articulo=33185

-- replay
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWGGA2hcADU
1st. Janelle Monae(BRZ) (Agnes Gold)
2nd. Idle Ways(BRZ) (Put it Back)
3rd. Rita Di Cascia(BRZ) (First American)



Culo E Camicia(BRZ), 2017C. Agnes Gold(JPN) x Principessa Capri(BRZ) by Northern Afleet(USA), won the G1 Grande Premio Francisco Eduardo de Paula Machado (second leg of the Triple Crown in Rio) 2000m turf flying from dead-last to catch his rivals at the wire with his amazing turn of foot!! His record is now 7-3-1-0.


photo: https://www.jcb.com.br/home/noticias/28 ... achado-g1/

-- replay
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWCODgbab7M
1st. Culo E Camicia(BRZ) (Agnes Gold)
2nd. Uttori(BRZ) (Vettori)
3rd. Olympic Korchnoi(BRZ) (Agnes Gold)

[Starine]

Agnes Gold Double in Brazil!!!

Agnes Gold(JPN)(Sunday Silence) sired two G1 winners at Gavea on March 14th 2021.
He is simply amazing!

That's pretty remarkable. Brazil is lucky to have him.

[tachyon]

Does anyone have any news about the Agnes Gold colt Ivar(BRZ)?

He has been unraced since his 4th place finish in the BC Mile.
According to equibase, he went 4F in 51.80 at The Thoroughbred Center on March 14th.

[tachyon]

Agnes Gold Double in Brazil!!!

Agnes Gold(JPN)(Sunday Silence) sired two G1 winners at Gavea on March 14th 2021.
He is simply amazing!

That's pretty remarkable. Brazil is lucky to have him.

Agnes Gold is sensational.
I've just read this wonderful article below (through google translator).
It's truly a unique story that deserved to be told!! -- He went from being ''throwout'' to becoming a sensational stallion.

-- from turf diario (March 16th)
''Agnes Gold deslumbra en Sudamérica, donde encontró su segunda oportunidad''
https://www.turfdiario.com/agnes-gold-d ... ortunidad/



It seem that he had an infection in 2020 and retired from stud duty, unfortunately.

[tachyon]

I have just seen this wonderful photo posted on ''JRA-VAN Ver. World'' website.


(photo by Getty Images)

-- Legendary Horse Gallery
https://world.jra-van.jp/legendaryhorse/

-- File. No 40 : Sunday Silence
https://world.jra-van.jp/db/horse/H0015/

[Gemini]

I have just seen this wonderful photo posted on ''JRA-VAN Ver. World'' website.


(photo by Getty Images)

-- Legendary Horse Gallery
https://world.jra-van.jp/legendaryhorse/

-- File. No 40 : Sunday Silence
https://world.jra-van.jp/db/horse/H0015/

I know Sunday Silence had really bad conformation by any standards, but he was also very beautiful in his own fierce way.

[tachyon]

Lei Papale(JPN), 2017F, Deep Impact(JPN) x Shells Lei(JPN) by Kurofune(USA), claimed her first G1 title wire-to-wire in the Osaka Hai 2000m turf labelled as yielding under Yuga Kawada extending her win streak to six on April 4th 2021.
She became only the third horse in JRA history to win a G1 for older horses unbeaten, after Fine Motion(IRE)(2002 QE2 Commemorative Cup) and Chrysoberyl(JPN)(2019 Champions Cup).







-- replay (English)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4rBU7_Aptw
1st 8 Lei Papale(JPN) [Deep Impact(JPN) x Shells Lei(JPN) by Kurofune(USA)] F4 02:01.6
2nd 1 Mozu Bello(JPN) [Deep Brillante(JPN) x Harlan's Ruby(USA) by Harlan's Holiday(USA)] H5 02:02.3 4
3rd 7 Contrail(JPN) [Deep Impact(JPN) x Rhodochrosite(USA) by Unbridled's Song(USA)] C4 02:02.5 3/4
4th 12 Gran Alegria(JPN) M5 02:02.5 NK
5th 2 Salios(JPN) C4 02:02.7 1 1/4
6th 10 Cadenas(JPN) H7 02:03.0 1 3/4
7th 3 Ardently(JPN) H5 02:03.3 2
8th 4 Bravas(JPN) H5 02:04.0 4
9th 13 Admire Virgo(JPN) C4 02:04.1 1/2
10th 5 Persian Knight(JPN) H7 02:04.2 1/2
11th 9 Crescendo Love(JPN) H7 02:04.7 3
12th 6 Wagnerian(JPN) H6 02:05.2 3
13th 11 Happy Grin(JPN) H6 02:11.9 DS

-- JRA Result
''Lei Papale Claims Wire-to-Wire Win in Osaka Hai''
https://japanracing.jp/_news2021/pdf/210404.pdf

Lei Papale(JPN)
https://www.jbis.jp/horse/0001230934/
6-6-0-0

She is also the first JRA G1 winner with the 1993 Tokyo Yushun winner Winning Ticket(JPN) bloodline.

[Gemini]

Maybe Lei Papale is the next Almond Eye?

[tachyon]

Maybe Lei Papale is the next Almond Eye?

We don't know yet.
But Lei Papale has been lightly-raced and undefeated.
So the sky is the limit for her!

She came out of the race in fine order.
Her next start is not yet known.

[tachyon]

-- from elturf.com

https://elturf.com/noticias-ver?id_articulo=33388

Ivar(BRZ)(Agnes Gold) is slated to make his 2021 debut in the G1 Turf Classic 1800m at Churchill Downs on May 1st.

[Ridan_Remembered]

I have just seen this wonderful photo posted on ''JRA-VAN Ver. World'' website.

-- Legendary Horse Gallery
https://world.jra-van.jp/legendaryhorse/

-- File. No 40 : Sunday Silence
https://world.jra-van.jp/db/horse/H0015/

I know Sunday Silence had really bad conformation by any standards, but he was also very beautiful in his own fierce way.

I saw Sunday Silence multiple times in person when he was racing in Southern California. I stood just feet from him while he schooled in the paddock and was being saddled for races, and cheered him on during races. Sunday was, indeed, a beautiful horse. Stunning really. He did not have "really bad conformation" overall, although he was somewhat sickle hocked...not severely in my opinion. No horse is perfect. To me what matters is how they run. Here is an official JBIS conformation picture of him. Sunday was very balanced. He had a gorgeous shoulder balanced with matching angulation in his hindquarters. He had a lovely topline. The way his head set into his neck was graceful allowing for excellent airflow. He had a deep girth with plenty of heart and lung room. His legs tracked straight while running. Like many Thoroughbreds, his pasterns were a little long and over angulated, but again, this seems to be something common to the Thoroughbred breed.

[BaroqueAgain1]

Thanks for that, RR. I've read too many times that the main reason US breeders avoided SS was poor conformation. That is pretty clearly not true.

[Ridan_Remembered]

Thanks for that, RR. I've read too many times that the main reason US breeders avoided SS was poor conformation. That is pretty clearly not true.

People tend to repeat stuff they often know little about. Sunday could not have been the great racehorse he was if his overall conformation was as bad as some claim. Simple mechanics wouldn't have supported it.

I believe, although can never prove, that there were two main reasons why American breeders didn't have much interest in him. First is that he came from the fiery Hail to Reason sire line. The industry had transitioned to the commercial sales-driven model that has dominated ever since, and most buyers do not want to deal with horses who are difficult to handle. The second is the female side of his pedigree. His dam, Wishing Well, was a G2 stakes winner, but she didn't come into her own until age 4. She did win stakes at ages 4, 5, and 6. Buyers want horses who can win early. Also, her pedigree wasn't just unfashionable, it was obscure. She was by Understanding out of Mountain Flower by Montparnasse. I can just imagine 1990's buyers looking at that dam's pedigree page in a catalog and thinking, "Huh?!"

Sunday didn't have any of the popular, in-demand Mr. Prospector, Northern Dancer, Native Dancer, Secretariat, Buckpasser, etc., male or female lines in his pedigree. Not a drop. So off he was shipped to Japan and the rest is history.