Roberto Sire Line in Japan
Posted in October 2022 – To be updated as needed (Latest update: October 2022)
- In Japan, the Roberto sire line is thriving.
(A more expansive interpretation is that the Hail to Reason line, including Sunday Silence line, is too compatible with the Japanese racetracks.) - While Sunday Silence line is characterized by speed with instantaneous force, Roberto line is described as characterized by stamina and underlying strength.
- The four most influential Roberto line stallions in Japan are Real Shadai, Brian’s Time, Grass Wonder, and Symboli Kris S.
Currently, other than these four horses and their offspring, it is almost as if there are no other Roberto line sires.
However, Nadal, recently purchased and brought to Japan by the Shadai Group, might become a new Roberto line stallion.
Major Roberto Line Stallions in Japan
Real Shadai (USA)
- Real Shadai has produced many successful foals, becoming the leading sire in 1993.
- His foals that have won G1 races are Shadai Kagura, Ibuki Maikagura, and Rice Shower.
- His foals were often strong in long-distance races.
However, his foals were often injured.
Rice Shower, his representative foal, also met a tragic end due to injury.
Real Shadai sire line was soon cut short by the death of Rice Shower and the success of Brian’s Time, also of Roberto sire line, and Sunday Silence, the great sire.
Brian’s Time (USA)
- Brian’s Time is the most successful Roberto sire line stallion in Japan.
- His colts are such as Narita Brian, Mayano Top Gun, Sunny Brian, Silk Justice, Tanino Gimlet, Time Paradox, and Furioso.
- His mares are such as Chokai Carol, Phalaenopsis, Silk Prima Donna, and Rainbow Dahlia.
- The survival of the Brian’s Time sire line is quite severe.
Perhaps the biggest reason is that Narita Brian, who was supposed to be the star, died prematurely with few successful horses.
Brian’s Time offspring are no longer active in the big races on the turf.
That does not mean that they are overwhelmingly strong in dirt races.
Mayano Top Gun, Tanino Gimlet, Time Paradox, and Furioso did quite well as stallions but did not produce colts that won G1 races.
Furioso is still doing well as a sire, but there are no prospects beyond that.
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- He produced Vodka in his first year but failed to produce a G1 race-winning foal thereafter.
Grass Wonder (USA) (by Silver Hawk)
- Although Grass Wonder was a good result as a sire, he is a modest stallion when compared to the flashy results of his racehorse days.
- His foals that have won G1 races are Maruka Rascal, Screen Hero, Earnestly, Seiun Wonder, and Big Romance.
- Screen Hero became a great success as a stallion and the Grass Wonder line expanded.
- The sire line of Grass Wonder – Screen Hero – Maurice – Pixie Knight won G1 races over four generations.
This is the first time in Japanese history that four generations of sire line have won G1 races.
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- Screen Hero started out with low expectations as a stallion, but has since made great progress.
- At present, only Maurice and Gold Actor have won G1 races.
Maurice and Gold Actor will be his successor stallions.
Maurice (by Screen Hero)
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- Unlike Screen Hero, Maurice became a stallion at Shadai Stallion Station, and from the beginning, there were high expectations for him.
- Of his foals, Pixie Knight has already won a G1 race.
- He worked in Australia as well, with successful foals such as Hitotsu and Mazu.
- Although his foals have done well in Japan, they do not seem to be a good match for prestigious turf races from 2,000 to 2,400 meters.
Not much is known about the characteristics of his foals yet, but there is a feeling that they are strong at short distances on the turf and grow somewhat slowly.
He is a popular stallion in Japan, but possibly his demand is higher in Australia than in Japan.
Symboli Kris S (USA) (by Kris S.)
- Symboli Kris S won the Tenno Sho (Autumn) and Arima Kinen as a 3-year-old and again as a 4-year-old, winning the Tenno Sho (Autumn) and Arima Kinen in tremendous victories.
He became a very privileged stallion at Shadai Stallion Station, partly because his pedigree chart did not include the names Northern Dancer or Halo.
He was not as good as King Kamehameha or Deep Impact as a sire, but his foals were sturdy, perhaps because of his outbreeding. - His colts that have won G1 races are Success Brocken, Strong Return, Alfredo, Epiphaneia, and Le Vent Se Leve.
- His mares have not won a G1 race.
- His successor, Epiphaneia, has already been very successful.
Le Vent Se Leve is also a promising stallion, becoming the most breeding stallion in Japan in 2021 when he started his career as a stallion.
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- Epiphaneia sired the Triple Crown filly Daring Tact in his first year.
- His colts that have won G1 races is Efforia.
- His mares that have won G1 races are Daring Tact, and Circle of Life.
Other Robert Line Stallions who worked in Japan
Quite a few Roberto line stallions have come to Japan, but other than the four mentioned above, almost none of their foals have been successful.
Nadal (USA) (Kris S. line)
- As mentioned above, he was a stallion introduced to Japan by the Shadai Group.
It remains to be seen whether he will become the new mainstay of the Roberto line stallion in Japan.
Brocco (USA) (Kris S. line)
- He is the racehorse of Albert Romolo Broccoli, nephew of the man who popularized Broccoli in the United States and is known as the producer of the 007 series.
He was introduced to Japan by the Shadai Group but without good results.
Kicken Kris (USA) (Kris S. line)
Hawkster (USA) (Silver Hawk line)
- He is the uncle of Black Hawk and Pink Cameo.
Silver Ending (USA) (Silver Hawk line)
Hawk Attack (USA) (Silver Hawk line)
Mutafaweq (USA) (Silver Hawk line)
Celestial Storm (USA) (by Roberto)
Min Allah (USA) (by Roberto)
Sunshine Forever (USA) (by Roberto)
- As I already wrote in my post about Brian’s Time, Sunshine Forever was originally the main target for Hayata Farms, and Brian’s Time was a substitute for Sunshine Forever.
However, when Sunshine Forever came to Japan, he was already treated as a substitute for Brian’s Time.
Zalazl (USA) (by Roberto)
Mio Robertino (USA) (by Roberto)
Appointed Day (USA) (Red Ransom line)
- He worked as a racehorse in Japan and finished 3rd in a G1 race.
Roc de Cambes (NZL) (Red Ransom line)
- He was born in New Zealand, was a racehorse in Japan, and became a stallion in New Zealand instead of a sire in Japan.
His foal, Vin De Dance, won the New Zealand Derby.
Best of luck!