Soccer Boy (Japanese: サッカーボーイ, Hepburn: Sakkā Bōi; 28 April 1985 – 7 October 2011) was a Japanese Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a career plagued by injuries, he competed from 1987 to 1988, recording six wins in eleven starts, including the Mile Championship in 1988 and the Hanshin Sansai Stakes in 1987. He received the JRA Award for Best Three-Year-Old Colt in 1987 and the JRA Award for Best Sprinter or Miler in 1988.
Background Soccer Boy was a chestnut horse bred in Shiraoi, Hokkaido, by Shadai Farm (Now known as Shiraoi Farm). He was sired by Dictus, a French-bred stallion, and his dam was Dyna Sash, a daughter of Northern Taste and Royal Sash, making him related to Stay Gold, Shonan Pandora and Snow Dragon. He was owned by Shadai Race Horse and sent into training with Koji Ono at the JRA's Ritto Training Center.
Racing career
1987: Two-year-old season Soccer Boy debuted on 9 August 1987, in a maiden race on the turf at Hakodate Racecourse, winning by a margin of 1.5 seconds before the second place Tosho Mario. He subsequently finished fourth in the Hakodate Sansai Stakes (GIII) on September 27. After his first loss by Dictar Land, he won the Momiji Stakes (Open) at Kyoto Racecourse on October 31.
He was initially scheduled to run the 1987 Daily Hai Sansai Stakes but skipped due to an injury caused while training.
On December 20, he contested the Hanshin Sansai Stakes (GI) at Hanshin Racecourse. Ridden by Masahiro Uchiyama, he won the 1600-meter race by 1.3 seconds, setting a new track record of 1:34.5 on a firm track. Following this victory, he was named the 1987 JRA Award for Best Three-Year-Old Colt (the designation for the top two-year-old under the Japanese age system at the time).
1988: Three-year-old season Soccer Boy began his 1988 campaign on 6 March in the Yayoi Sho (GII) at Tokyo Racecourse, finishing third behind Sakura Chiyono O. During the Yayoi Sho,a rock got inside of his hoof,causing him to be sick. He was then subjected to large doses of antibiotics but got even worse and was forced to skip the Satsuki Sho because of this. He subsequently finished fourth in the NHK Hai (GII) and ran an uncharacteristic fifteenth place in the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby, GI),despite being the favorite in the race.
On July 3, he won the Chunichi Sports Yonsai S (GIII) at Chukyo Racecourse, defeating Yaeno Muteki. On August 21, he contested the Hakodate Kinen (GIII) at Hakodate for the first time in his career against older horses. He won the 2000-meter race by 0.8 seconds, setting a new track record of 1:57.8 on a firm track.
In the autumn,Soccer Boy was scheduled to run the Kikuka Sho but skipped due to another injury. He then entered the Mile Championship (GI) at Kyoto on 20 November. Ridden by Hiroshi Kawachi, he won the race by 0.7 seconds over Hokuto Helios. He made his final start in the Arima Kinen (GI) at Nakayama Racecourse on December 25, finishing third behind Oguri Cap and Tamamo Cross .He was initially in fourth place but due to an inquiry disqualifying Super Creek for bumping against Mejiro Durren,his position was increased to third.
Following the Arima Kinen, he was named the 1988 JRA Award for Best Sprinter or Miler.
1989: Four-year-old season Soccer Boy was scheduled to return in 1989 but suffered a fracture and subsequent hoof issues. He was officially retired from racing without making a start that year.
Statistics The following table details all 11 starts of Soccer Boy's racing career based on official netkeiba and JBIS records.
Date Distance (Condition) Race Class Course Odds(Favourite) Field Finish Time Winning(Losing)Margin Winner(2nd Place) Jockey Ref1987 – two-year-old season Turf 1200 m (Heavy) 3-Y-O Newcomer Maiden Hakodate 2.2 (1st) 7 1:14.5 –1.5 (Tosho Mario) Masahiro Uchiyama Turf 1200 m (Soft) Hakodate Sansai Stakes GIII Hakodate 6.2 (3rd) 12 4th 1:12.9 0.7 Dictar Land Masahiro Uchiyama Turf 1600 m (Soft) Momiji Stakes Open Kyoto 2.3 (1st) 9 1:36.4 –1.6 (Rugger Black) Masahiro Uchiyama Turf 1600 m (Firm) Hanshin Sansai Stakes GI Hanshin 1.9 (1st) 10 –1.3 (Daitaku Longchamp) Masahiro Uchiyama1988 – three-year-old season Turf 2000 m (Firm) Yayoi Sho GII Tokyo 1.6 (1st) 11 2:01.5 0.4 Sakura Chiyono O Masahiro Uchiyama Turf 2000 m (Good) NHK Hai GII Tokyo 3.5 (1st) 16 4th 2:02.4 0.4 Meiner Glauben Hiroshi Kawachi Turf 2400 m (Firm) Tokyo Yushun GI Tokyo 5.8 (1st) 24 15th 2:28.0 1.7 Sakura Chiyono O Hiroshi Kawachi Turf 1800 m (Firm) Chunichi Sports Yonsai Stakes GIII Chukyo 3.4 (2nd) 11 1:48.9 –0.1 (Yaeno Muteki) Hiroshi Kawachi Turf 2000 m (Firm) Hakodate Kinen GIII Hakodate 2.2 (1st) 14 –0.8 (Merry Nice) Hiroshi Kawachi Turf 1600 m (Firm) Mile Championship GI Kyoto 2.2 (1st) 17 1:35.3 –0.7 (Hokuto Helios) Hiroshi Kawachi Turf 2500 m (Firm) Arima Kinen GI Nakayama 4.8 (3rd) 13 2:34.3 0.4 Oguri Cap Hiroshi Kawachi indicates a track record.
In popular culture Soccer Boy serves as the model for the character Dicta Striker in the manga and anime series Umamusume Cinderella Grey, a spin-off of the Umamusume: Pretty Derby franchise. The character's name references Soccer Boy's sire, Dictus, and incorporates a "striker" motif reflecting the horse's name. In the anime adaptation, Dicta Striker is voiced by Yumiri Hanamori.
Stud career Soccer Boy's descendants include:
c = colt, f = fillybold = grade 1 stakes (GI/JpnI)
Foaled Name Sex Major wins 1991 Kyoto City c Winter Stakes, Nagoya Daishoten, Seaside Stakes, Tokyo Daishoten, Urawa Kinen, Hakusan Daishoten (2x) 1991 Go Go Z c Copa Republica Argentina, Nikkei Shinshun Hai, Chunichi Shimbun Hai 1996 Narita Top Road c Kikuka Sho, Yayoi Sho, Kisaragi Sho, Hanshin Daishoten, Kyoto Kinen, Kyoto Daishoten 1997 Tico Tico Tac f Shuka Sho 1998 Super Gene c Niigata Kinen 1999 Hishi Miracle c Kikuka Sho, Tenno Sho (Spring), Takarazuka Kinen 2000 Blue Eleven c Tokyo Sports Hai Nisai Stakes, Sekiya Kinen 2000 Eye Popper c Stayers Stakes, Hanshin Daishoten
Pedigree
Soccer Boy was inbred 4 × 5 to Lady Angela and 5 × 5 × 5 to Nearco.
See also Thoroughbred racing in Japan Mile Championship
References