Grass Wonder JP
A winter star with woodland calm. Grass Wonder moves like fresh snow over turf—quiet, balanced, then suddenly, breathtakingly fast. Around the dorms she’s the reliable senpai who mends hair ribbons and remembers everyone’s favorite tea; on the track she saves, saves, saves… then drops a finishing kick that steals the breath and the race in the final stride.
She loves tradition and fan energy—the noise of a grandstand voting her into the year-end stage, the hush before the bell. Give her a long straight and a rival to measure, and she’ll thread the rail with surgeon’s hands.
“Breathe. Wait. Then bloom.”
Flavour cues: evergreen + winter-white palette; leaf/constellation pin; scarf for cold-weather meets.
On-track style: mid-pack to stalking closer; late, lengthening acceleration; thrives in high-pressure classics.
Race Results
| Date | Race | Grade | Course | Going | Dist | Pos | Draw | Jockey | Wgt | SP | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000-06-25 | Takarazuka Kinen | G1 | Hanshin (JP) | Good | 2200 m | 6 | 11 | M. Ebina | 58.0 kg | 2.8 | 2:14.7 |
| 2000-05-14 | Keio Hai Spring Cup | G2 | Tokyo (JP) | Good | 1400 m | 9 | 8 | H. Matoba | 59.0 kg | 2.4 | 1:21.6 |
| 2000-03-26 | Nikkei Sho | G2 | Nakayama (JP) | Good | 2500 m | 6 | 7 | H. Matoba | 59.0 kg | 1.3 | 2:36.3 |
| 1999-12-26 | Arima Kinen (The Grand Prix) | G1 | Nakayama (JP) | Good | 2500 m | 1 | 7 | H. Matoba | 57.0 kg | 2.8 | 2:37.2 |
| 1999-10-10 | Mainichi Okan | G2 | Tokyo (JP) | Good | 1800 m | 1 | 8 | H. Matoba | 59.0 kg | 1.2 | 1:45.8 |
| 1999-07-11 | Takarazuka Kinen | G1 | Hanshin (JP) | Good | 2200 m | 1 | 5 | H. Matoba | 58.0 kg | 2.8 | 2:12.1 |
| 1999-06-13 | Yasuda Kinen | G1 | Tokyo (JP) | Good | 1600 m | 2 | 7 | H. Matoba | 58.0 kg | 1.3 | 1:33.3 |
| 1999-05-15 | Keio Hai Spring Cup | G2 | Tokyo (JP) | Good | 1400 m | 1 | 5 | H. Matoba | 58.0 kg | 2.1 | 1:20.5 |
| 1998-12-27 | Arima Kinen (The Grand Prix) | G1 | Nakayama (JP) | Good | 2500 m | 1 | 2 | H. Matoba | 55.0 kg | 14.5 | 2:32.1 |
| 1998-11-07 | Copa Republica Argentina | G2 | Tokyo (JP) | Good | 2500 m | 6 | 13 | H. Matoba | 57.0 kg | 3.0 | 2:33.5 |
| 1998-10-11 | Mainichi Okan | G2 | Tokyo (JP) | Good | 1800 m | 5 | 6 | H. Matoba | 55.0 kg | 3.7 | 1:46.4 |
| 1997-12-07 | Asahi Hai Sansai Stakes | G1 | Nakayama (JP) | Good | 1600 m | 1 | 11 | H. Matoba | 54.0 kg | 1.3 | 1:33.6 |
| 1997-11-08 | Keisei Hai Sansai Stakes | G2 | Tokyo (JP) | Good | 1400 m | 1 | 2 | H. Matoba | 54.0 kg | 1.1 | 1:21.9 |
| 1997-10-12 | Ivy Stakes | OP | Tokyo (JP) | Good | 1400 m | 1 | 8 | H. Matoba | 53.0 kg | 1.4 | 1:21.9 |
| 1997-09-13 | Two-Year-Old Newcomer | MDN | Nakayama (JP) | Good | 1800 m | 1 | 9 | H. Matoba | 53.0 kg | 1.5 | 1:52.4 |
IRL Info
- Foaled: 1995-02-18
- Died: 2025-08-08
- Sex: Stallion
- Colour: Chestnut
- Trainer: Mitsuhiro Ogata
- Owner: Hanzawa Co., Ltd.
- Breeder: Phillips Racing Partnership & John Phillips
- Sire: Silver Hawk
- Dam: Ameriflora
- Damsire: Danzig
- Record: 15 starts: 9-1-0
- Earnings: JPY 6916460.00
Type: US-bred, Japan-trained (stallion)
Record (headline): Elite miler–middle performer; dual Arima Kinen (G1) winner
Range: 1600–2500 m • Noted for: explosive stretch run, winter big-race temperament
Grass Wonder was the American-bred colt who became Japan’s winter king. Champion two-year-old after winning the Asahi Hai Sansai Stakes (G1, 1997), he lost momentum with injury at three, then returned to seize the Arima Kinen (G1, 1998)—Japan’s fan-voted grand prix. In 1999 he completed a rare double: Takarazuka Kinen (G1) in midsummer, then a dramatic second Arima Kinen (G1) at year’s end, outdueling top contemporaries in photo-finish theater. His best weapon was a long, controlled surge that seemed to grow with every stride.
Style & strengths
- Trip: sit mid-pack, conserve, and launch a sustained, lengthening finish rather than a single burst.
- Temperament: cool in crowded paddocks; reliable in high-noise, high-stakes races.
- Sweet spot: firm or “good” ground, right-handed courses with a meaningful home straight.
Major wins (selected)
- Arima Kinen (G1) — 1998, 1999
- Takarazuka Kinen (G1) — 1999
- Asahi Hai Sansai Stakes (G1) — 1997
After racing
Retired to stud in Japan, Grass Wonder became a proven sire of toughness and finishing power. Notable progeny include:
- Screen Hero — Japan Cup (G1, 2008)
- Earnestly — Takarazuka Kinen (G1, 2011)
- Seiun Wonder — Asahi Hai Futurity (G1, 2008)
In retirement, Grass Wonder lived in the Big Red Farm in Hokkaido, where he was shown to have turned fat during his life in retirement.
Passing
Grass Wonder passed away in August 2025, aged 30. He’s remembered as Japan’s winter king—dual Arima Kinen hero with a trademark lengthening surge—and a sire who carried that late power into the next generation (e.g., Screen Hero, Earnestly).
Legacy
From juvenile champion to dual Arima hero, Grass Wonder stitched his name into the seasons—winter’s closer, the colt who turned fan thunder into silent, stunned finishes. His stud record carried that late strength forward, making him a fixture in modern Japanese pedigrees.
Gallery
No gallery images yet.