Real Shadai (1979–2004) was an American-born

Thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a list of horse breeds, horse breed developed for Thoroughbred racing, horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thorough ...

racehorse Horse racing is an equestrian performance activity, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its bas ...

who raced in

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

and became a

leading sire in Japan The list below shows the leading Thoroughbred sire of racehorses in Japan for each year since 1924. This is determined by the amount of prize money won by the sire's progeny during the season. The 2016 novel ''Mount!'' by Jilly Cooper describes th ...

Background

He was sired by

Epsom Derby The Derby Stakes, more commonly known as the Derby and sometimes referred to as the Epsom Derby, is a Group races, Group 1 flat Horse racing, horse race in England open to three-year-old Colt (horse), colts and Filly, fillies. It is run at Ep ...

winner Roberto out of the U.S. Racing Hall of Fame

mare A mare is an adult female horse or other equidae, equine. In most cases, a mare is a female horse over the age of three, and a filly is a female horse three and younger. In Thoroughbred horse racing, a mare is defined as a female horse more th ...

Desert Vixen Desert Vixen (1970–1982) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse. She was the leading American filly of her generation, winning an Eclipse Award at the ages of both three and four. She was later inducted into the U. S. Racing Hall of Fame. Ra ...

. Real Shadai was bred by Franklin Groves' North Ridge Farm near

Lexington, Kentucky Lexington is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city coterminous with and the county seat of Fayette County, Kentucky, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census the city's population was 322,570, making it the List of ...

, and sold at the 1980 Keeneland July yearling sale for $360,000 to the renowned

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

ese horseman Zenya Yoshida. As he had done before with his Champion colt

Northern Taste Northern Taste (March 15, 1971 – December 11, 2004) was a Canada, Canadian-bred Thoroughbred horse racing, racehorse who raced in France before being exported to Japan and becoming one of the most successful and influential Leading sire in Jap ...

, Yoshida turned Real Shadai over to trainer John Cunnington, Jr. at the Great Stables in

Chantilly Chantilly may refer to: Places France *Chantilly, Oise, a city ** US Chantilly, a football club *Château de Chantilly United States * Chantilly, Missouri, an unincorporated community * Chantilly (Charlotte neighborhood), North Carolina ...

Racing career

In 1981, Real Shadai was a non-winner in his two starts at age two. Out of his six races the following year, he won two, the most important of which was the 1982

Grand Prix de Deauville The Grand Prix de Deauville is a Group 2 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Deauville over a distance of 2,500 metres (about 1 mile and 4½ f ...

. His other significant outing was a second-place finish in the 1982 GI

Prix du Jockey Club The Prix du Jockey Club, sometimes referred to as the French Derby, is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Chantilly ov ...

to Robert Sangster's colt

Assert Assertion or assert may refer to: Computing * Assertion (software development), a computer programming technique * assert.h, a header file in the standard library of the C programming language * Assertion definition language, a specification lan ...

. Entered in the 1982

Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe () is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp Racecourse in Paris over a distance ...

, Real Shadai was up against a very strong field that included Assert along with Ardross,

April Run {{Infobox racehorse , horsename = April Run , image = , caption = , sire = Run the Gantlet , grandsire = Tom Rolfe , dam = April Fancy , damsire = No Argument , sex = mare , foaled = 1978-{{death date and age, 1994, 1978 , country = ...

Akiyda Akiyda (foaled 21 April 1979) was a British-bred, French-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare best known for winning France's mot prestigious race, the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in 1982. After winning her only race as a two-year-old she w ...

, and one of the great international racing fillies of all time,

All Along All Along (7 April 1979 – 23 February 2005) was a champion Thoroughbred mare that was foaled and trained in France. She was one of the top European fillies since World War II. While she mostly raced in Europe, the filly also won top-le ...

. After finishing fifth to winner Akiyda, Real Shadai was retired from racing.

Stud record

Sent to stand at

stud Stud may refer to: Animals * Stud (animal), an animal retained for breeding ** Stud farm, a property where livestock are bred Arts and entertainment * Stud (band), a British progressive rock group * The Stud (bar), a gay bar in San Francisco * ...

at his owner's

Shadai Stallion Station is a thoroughbred breeding facility located in Abira on the island of Hokkaido in Japan. The farm was begun in the late 1970s to early 1980s by the late Zenya Yoshida, and is now run jointly by his sons (Katsumi, Haruya, and Teruya Yoshida), know ...

Shiraoi, Hokkaido is a List of towns in Japan, town located in Iburi Subprefecture, Iburi, Hokkaido, Japan. As of September 2016, the town had a population of 17,759. It was established in 1867 by the feudal lords of Sendai Domain, Sendai. Most of the area of the ...

, Real Shadai had a successful career as a stallion. He was the

in 1993, and his progeny earned in excess of US$110 million. Among his notable offspring were Shadai Kagura, Japan's Champion Three-Year-Old Filly in 1989 and winner of the

Oka Sho The is a Grade 1 flat horse race in Japan. The race is restricted to three-year-old Thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a list of horse breeds, horse breed developed for Thoroughbred racing, horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbre ...

(Japanese 1000 Guineas), as well as

Rice Shower Rice Shower (in Japanese: ライスシャワー, March 5, 1989 − June 4, 1995) was a Japanese Thoroughbred racehorse who won multiple Group 1 titles. History His name refers to the tradition of throwing rice at weddings for good luck. Rice Sh ...

, who captured the 1992 Domestic Grade I Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger) and was a two-time winner of the Domestic Grade I Tenno Sho (Spring) (1993, 1995). Pensioned in 2000, Real Shadai became afflicted with hyposthenia, brought on by

laminitis Laminitis is a disease of the feet of ungulates, found mostly in horses and cattle involving inflammation of the laminae. Clinical signs include foot tenderness progressing to inability to walk, increased digital pulses, and increased temperatur ...

, and died at the age of twenty-five on May 26, 2004.

References

{{Reflist
Real Shadai's pedigree and partial racing stats

1979 racehorse births 2004 racehorse deaths Racehorses bred in Kentucky Racehorses trained in France Thoroughbred family 2-c Champion Thoroughbred Sires of Japan