Grass Wonder (USA)
February 18, 1995 – August 8, 2025
Silver Hawk (USA) x Ameriflora (USA), by Danzig (USA)
Family 12-c
February 18, 1995 – August 8, 2025
Silver Hawk (USA) x Ameriflora (USA), by Danzig (USA)
Family 12-c
Among the flood of American bloodstock purchased by Japanese interests during the 1990s was Grass Wonder, who boasted a strong pedigree based on Darby Dan bloodlines. Sent to Japan to race, Grass Wonder reigned as the champion of his crop as a 2-year-old and won top-level Japanese races at ages 3 and 4 in spite of injury and restriction to those races that permitted foreign-bred entries. He was a highly inconsistent sire in spite of his top-class bloodlines and racing performance, but his male line is being carried on by his paternal grandson Maurice, the 2015 Japanese Horse of the Year.
Race record
15 starts, 9 wins, 1 second, 0 thirds, US$5,907,485 (converted from Japanese earnings)
1997:
1998:
1999:
At the time Grass Wonder was racing, Japanese races were not recognized as Group-level events by the International Catalogue and held only listed status internationally. By Japanese standards, he was a four-time Group 1 winner as the Asahi Hai Sansai Stakes, the Arima Kinen (Grand Prix), and the Takarazuka Kinen were all considered to be Group 1 races within Japan.
Honors
As an individual
A handsome, muscular, masculine chestnut horse, Grass Wonder stood 15.3-3/4 hands.
As a stallion
According to statistics compiled by The Jockey Club, Grass Wonder sired 734 winners (52.1%) and 15 stakes winners (1.1%) from 1409 named foals of racing age.
Sire rankings
Per the Japanese Bloodstock Information System (https://www.jbis.jp/ranking/):
Notable progeny
Earnestly (JPN), Screen Hero (JPN), Seiun Wonder (JPN)
Notable progeny of daughters
Meisho Mambo (JPN)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Grass Wonder was bred by Phillips Racing Partnership and John Phillips. He was sold to Nobua Tsunoda through the 1996 Keeneland September yearling sale for US$250,000. He was owned by Hanzawa Co., Ltd., and was trained by Mitsuhiru Ogata. He entered stud in 2001 at Shadai Stallion Station and also stood at Eliza Park, Victoria, Australia, during the Southern Hemisphere season. He moved to the Breeders' Stallion Station in 2015. At the time of his death on August 8, 2025, from multiple organ failure, he was living as a pensioner at Big Red Farm, where he had been in retirement since 2021.
Pedigree notes
Grass Wonder is inbred 4x5 to unbeaten racehorse and two-time English//Irish champion sire Nearco. He is a full brother to multiple Grade 1 winner Wonder Again, dam of multiple Japanese listed stakes winner Red Raven (by Smart Strike) and second dam of multiple Grade 1 winner Colonel Liam. He is a half brother to Maiden America (by Rock Hard Ten), dam of 2017 Bashford Manor Stakes (USA-G3) winner Ten City (by Run Away and Hide) and 2020 Monmouth Oaks (USA-G3) winner Hopeful Growth (by Tapiture).
Grass Wonder was produced from unraced Ameriflora, whose full sister Tribulation won the 1993 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes (USA-G1) and is the dam of 2007 Hawthorne Derby (USA-G3) winner Bold Hawk and English listed stakes winner Coshocton (both by Silver Hawk); she is also the second dam of Japanese Group 2 winner Decipher. Ameriflora is a half sister to multiple Grade 3 winner Graceful Darby (by Darby Creek Road) and to Graceful Creek (by Darby Creek Road), dam of 1994 La Canada Stakes (USA-G2) winner Stalcreek (by Stalwart) and listed stakes winner Graceful Cat (by Forest Wildcat).
Graceful Touch, the dam of Ameriflora and her siblings, is a winning daughter of His Majesty and a full sister to 1990 Panamanian champion older horse Pi Phi Prince. Also a half sister to Patient Saint (by Darby Creek Road), dam of multiple restricted stakes winner Impatient (by Kyle’s Our Man), Graceful Touch is out of the winning Raise a Native mare Pi Phi Gal, a daughter of Darby Dan foundation mare Soaring (by Swaps) and so a half sister to 1982 Monmouth Handicap (USA-G1) winner Mehmet (by His Majesty) and 1968 Ashland Stakes winner and important producer Miss Swapsco (by Cohoes).
Fun facts
Last updated: September 4, 2025
Race record
15 starts, 9 wins, 1 second, 0 thirds, US$5,907,485 (converted from Japanese earnings)
1997:
- Won Keisei Hai Sansai S. (JPN, 1400mT, Tokyo)
- Won Asahi Hai Sansai S. (JPN, 1600mT, Nakayama)
1998:
- Won Arima Kinen (JPN, 2500mT, Nakayama)
1999:
- Won Keio Hai Spring Cup (JPN, 1400mT, Tokyo)
- Won Takarazuka Kinen (JPN, 2200mT, Hanshin)
- Won Mainichi Okan (JPN, 1800mT, Tokyo)
- Won Arima Kinen (JPN, 2500mT, Nakayama)
- 2nd Yasuda Kinen (JPN, 1600mT, Tokyo)
At the time Grass Wonder was racing, Japanese races were not recognized as Group-level events by the International Catalogue and held only listed status internationally. By Japanese standards, he was a four-time Group 1 winner as the Asahi Hai Sansai Stakes, the Arima Kinen (Grand Prix), and the Takarazuka Kinen were all considered to be Group 1 races within Japan.
Honors
- Japanese champion 2-year-old male (1997)
- Japan Racing Association Special Award (1999)
As an individual
A handsome, muscular, masculine chestnut horse, Grass Wonder stood 15.3-3/4 hands.
As a stallion
According to statistics compiled by The Jockey Club, Grass Wonder sired 734 winners (52.1%) and 15 stakes winners (1.1%) from 1409 named foals of racing age.
Sire rankings
Per the Japanese Bloodstock Information System (https://www.jbis.jp/ranking/):
- 10th on the Japanese general sire list in 2008.
Notable progeny
Earnestly (JPN), Screen Hero (JPN), Seiun Wonder (JPN)
Notable progeny of daughters
Meisho Mambo (JPN)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Grass Wonder was bred by Phillips Racing Partnership and John Phillips. He was sold to Nobua Tsunoda through the 1996 Keeneland September yearling sale for US$250,000. He was owned by Hanzawa Co., Ltd., and was trained by Mitsuhiru Ogata. He entered stud in 2001 at Shadai Stallion Station and also stood at Eliza Park, Victoria, Australia, during the Southern Hemisphere season. He moved to the Breeders' Stallion Station in 2015. At the time of his death on August 8, 2025, from multiple organ failure, he was living as a pensioner at Big Red Farm, where he had been in retirement since 2021.
Pedigree notes
Grass Wonder is inbred 4x5 to unbeaten racehorse and two-time English//Irish champion sire Nearco. He is a full brother to multiple Grade 1 winner Wonder Again, dam of multiple Japanese listed stakes winner Red Raven (by Smart Strike) and second dam of multiple Grade 1 winner Colonel Liam. He is a half brother to Maiden America (by Rock Hard Ten), dam of 2017 Bashford Manor Stakes (USA-G3) winner Ten City (by Run Away and Hide) and 2020 Monmouth Oaks (USA-G3) winner Hopeful Growth (by Tapiture).
Grass Wonder was produced from unraced Ameriflora, whose full sister Tribulation won the 1993 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes (USA-G1) and is the dam of 2007 Hawthorne Derby (USA-G3) winner Bold Hawk and English listed stakes winner Coshocton (both by Silver Hawk); she is also the second dam of Japanese Group 2 winner Decipher. Ameriflora is a half sister to multiple Grade 3 winner Graceful Darby (by Darby Creek Road) and to Graceful Creek (by Darby Creek Road), dam of 1994 La Canada Stakes (USA-G2) winner Stalcreek (by Stalwart) and listed stakes winner Graceful Cat (by Forest Wildcat).
Graceful Touch, the dam of Ameriflora and her siblings, is a winning daughter of His Majesty and a full sister to 1990 Panamanian champion older horse Pi Phi Prince. Also a half sister to Patient Saint (by Darby Creek Road), dam of multiple restricted stakes winner Impatient (by Kyle’s Our Man), Graceful Touch is out of the winning Raise a Native mare Pi Phi Gal, a daughter of Darby Dan foundation mare Soaring (by Swaps) and so a half sister to 1982 Monmouth Handicap (USA-G1) winner Mehmet (by His Majesty) and 1968 Ashland Stakes winner and important producer Miss Swapsco (by Cohoes).
Fun facts
- Grass Wonder was the inspiration for an animated character in Umamasume: Pretty Derby, a multimedia franchise in which anthropomorphic characters (most of which are based on famous racehorses) compete at tracks inspired by real-life venues managed by the Japanese Racing Association.
Last updated: September 4, 2025