Soccer Boy (horse)

Soccer Boy
サッカーボーイ
Soccer Boy racing at the 1988 Arima Kinen.
SireDictus
GrandsireSanctus
DamDyna Sash
DamsireNorthern Taste
SexStallion
Foaled(1985-04-28)28 April 1985
Died7 October 2011(2011-10-07) (aged 26)
CountryJapan
ColourFlaxen Chestnut
BreederShadai Farm
OwnerShadai Race Horse
Racing colors
TrainerKoji Ono
JockeyMasahiro Uchiyama
Hiroshi Kawachi
Record11: 6-0-2
Earnings¥219,932,400
Major wins
Hanshin Sansai Stakes (1987)
Chunichi Sports Yonsai Stakes (1988)
Hakodate Kinen (1988)
Mile Championship (1988)
Awards
JRA Award for Best Three-Year-Old Colt (1987)
JRA Award for Best Sprinter or Miler (1988)

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.[1] He received the JRA Award for Best Three-Year-Old Colt in 1987 and the JRA Award for Best Sprinter or Miler in 1988.[1]

Background

Soccer Boy was a chestnut horse bred in Shiraoi, Hokkaido, by Shadai Farm (Now known as Shiraoi Farm).[1] 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.[2] He was owned by Shadai Race Horse and sent into training with Koji Ono at the JRA's Ritto Training Center.[1]

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.[3] He subsequently finished fourth in the Hakodate Sansai Stakes (GIII) on September 27.[3] After his first loss by Dictar Land, he won the Momiji Stakes (Open) at Kyoto Racecourse on October 31.[3]

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.[3] 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).[1]

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.[3] 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.[3]

On July 3, he won the Chunichi Sports Yonsai S (GIII) at Chukyo Racecourse, defeating Yaeno Muteki.[3] 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.[3]

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.[3] 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.[3]

Following the Arima Kinen, he was named the 1988 JRA Award for Best Sprinter or Miler.[1]

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.[4]

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 Ref
1987 – two-year-old season
Aug 9 Turf 1200 m (Heavy) 3-Y-O Newcomer Maiden Hakodate 2.2 (1st) 7 1st 1:14.5 –1.5 (Tosho Mario) Masahiro Uchiyama [3]
Sep 27 Turf 1200 m (Soft) Hakodate Sansai Stakes GIII Hakodate 6.2 (3rd) 12 4th 1:12.9 0.7 Dictar Land Masahiro Uchiyama [3]
Oct 31 Turf 1600 m (Soft) Momiji Stakes Open Kyoto 2.3 (1st) 9 1st 1:36.4 –1.6 (Rugger Black) Masahiro Uchiyama [3]
Dec 20 Turf 1600 m (Firm) Hanshin Sansai Stakes GI Hanshin 1.9 (1st) 10 1st R1:34.5 –1.3 (Daitaku Longchamp) Masahiro Uchiyama [3]
1988 – three-year-old season
Mar 6 Turf 2000 m (Firm) Yayoi Sho GII Tokyo 1.6 (1st) 11 3rd 2:01.5 0.4 Sakura Chiyono O Masahiro Uchiyama [3]
May 8 Turf 2000 m (Good) NHK Hai GII Tokyo 3.5 (1st) 16 4th 2:02.4 0.4 Meiner Glauben Hiroshi Kawachi [3]
May 29 Turf 2400 m (Firm) Tokyo Yushun GI Tokyo 5.8 (1st) 24 15th 2:28.0 1.7 Sakura Chiyono O Hiroshi Kawachi [3]
Jul 3 Turf 1800 m (Firm) Chunichi Sports Yonsai Stakes GIII Chukyo 3.4 (2nd) 11 1st 1:48.9 –0.1 (Yaeno Muteki) Hiroshi Kawachi [3]
Aug 21 Turf 2000 m (Firm) Hakodate Kinen GIII Hakodate 2.2 (1st) 14 1st R1:57.8 –0.8 (Merry Nice) Hiroshi Kawachi [3]
Nov 20 Turf 1600 m (Firm) Mile Championship GI Kyoto 2.2 (1st) 17 1st 1:35.3 –0.7 (Hokuto Helios) Hiroshi Kawachi [3]
Dec 25 Turf 2500 m (Firm) Arima Kinen GI Nakayama 4.8 (3rd) 13 3rd 2:34.3 0.4 Oguri Cap Hiroshi Kawachi [3]
  • R indicates a track record.

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.[5] The character's name references Soccer Boy's sire, Dictus, and incorporates a "striker" motif reflecting the horse's name.[6] In the anime adaptation, Dicta Striker is voiced by Yumiri Hanamori.[5]

Stud career

Soccer Boy's descendants include:

c = colt, f = filly
bold = 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

Pedigree of Soccer Boy (JPN)
Sire
Dictus (FR)
1967		 Sanctus (FR)
1960		 Fine Top Fine Art
Toupie
Sanelta Tourment
Saranella
Doronic (FR)
1960		 Worden Wild Risk
Sans Tares
Dulzetta Bozzetto
Dulcimer
Dam
Dyna Sash (JPN)
1979		 Northern Taste (CAN)
1971		 Northern Dancer Nearctic
Natalma
Lady Victoria Victoria Park
Lady Angela
Royal Sash (GB)
1966		 Princely Gift Nasrullah
Blue Gem
Sash of Honour Prince Chevalier
Sylko

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "サッカーボーイ (Soccer Boy) - Profile & Race Record". JBIS Search (in Japanese). Japan Bloodhorse Breeders' Association. Retrieved 22 June 2026.
  2. 1 2 "サッカーボーイ - 5代血統表". JBIS Search (in Japanese). Japan Bloodhorse Breeders' Association. Retrieved 22 June 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 "サッカーボーイ 競走成績". netkeiba (in Japanese). Retrieved 22 June 2026.
  4. ↑ "【第100回天皇賞有力馬】 役者は揃った。10月29日、名勝負が歴史を飾る。". Yushun (in Japanese) (November 1989). Japan Racing Association. 1989.
  5. 1 2 "「ウマ娘 シンデレラグレイ」ディクタストライカ役は花守ゆみり". Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. 11 May 2025. Retrieved 22 June 2026.
  6. ↑ "CHARACTER | アニメ『ウマ娘 シンデレラグレイ』公式サイト". Umamusume Cinderella Grey Official Site (in Japanese). Retrieved 22 June 2026.
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