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| Sunny Brian サニーブライアン | |
|---|---|
| Breed | Thoroughbred |
| Sire | Brian's Time |
| Grandsire | Roberto |
| Dam | Sunny Swift |
| Damsire | Swift Swallow |
| Sex | Stallion |
| Foaled | 23 April 1994[1] |
| Died | 3 March 2011 (aged 16)[1] |
| Country | Japan |
| Color | Bay |
| Breeder | Murashita Farm |
| Owner | Moriyasu Miyazaki |
| Trainer | Senji Nakao |
| Record | 10: 4-1-1 |
| Earnings | ¥340,306,000[2] |
| Major wins | |
| Satsuki Shō (1997) Tōkyō Yūshun (1997) | |
| Awards | |
| JRA Award for Best Three-Year-Old Colt (1997)[3] | |
Sunny Brian (サニーブライアン, Hepburn: Sanī Buraian, 23 April 1994 – 3 March 2011)[1] was a Japanese Thoroughbred racehorse who won the first two leg of Japanese Classic Races, the Satsuki Shō and the Tōkyō Yūshun in 1997. He had a total earnings of ¥340,306,000 before his retirement.[2]
Background
Born on April 23, 1994, Sunny Brian was a bay horse foaled by Sunny Swift, a Japanese racemare with the same owner as his, Moriyasu Miyazaki. He was sired by Brian's Time, an American-bred racehorse who also sired notable Japanese racehorses such as Narita Brian, Mayano Top Gun, and Tanino Gimlet.[3]
Racing Career
1996: Three-year-old season
Sunny Brian debuted on October 5 at the Tokyo Racecourse. Ridden by Naohiro Onishi, he finished first by two and a half lengths.[4] On his next three races, his performance dropped suddenly and failed to place, finishing fifth, seventh, and fifth once again.[5]
1997: Four-year-old season
His next season started when he competed in Wakatake Sho, an allowance race, placing second.[5] At the Junior Cup, he finally secured a win once again, finishing with a time of 2:03.07 by half a length.[6] In the Hochi Hai Yayoi Sho, he placed second with three and a half lengths behind the second place, Osumi Sunday.[7] On the Wakaba Stakes, he placed fourth despite being the most popular horse.[5]
At the Classics, he placed first in the Satsuki Shō, winning against Silk Lightning by a neck.[8] However, in the Tōkyō Yūshun, he was unusually unpopular for a horse who won the Satsuki Shō, where he was only the sixth favorite. Despite this, he broke the fans' low expectations and managed to win by a length, becoming the youngest Derby winner.[9][10]
Race Records
The table below from netkeiba and JBIS shows his overall racing career. In his 10 starts, he won four races.[5][11]
| Date | Track | Race | Grade | Distance | Surface (Condition) |
BK (PP) | Entry | Odds (Favored) |
Finish | Time | Margin | Jockey | Winner (Runner-up) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 – three-year-old season | |||||||||||||
| Oct 5 | Tokyo | 3YO Debut | 1800m | Turf (Firm) | 6 (8) | 13 | 5.2 (3) | 1st | 1:50.4 | -0.4 | Naohiro Onishi | (Scholarship) | |
| Nov 2 | Tokyo | Hyakunichiso Tokubetsu | ALW (1 Win) | 1800m | Turf (Soft) | 5 (6) | 12 | 3.5 (2) | 5th | 1:50.3 | 0.9 | Naohiro Onishi | Kris the Brave |
| Nov 17 | Tokyo | Fuchu Sansai Stakes | G3 | 1800m | Turf (Firm) | 2 (2) | 13 | 7.4 (2) | 7th | 1:50.6 | 0.9 | Naohiro Onishi | Godspeed |
| Dec 15 | Nakayama | Hiiragi Sho | ALW (1 Win) | 1600m | Turf (Firm) | 6 (11) | 15 | 14.5 (3) | 5th | 1:37.0 | 0.8 | Naohiro Onishi | Speed World |
| 1997 – four-year-old season | |||||||||||||
| Jan 6 | Nakayama | Wakatake Sho | ALW (1 Win) | 2000m | Turf (Soft) | 4 (7) | 16 | 5.7 (4) | 2nd | 2:04.7 | 0.1 | Naohiro Onishi | Funnel Mark |
| Jan 18 | Nakayama | Junior Cup | OP | 2000m | Turf (Firm) | 3 (3) | 7 | 5.2 (4) | 1st | 2:03.7 | -0.1 | Naohiro Onishi | (Tokio Excellent) |
| Mar 2 | Nakayama | Hochi Hai Yayoi Sho | G2 | 2000m | Turf (Firm) | 3 (4) | 14 | 15.5 (5) | 3rd | 2:03.1 | 1.1 | Naohiro Onishi | Running Gale |
| Mar 22 | Nakayama | Wakaba Stakes | OP | 2000m | Turf (Soft) | 1 (1) | 16 | 3.5 (1) | 4th | 2:04.3 | 0.4 | Naohiro Onishi | Silk Lightning |
| Apr 13 | Nakayama | Satsuki Shō | G1 | 2000m | Turf (Firm) | 8 (18) | 18 | 51.8 (11) | 1st | 2:02.0 | -0.1 | Naohiro Onishi | (Silk Lightning) |
| Jun 1 | Tokyo | Tōkyō Yūshun | G1 | 2400m | Turf (Firm) | 8 (18) | 17 | 13.6 (6) | 1st | 2:25.9 | -0.2 | Naohiro Onishi | (Silk Justice) |
Stud Career
During his 10 years as a stallion, he sired a total of 364 horses. Although not as remarkable as his father, two of his leading progeny—Gran Rio and Kazeni Fukarete, were both G3 winners. He was later castrated before retiring.[12][10][13]
Retirement and Death
After his stud duties, he retired at the end of 2007 at the Yushun Village AERU located in Urakawa, Hokkaido. As the youngest Derby winner, he was reported to have many visitors, which were horse racing fans.[10]
Moreover, he was often found alone in his pasture, distancing himself from other horses—Nippo Teio, Dai Yusaku, and Winning Ticket. He was described as gentle and usually very docile, though sometimes bites when groomed.[10]
He later died on March 3, 2011.[1][13]
Pedigree
| Sire Brian's Time dk.b. 1985 |
Roberto b. 1969 |
Hail To Reason | Turn-To |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nothirdchance | |||
| Bramalea | Nashua | ||
| Rarelea | |||
| Kelley's Day b. 1977 |
Graustark | Ribot | |
| Flower Bowl | |||
| Golden Trail | Hasty Road | ||
| Sunny Vale | |||
| Dam Sunny Swift b. 1988 |
Swift Swallow b. 1977 |
Northern Dancer | Nearctic |
| Natalma | |||
| Homeward Bound | Alycidon | ||
| Sabie River | |||
| Sunny Roman b. 1974 |
Faberge | Princely Gift | |
| Spring Offensive | |||
| Final Queen | Final Score | ||
| Tsuki Kawa |
References
- ^ a b c d "サニーブライアン". 競走馬のふるさと案内所 (in Japanese). Retrieved 11 January 2026.
- ^ a b Japan Bloodhorse Breeders' Association. "Sunny Brian(JPN)". jbis.jp. Retrieved 11 January 2026.
- ^ a b NET DREAMERS, Co., Ltd. "Sunny Brian | Horse Profile, Pedigree, Form, Race Record". en.netkeiba.com. Retrieved 11 January 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ NET DREAMERS, Co., Ltd. "3yo Debut Full Result | 05 OCT 1996 R3 Tokyo Racing Information (JRA)". en.netkeiba.com. Retrieved 11 January 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ a b c d NET DREAMERS, Co., Ltd. "Sunny Brian Race Record and Form". en.netkeiba.com. Retrieved 11 January 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ NET DREAMERS, Co., Ltd. "Junior Cup Full Result | 18 JAN 1997 R9 Nakayama Racing Information (JRA)". en.netkeiba.com. Retrieved 11 January 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ NET DREAMERS, Co., Ltd. "HOCHI HAI YAYOI SHO (G2) Full Result | 02 MAR 1997 R11 Nakayama Racing Information (JRA)". en.netkeiba.com. Retrieved 11 January 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ NET DREAMERS, Co., Ltd. "SATSUKI SHO (JAPANESE 2000 GUINEAS) (G1) Full Result | 13 APR 1997 R10 Nakayama Racing Information (JRA)". en.netkeiba.com. Retrieved 11 January 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ NET DREAMERS, Co., Ltd. "TOKYO YUSHUN (JAPANESE DERBY) (G1) Full Result | 01 JUN 1997 R9 Tokyo Racing Information (JRA)". en.netkeiba.com. Retrieved 11 January 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ a b c d "サニーブライアンを訪ねて～うらかわ優駿ビレッジAERU" [Visiting Sunny Brian ~ Urakawa Yushun Village AERU]. 競走馬のふるさと案内所 (in Japanese). Retrieved 11 January 2026.
- ^ Japan Bloodhorse Breeders' Association. "Race Records | Sunny Brian(JPN)". jbis.jp. Retrieved 11 January 2026.
- ^ NET DREAMERS, Co., Ltd. "Sunny Brian All Progeny | Horse Profile". en.netkeiba.com. Retrieved 11 January 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ a b "追悼～サニーブライアン～" [In Memory of Sunny Brian]. 競走馬のふるさと案内所 (in Japanese). 4 March 2011. Retrieved 11 January 2026.
- ^ Japan Bloodhorse Breeders' Association. "Five-generation Pedigree Table | Pedigree | Sunny Brian(JPN)". jbis.jp. Retrieved 11 January 2026.
