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Sunday Silence — news, coverage & facts — IJR

1989: three-year-old season

Sunday Silence began his three-year-old year by winning an allowance race at Santa Anita by four lengths which opened the door of Kentucky Derby potential. His next race was a victory in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes, and then he won the G1 Santa Anita Derby by eleven lengths to qualify for a start in the Kentucky Derby.

In what became an iconic rivalry, Sunday Silence and Easy Goer would only meet four times, the first of which was the 1989 Kentucky Derby on May 6. In the buildup to the 1989 Triple Crown, the rivalry developed between the West Coast-based Sunday Silence and the East Coast-based Easy Goer, winner of the 1988 Eclipse Award for Champion Two Year Old Colt. Easy Goer was coming in off of a victory in the Wood Memorial and a record breaking performance in the Gotham Stakes. Unknown to the public however, Easy Goer had a small crack in his left front. The favorite was Easy Goer, with Sunday Silence as the 3:1 second choice.

Kentucky Derby day was a cold one at 44°, the coldest in 72 years, with rain creating a slow muddy track. After stalking the pace and making his move around the turn, Sunday Silence and jockey Pat Valenzuela defeated Easy Goer by 2+1⁄2 lengths, in the slowest time (2:05) for a Kentucky Derby since 1958. Sunday Silence ducked in and out sharply throughout the stretch run, with his jockey switching from left and right handed urging trying to keep him running straight. Even with ducking in and out, the champion Easy Goer was unable to make up ground. Daily Racing Form writer Dan Illman stated after Sunday Silence's victory that "the best horse won that afternoon." Daily Racing Form chairman Steve Crist stated his opinion that "Easy Goer had a legitimate explanation for his defeat, as he didn't handle the muddy Churchill track."

While both horses were preparing for the 1+3⁄16-mile Preakness two weeks after the Derby, each had minor ailments. Sunday Silence came up lame after a gallop seven days before the race. Trainer Whittingham contacted well-known Kentucky veterinarian Alex Harthill, who diagnosed a bruise under the sole, a common injury that "wasn't a serious problem but it had happened at a serious time." Harthill had Sunday Silence step on a clean sheet of white paper which was subsequently faxed to Ric Redden of Lexington, Kentucky, and from which Redden prepared a set of aluminum bar shoes. Redden and his assistant then flew via rented jet to Baltimore with the bar shoes and X-ray machine to confirm that no fracture was involved. After the shoes were fitted, Sunday Silence resumed training four days before the race. After his connections saw the colt's "remarkably" rapid recovery from the injury, the bar shoes were removed the day before the race. With all the uncertainty over Sunday Silence's soundness, he would go on to be second choice once again to Easy Goer at 2:1.

Meanwhile, unknown to the public at his rival's stable, throughout Preakness week (as late as Friday, the day before the race), Easy Goer's front feet were being soaked in tubs of Epsom salts due to small scratches or cracks on both heels. An ultrasound was also performed on his ankles and knees. Some wondered if these ailments could compromise the chances of both horses. Easy Goer had "problematic, puffy" ankles that he dealt with throughout his career.

The 1989 Preakness Stakes on May 20 is one that continues to live in racing lore as one of the best races ever run, and one of the most iconic stretch duels. It was added into Horse Racing's Top 100 Moments, placing at #70. Easy Goer broke slow, and Sunday Silence was bumped at the start, then the pair settled into their sports. After three-quarters of a mile, Day guided Easy Goer to the front where Sunday Silence dug in and went with him. The legendary stretch duel was fought the entire length of the stretch, with neither Sunday Silence or Easy Goer giving an inch. Sunday Silence prevailed in the photo finish, with a finishing time of 1:53 4/5, the third fastest Preakness at the time.

Some Easy Goer loyalists in the media maintained their horse's superiority, attributing the loss to the fact that Easy Goer had leapt in the air at the start and his jockey, Pat Day, reined Easy Goer's head to the right when he had a short lead in the home stretch. Day, who lodged a failed objection against Valenzuela, has called his ride "a mistake."

In 1989, New York was the only state in America that banned all race-day drugs and medications, including the now-commonly used medication Lasix. In the three weeks between the Preakness and Belmont, Whittingham was angered that the controversial veterinarian Alex Harthill, who treated Sunday Silence earlier for the Kentucky Derby and Preakness, was not licensed in New York and prohibited from practicing. The day before the 1+1⁄2-mile Belmont Stakes, Sunday Silence, with exercise rider Pam Mabes up, was spooked and kicked trainer Whittingham in the temple, a glancing blow that came close to killing the trainer.

Belmont Park received several inches of rain in the days leading up to the race, but by race day on June 10 the track was rated fast with Sunday Silence this time the 4:5 post time favorite, and the entry of Easy Goer and Awe Inspiring at 8:5. While initially planning on going to the lead, Sunday Silence settled into second behind the longshot French colt Le Voyageur. Easy Goer was never too far behind either. When Sunday Silence made his move on the turn, Easy Goer made a faster one and swept to the front. Easy Goer defeated Sunday Silence by eight lengths in the time of 2:26, producing the second-fastest Belmont Stakes in history, behind only Secretariat, and denied Sunday Silence the Triple Crown, and thus a $5M bonus. However, by virtue of his two Classic wins and his runner-up performance, Sunday Silence was awarded the third $1,000,000 Visa Triple Crown Bonus for best three-year-old in the series.

After the Belmont Stakes, the pair went their separate ways with Sunday Silence returning to California where he finished second to eventual Breeders' Cup Turf winner Prized in the Grade II 1+1⁄4-mile Swaps Stakes at Hollywood Park on July 23. From there he went to Louisiana Downs where he won the Grade I Super Derby on September 24, giving him six weeks' rest going into the Breeder's Cup Classic. Over in New York, Easy Goer won 4 successive Grade I stakes after the Belmont... the Whitney Handicap, Travers Stakes, Woodward Stakes, and the Jockey Club Gold Cup, giving him 27 days' rest going into the Classic.

This set up one final face-off between the rivals at the season-ending $3 million 1+1⁄4-mile Breeders' Cup Classic at Gulfstream Park, on November 4. The contest was expected to decide the winner of the Eclipse Award for Horse of the Year. Sunday Silence's jockey Pat Valenzuela had earlier been suspended for cocaine use and was replaced by Hall of Fame rider Chris McCarron. Sunday Silence was the post time 2:1 second choice behind Easy Goer at 1:2.

The race started as usual for Sunday Silence who settled five lengths behind the leader, but Easy Goer broke slow and was 11 lengths from the front for much of the race. On the backstretch, Sunday Silence inched closer to the lead with Easy Goer noticeably and suddenly getting into stride with three quarters of a mile to go, with track announcer Tom Durkin commenting during the race "he is five lengths behind Sunday Silence and now he's beginning to roll!" and near the half mile pole he continued, "Sunday Silence bracing for the oncoming power of Easy Goer, who's right at his neck!" On the turn however, Sunday Silence continued to gain on the leader, leaving Easy Goer behind. Sunday Silence took control with about an eighth of a mile to go, with Easy Goer three lengths behind. Jockey Chris McCarron continued with a hand ride, and was able to withstand a strong late charge by Easy Goer to win the Classic by a neck. The victory solidified a 3:1 advantage in Sunday Silence's favor.

At this point, Sunday Silence had earned what was then a single-season record $4.59 million and won seven times in nine starts for the 1989 campaign, earning him Eclipse Award for Outstanding 3-Year-Old Male Horse and Horse of the Year honors. For the latter award, Sunday Silence received 223 of 242 votes, making him the most decisive winner since John Henry eight years earlier. Even with the championship honors, debate continues decades after their careers on who was the better horse.

Stud record

Sunday Silence was sold to Japanese breeder Zenya Yoshida, to stand at his Shadai Stallion Station in Shiraoi, Hokkaido. Yoshida had acquired a 25% interest in Sunday Silence early in his 4-year-old season and bought out the other partners for $7.5 million in 1991.

Sunday Silence flourished in Japan and became their leading sire from 1995 through 2007, taking over from Northern Taste (ten-time leading sire in Japan). He was particularly successful with daughters from the Northern Dancer sire line. However, breeders were generally not successful expanding his influence outside of Japan. His progeny have won many races in Japan, including 20 out of 22 JRA Grade 1 flat races (the only exceptions are the NHK Mile Cup and the Japan Cup Dirt). His progeny also have won International Grade 1 race including the Hong Kong Vase, Hong Kong Mile and Dubai Sheema Classic.

Additionally noteworthy about Sunday Silence during this time was a close bond he would form with fellow stallion Mejiro McQueen, who acted as a calming influence towards him. The two were noted for being best friends, and were sometimes jokingly referred to as "lovers" by racing fans and farm hands alike, despite both of them being stallions. However, their bloodlines would eventually merge when Sunday Silence's son, Stay Gold, mated with Mejiro McQueen's daughters, such as Point Flag and Oriental Art. This specific nick, known as the "Golden Combination", produced highly successful racehorses such as Dream Journey, Orfevre, and Gold Ship.

Descendants of Sunday Silence have broken many earnings records, in part because he was active at the start of the "big crop" era (siring about 2000 foals) and also because the average purses in Japan are significantly higher than the rest of the world. Conservative estimates on the earnings of Sunday Silence descendants place the total near JPY 80 billion (approximately $730 million according to Equibase).

He was also the leading broodmare sire in North America in 2016 with Japanese racehorse Lani's entry in the Kentucky Derby that year with a Grade II win in Dubai, followed by off the board finishes in the Derby and Preakness, and a third-place finish in the Belmont. Once qualified to appear on the broodmare sire list, Sunday Silence then got enhancements from his Japanese runners, where there is a substantial disproportion between North American purses and the significantly higher purses in Japan.

Sire of sires and broodmares

Many of Sunday Silence's sons have gone on to become successful breeding stallions, with at least seventeen of them siring Group or Grade I winners. These include:

Fuji Kiseki sired Kane Hekili, Straight Girl, Sun Classique (Dubai Sheema Classic) and Isla Bonita.

Dance in the Dark sired Delta Blues, the winner of Australia's Melbourne Cup.

Stay Gold sired Orfevre, Gold Ship, Dream Journey, Nakayama Festa, Fenomeno, Oju Chosan, Red Reveur (Hanshin Juvenile Fillies), Admire Lead (Victoria Mile), Rainbow Line, Win Bright and Indy Champ. Orfevre in turn sired Marche Lorraine, Lucky Lilac, Juryoku Pierrot and Ushba Tesoro, while Gold Ship sired Uberleben, Meiner Grand (Nakayama Daishogai), and Meisho Tabaru.

Agnes Gold sired Silence Is Gold, Abu Dhabi, Mais Que Bonita, Abidjan, Antonella Baby, Ivar, Energia Fribby, Hevea, Honra Real, Nathan, Olympic Kremlin, Culo e Camicia, Olympic Jhonsnow, Orfeu Negro, Olympic Las Palmas, Janelle Monae, In Love, Online, Look Of Love, No Fear, Doutor Sureño and Neverwalkalone.

Divine Light sired Natagora.

Special Week sired Gold Blitz (Teio Sho), Roman Legend (Tokyo Daishōten), Toho Jackal (Kikuka Sho), Buena Vista and Cesario; who in turn foaled Epiphaneia, Leontes, and Saturnalia. Epiphaneia would then go on to sire Daring Tact, Efforia, Ten Happy Rose, Circle of Life, Blow the Horn, Stellenbosch and Danon Decile. Leontes would go on to sire T O Royal and Museum Mile. Saturnalia would go on to sire Cavallerizzo and Rodeo Drive. Special Week is also the damsire of Deirdre.

Manhattan Cafe sired Grape Brandy (February Stakes), Hiruno d'Amour (Tenno Sho), Jo Cappuccino (NHK Mile Cup), Red Desire and Queens Ring (Queen Elizabeth II Commemorative Cup).

Agnes Tachyon sired Logic (NHK Mile Cup), Daiwa Scarlet (Oka Sho, Shuka Sho, Queen Elizabeth II Commemorative Cup, Arima Kinen), Deep Sky, Captain Thule (Satsuki Sho), Little Amapola (Queen Elizabeth II Cup) and Reve d'Essor.

Neo Universe sired Unrivaled (Satsuki Shō), Logi Universe, Victoire Pisa, and Neorealism. Victoire Pisa in turn sired the Oka Sho winner Jeweler.

Zenno Rob Roy sired Saint Emilion (Yūshun Himba)

Daiwa Major sired Curren Black Hill (NHK Mile Cup), Major Emblem, Admire Mars, Resistencia, Serifos, Double Major, and Ascoli Piceno. Admire Mars in turn sired Embroidery (Oka Sho, Shuka Sho, Victoria Mile).

Hat Trick sired Dabirsim and King David (Jamaica Handicap).

Deep Impact sired Gentildonna (Triple Tiara, Japan Cup, Arima Kinen), Deep Brillante (Tokyo Yushun), Kizuna (Tokyo Yushun), Harp Star (Oka Sho), A Shin Hikari (Hong Kong Cup, Prix d'Ispahan), Makahiki (Tokyo Yushun), Shonan Pandora (Shuka Sho, Japan Cup), Beauty Parlour (Poule d'Essai des Pouliches), Ayusan, Verxina, Tosen Ra, Mikki Isle, Dee Majesty, Spielberg (Tennō Shō), Lachesis (Queen Elizabeth II Commemorative Cup), Danon Shark (Mile Championship), Shonan Adela (Hanshin Juvenile Fillies), Danon Platina (Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes), Real Impact, Mikki Queen, Marialite, Real Steel, Sinhalite, Danon Premium, Vivlos (Shuka Sho, Dubai Turf), Satono Diamond (Kikuka Sho, Arima Kinen), Al Ain (Satsuki Sho, Osaka Hai), Saxon Warrior, Study of Man, Fierement (Kikuka Sho, Tenno Sho (Spring) (twice)), Fierce Impact, Wagnerian (Tokyo Yushun), Gran Alegria (Oka Sho, Dual Miles: Yasuda Kinen and Mile Championship, Sprinters Stakes, Victoria Mile), Roger Barows, World Premiere (Kikuka Sho, Tenno Sho (Spring)), Loves Only You (Yushun Himba, Queen Elizabeth II Cup, Hong Kong Cup, Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf), Contrail (Hopeful Stakes, Triple Crown, Japan Cup), Fancy Blue, Shahryar (Tokyo Yushun, Dubai Sheema Classic), Ask Victor More (Kikuka Sho), and Auguste Rodin. Kizuna in turn sired Akai Ito (Queen Elizabeth II Cup), Songline (Yasuda Kinen (twice), Victoria Mile), Justin Milano (Satsuki Sho), W Heart Bond (Champions Cup), Sixpence (Yasuda Kinen) and Natural Rise (Haneda Hai, Tokyo Derby). Gentildonna in turn foaled Geraldina (Queen Elizabeth II Cup). Real Steel in turn sired Saudi Cup and Breeders' Cup Classic winner Forever Young. Saxon Warrior in turn sired Victoria Road (Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf) and Sheza Alibi (Randwick Guineas, Doncaster Mile). Study of Man in turn sired Kalpana (British Champions Fillies and Mares Stakes (twice), King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Yorkshire Oaks). World Premiere in turn sired Lovcen (Hopeful Stakes, Satsuki Sho, Tokyo Yushun).

Suzuka Phoenix sired Meiner Ho O (NHK Mile Cup)

Gold Allure sired Espoir City, Smart Falcon, Copano Rickey, Gold Dream (February Stakes), Chrysoberyl (Japan Cup Dirt, Champions Cup), and Naran Huleg.

Heart's Cry sired Just A Way, Admire Rakti, Cheval Grand, Nuovo Record (Yūshun Himba), One And Only, Lys Gracieux, Suave Richard, Yoshida, Time Flyer, Salios, Do Deuce, and Continuous. Suave Richard in turn sired Regaleira (Hopeful Stakes, Arima Kinen, Queen Elizabeth II Cup).

Black Tide sired Kitasan Black and Kamunyak. Kitasan Black in turn sired Equinox, Sol Oriens, and Croix du Nord.

Suzuka Mambo sired Meisho Mambo and Sambista (Champions Cup)

In addition to his sons, his daughter Sun is Up was the dam of 2014 Breeders' Cup Mile winner Karakontie. Sunday Silence is also the damsire of Vermilion (foaled by Scarlet Lady), Screen Hero (foaled by Running Heroine), Rose Kingdom (foaled by Rosebud), Logotype (foaled by Stereotype), Duramente (foaled by Admire Groove), and Almond Eye (foaled by Fusaichi Pandora), among others.. Duramente would go on to become the leading sire of 2023 , siring Titleholder, Stars on Earth, Champagne Color, Dura Erede, Liberty Island, Durezza, Lugal, Energico and Masquerade Ball.

Shirayukihime, a daughter of Sunday Silence born with a white coat resulting from a rare mutation, is the grand-dam of Sodashi (Hanshin Juvenile Fillies, Oka Sho, Victoria Mile), the first white horse to win a Japanese G1 race, Mama Cocha (Sprinters Stakes) and Amante Bianco (Haneda Hai).

When Blood-Horse magazine started to include Japanese earnings in their stallion rankings in 2016, Sunday Silence was the leading broodmare sire of the year. In 2022, Gendarme (a grandson of Sunday Silence through his daughter Believe) won the G1 Sprinters Stakes, the same race his dam won in 2002. In 2025, Forever Young (a great-grandson of Sunday Silence through his son Deep Impact) won the 2025 Breeders' Cup Classic, the first win in the Classic for Japan.