Japanese racing mourns Daiwa Major

Five-time Japanese Group 1 winner Daiwa Major, the sire of Serifos, Resistencia, Ascoli Piceno, Double Major and former Arrowfield resident Admire Mars, has died at the age of 25.

The star stallion, who produced over 1000 winners and 48 stakes winners across a stellar career at Shadai Stallion Station, was Japan’s leading sire of two-year-olds in 2015.

On the track, the son of Sunday Silence won the Satsuki Sho, the Tenno Sho Autumn, the Yasuda Kinen and the Kyoto Mile Championship twice for trainer Hiroyuki Uehara.

Three-time Group 1 winner Admire Mars, Japan’s best two-year-old colt of his year, was his best son, and he shuttled to Australia for two seasons, producing 10 winners to date.

Double Major was a twice elite winner in France, while Ascoli Piceno won two Group 1s and was crowned Japanese two-year-old filly of the year in 2023.