He was from the fifth crop of foals sired by Deep Impact, who was the Japanese Horse of the Year in 2005 and 2006, winning races including the Tokyo Yushun, Tenno Sho, Arima Kinen and Japan Cup.

[8] Five weeks later at Nakayama Racecourse the colt started favourite for the Spring Stakes but in a slowly run race he was beaten a neck by Kitasan Black with third place going to Danon Platina.

In the Satsuki Sho over 2000 metres at Nakayama on 19 April Real Steel briefly took the lead in the straight before being overtaken and finishing second to Duramente with Kitasan Black in third and the favoured Satono Crown coming home sixth.

After a break of almost four months, Real Steel returned on 27 September for the St Lite Kinen (a trial race for the Kikuka Sho) over 2400 metres at Hanshin.

After tracking the leading group he moved into contention entering the straight but despite producing an "impressive kick" in the last 200 metres he failed by a neck to overhaul Kitasan Black.

[11] Real Steel began his third campaign on 28 February 2016 when he finished a close third behind Duramente and Ambitious in the Grade 2 Nakayama Kinen over 1800 metres with the unplaced runners including Logotype and Isla Bonita.

[14] On his return to Japan Real Steel was dropped back in distance for the Grade 1 Yasuda Kinen over 1600 metres in which he started second favourite but was outpaced in the straight and came home eleventh of the twelve runners, six lengths behind the winner Logotype.

After tracking the leaders he kept on well in the straight without looking likely to win and came home fifth of the seventeen runners behind Kitasan Black, Sounds of Earth, Cheval Grand and Gold Actor.

[16] Real Steel began his 2017 season in the Nakayama Kinen, as in the previous year, but on this occasion he ran poorly and came home eighth of the eleven runners behind Neorealism.

Ridden by Mirco Demuro he was made the 4.8/1 third choice in the betting behind Soul Stirring and Makahiki in a twelve-runner field which also included Satono Aladdin (Yasuda Kinen) and One And Only (Tokyo Yushun).

After racing in mid-division on the outside he made steady progress in the straight, took the lead 100 metres from the finish and held off the late challenge of Satono Aladdin to win by a neck.

"[21] In his second attempt to win the Yasuda Kinen on 3 June, Real Steel failed to reproduce his best form and trailed home towards the rear of the sixteen-runner field.