Deep Impact graces the stage for the last time in Arima
Kinen
Reigning Japanese Horse of the Year DEEP IMPACT (Sunday Silence), often
described by his compatriots as the best horse ever bred in Japan, will make his
final career start on Sunday in his nation’s biggest race, the Arima Kinen
(Jpn-G1). Adding further intrigue to the superstar’s swan song is the fact that
he suffered his first defeat, and his only reverse on Japanese soil, in last
year’s edition of the 2,500-meter (about 1 9/16-mile) test at Nakayama. As Deep
Impact strives to bow out in a blaze of glory, he will also look to right that
wrong beneath regular rider Yutaka Take.
Atonement was also very much on Deep Impact’s agenda last time out in the
November 26 Japan Cup (Jpn-G1). The Yasuo Ikee charge had recently been
disqualified from his gallant third in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Fr-G1)
because of a medication violation, and he had questions to answer in his first
start since returning home. Deep Impact addressed them all comprehensively,
sweeping to a dynamic two-length decision over sophomore DREAM PASSPORT (Fuji
Kiseki), with two-time European Horse of the Year Ouija Board (GB) back in
third. At the same time, he had the satisfaction of drubbing his Arima Kinen
conqueror Heart’s Cry, who faded to finish 10th of 11. If the Japan Cup is any
indication, the four-year-old bay is in an avenging mood.
Deep Impact entered the 2005 Arima Kinen as an unbeaten winner of the
Japanese Triple Crown — the Satsuki Sho (Japanese Two Thousand Guineas)
(Jpn-G1), Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) (Jpn-G1) and Kikuka Sho (Japanese St
Leger) (Jpn-G1) — and it came as a great shock when he just failed to catch
Heart’s Cry by a half-length.
On Sunday, 13 opponents will try to engineer another stunning upset. Several
members of the field, which is largely determined by the votes of racing fans,
figure to employ the pace-prompting tactics that served Heart’s Cry so well a
year ago.
The most dangerous of the forwardly placed types could be DAIWA MAJOR (Sunday
Silence). Although only fourth behind Deep Impact in the Takarazuka Kinen
(Jpn-G1) in June, the five-year-old has struck top form this fall, compiling a
three-stakes winning streak at distances ranging from a mile to 10 furlongs. In
both the Tenno Sho (Autumn) (Jpn-G1) and the November 19 Mile Championship
(Jpn-G1) most recently, Daiwa Major surged to the front by the top of the
stretch and held off the deep closers. The chestnut has yet to race at 1 9/16
miles, but he already boasts two graded stakes wins over the course, notably the
2004 Satsuki Sho.
Other likely pace factors include Singapore Airlines International Cup
(Mal-G1) victor COSMO BULK (Zagreb), fourth in last year’s Arima Kinen and most
recently fourth in the Japan Cup, and Grade 2-winning sophomore ADMIRE MAIN
(Sunday Silence), who wound up a disappointing eighth of nine after setting the
pace in the December 10 Hong Kong Vase (HK-G1).
The Katsuhiko Sumii-trained duo of DELTA BLUES (Dance in the Dark) and POP
ROCK (Helissio), who did Japan proud by dominating the finish of the November 7
Melbourne Cup (Aus-G1), will bid to steal the limelight once again on another
grand stage. Melbourne Cup hero Delta Blues has been well beaten by Deep Impact
all three times they have met — 11th in last year’s Arima Kinen, third in the
Hansin Daishoten (Jpn-G2) in March and 10th in the Tenno Sho (Spring) (Jpn-G1)
in April. Melbourne Cup runner-up Pop Rock, on the other hand, has yet to line up against
Deep Impact. Before embarking upon his Australian adventure, the rapidly
progressing Pop Rock scored his biggest victory in the Meguro Kinen (Jpn-G2) at
this distance in May.
Japanese champion SWEEP TOSHO (End Sweep) is the lone distaffer in the group.
After the multiple Grade 1 queen captured the Kyoto Daishoten (Jpn-G2) in
October, with subsequent Grade 2 winner TOSHO KNIGHT (Timber Country) in third, she
could manage only fifth behind Daiwa Major and SWIFT CURRENT (Sunday Silence) in
the Tenno Sho (Autumn). Returning to female company, Sweep Tosho attempted to
defend her crown in the November 12 Queen Elizabeth II Commemorative Cup
(Jpn-G1) and crossed the wire in third, later elevated to second via
disqualification.
This year’s three-year-old crop has been hailed as exceptional, and four
sophomores will try to bolster that verdict here. MEISHO SAMSON (Opera House
[GB])
landed the first two legs of the Japanese Triple Crown, but he hasn’t visited
the winner’s circle in three starts since then. Last time out, he couldn’t hold
a candle to Deep Impact when sixth in the Japan Cup.
Dream Passport placed in all three classics, including a near miss in the
Kikuka Sho, before finishing an excellent second in the Japan Cup. Never worse
than third in 12 lifetime starts, the Grade 2 victor has defeated Meisho Samson
three times in succession and could plausibly argue that he has now seized the
mantle of divisional leader.
Admire Main likewise checked in behind Dream Passport in his two starts prior
to flopping in Hong Kong. Although a well regarded front-runner who may find the
Arima Kinen conditions congenial, he would have to improve markedly to surprise
Deep Impact.
The last of the sophomore quartet, Grade 2 winner TOSEN SHANA O (Sunday
Silence), was beaten a long way in both the Kikuka Sho and Japan Cup.
Rounding out the field are four-year-old ADMIRE FUJI (Admire Vega), who spent
much of his 2005 season chasing Deep Impact, and rank outsider WIN GENERALE (Tamamo
Cross), who hasn’t been competitive in graded events for more than two years.