Dee Majesty pops at 29-1 in Japanese 2000 Guineas

Dee Majesty, a 29-1 outsider, scored a surprise win in Sunday’s $1,986,389 Japanese 2000 Guineas at Nakayama Racecourse, leading a sweep of the first three positions by Deep Impact colts.

The winning time of 1:57.90 for 1 1/4 miles on firm turf was a stakes record. Dee Majesty closed from off the pace with a wide rally to win the Grade 1 Japanese 2000 Guineas, the first leg of the country’s Triple Crown.

Dee Majesty, who was ridden by Masayoshi Ebina for trainer Yoshitaka Ninomiya, finished 1 1/4 lengths in front of 5-2 Makahiki, with 3-2 favorite Satono Diamond another 1 1/4 lengths back in third in the field of 18 colts. Deep Impact was the sire of six of those runners.

Dee Majesty has won 3 of 5 starts. Earlier this year, he won the Grade 3 Kyodo News Service Hai at 1 1/8 miles on turf at Tokyo Racecourse. Owned by breeder Masaru Shimada, Dee Majesty made his Grade 1 debut in the Japanese 2000 Guineas. He beat a field that included Leontes, the champion 2-year-old male of 2015 in Japan.

Leontes finished fourth on Sunday, but was disqualified and placed fifth for causing interference in the stretch.

The second leg of the Triple Crown is the Grade 1 Japanese Derby at 1 1/2 miles on turf at Tokyo Racecourse on May 29.