Deep Impact goes 1-2-3 in Japanese Derby

Japanese Triple Crown winner Deep Impact pulled off another triple to further burnish his résumé as one of his nation’s leading sires. He not only sired his third Japanese Derby winner, he swept the trifecta in the classic, with his three representatives only narrowly separated at the wire. Makahiki held off Satono Diamond by a nose, with Dee Majesty another half-length back in third.

Deep Impact, a son of the legendary Sunday Silence, won 12 of 14 career starts while primarily racing in Japan and bankrolled more than $12.8 million. He was the Horse of the Year in Japan in 2005, when he swept the Triple Crown, and earned the top honor again in 2006, concluding his career with seven Group 1 triumphs.

Sunday Silence, the winner of the 1989 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, spent his entire stallion career in Japan, leading the nation’s sire list on 13 occasions. The champion’s profound influence has continued beyond his death in 2002, as he has led the broodmare sire list eight times and has become a prominent sire of sires. Deep Impact led the Japanese sire list in 2012, 2013, and 2014, while Sunday Silence’s sons Manhattan Cafe and Dance in the Dark also have ranked on the list. His other outstanding sons at stud have included Zenno Rob Roy, Heart’s Cry, Fuji Kiseki, Stay Gold, and Neo Universe, to name only a few.

Deep Impact’s progeny are led by two-time Horse of the Year Gentildonna and seven other champions. He previously sired Japanese Derby winners Kizuna and Deep Brillante. His latest classic winner, Makahiki, is out of the winning Japanese-bred Wikiwiki, by French Deputy.

Both the Japanese Derby runner-up and third-place finishers have deep international ties in their pedigrees. Satono Diamond is out of Argentine Group 1 winner Malpensa. Broodmare sire Orpen is the best son of two-time Breeders’ Cup Mile winner Lure.

Dee Majesty, out of the Brian’s Time mare Hermes Tiara, is from the family of French Group 1 winners Doff the Derby and Moonlight Cloud, champion U.S. grass mare Trillion, Irish 1000 Guineas winner Imagine, and Epsom Derby winner Generous.