Deep Monster is the unexposed runner to fear in Sunday’s Grade 1 Japanese 2000 Guineas at Nakayama Racecourse. Danon the Kid, the champion 2-year-old male of 2020, and the undefeated Efforia are expected to dominate the betting, but there is much to like about Deep Monster, a winner of 3 of 4 starts. :: Bet horse racing on DRF Bets. Double Your First Deposit Up to $250. Join Now. Deep Monster is by top Japanese stallion Deep Impact. He has won his last two starts at 1 3/8 miles, and has a patient style that should work in the $2.27 million Japanese 2000 Guineas at 1 1/4 miles on turf. The colt has American influences in his pedigree. Deep Monster is out of Sisterly Love, who won the Grade 3 Doubledogdare Stakes at Keeneland in 2014 when trained by Mark Casse. Trained by Yasutoshi Ikee, Deep Monster won his stakes debut in the Sumire Stakes at 1 3/8 miles at Hanshin Racecourse in his most recent start on Feb. 28. Danon the Kid has won 3 of 4 starts, and was beaten for the first time in his career when third by 1 1/2 lengths behind Titleholder and Schnell Meister in a Grade 2 race at 1 1/4 miles on turf at Nakayama Racecourse on March 7. “He didn’t quite get into the flow of things in his last race, and the pace was slow,” trainer Takayuki Yasuda told Japan Racing Association publicists. “But this time, [there will] be more runners and hopefully a stronger pace, and that should be good for him.” Titleholder will be a longshot in the 2000 Guineas. Danon the Kid won the Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes at 1 1/4 miles at Nakayama Racecourse last December to clinch the juvenile championship. Efforia’s three wins include a Grade 3 race at 1 1/8 miles at Tokyo Racecourse on Feb. 14. He won an allowance race at 1 1/4 miles at Tokyo last November. Those wins make Efforia another horse to follow in a field of 16 in the 2000 Guineas. Post time is 2:40 a.m., Eastern, on Sunday, or 11:40 p.m., Pacific, on Saturday.