Meisho Samson will attempt to become Japan's second successive Triple Crown winner Sunday when he faces 17 rivals in the 1 7/8-mile, $2.28 million Kikuka Sho, or Japanese St. Leger.

While not as sensational as last year's Japanese Triple Crown champion, Deep Impact, Meisho Samson usually manages to get the job done. Trained by Tsutomo Setoguchi, he won the 1o1/4-mile Japanese 2000 Guineas by a half-length from Dream Passport on April 16, then landed the 1 1/2-mile Japanese Derby by a neck from Admire Main on May 28.

Sergeant Cecil heads a high-class renewal of the $315,000 Prix Royal-Oak, or French St. Leger, at Longchamp on Sunday, when 11 proven stayers will line up for the 1 15/16-mile Group 1 contest.

Japanese champion Deep Impact has tested positive for the banned substance ipratropium following a routine drug test after his third-place finish in the Oct. 1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

After carefully considering the benefits and drawbacks of running his superb mare Pride, winner of Saturday's Champion Stakes at Newmarket, in the Breeders' Cup at Churchill Downs, trainer Alain de Royer-Dupre decided on Tuesday evening against the idea.

Sheikh Mohammed al-Maktoum landed a Group 1 double at San Siro in Milan on Sunday as Laverock won the 1 1/2-mile Gran Premio del Jockey Club & Coppa d'Oro, while Kirklees took the one-mile Gran Criterium for juveniles.

Pride provided a convincing argument that she is the best filly or mare in the world when she stormed home for a three-length victory in the Group 1, $650,000 Champion Stakes at Newmarket on Saturday.

Deep Impact will be retired from racing at the end of the year, his trainer, Yasuo Ikee, announced on Wednesday. Last year's Japanese Triple Crown winner, Deep Impact finished third as the 1-2 favorite in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe on Oct. 1. He will stand at the Yoshida family's Shadai Stallion Station, where he has been syndicated for $42.6 million.

Ikee was in the middle of making plans for Deep Impact's late-autumn campaign as well as laying down the foundations for a tilt at next year's Arc when he was informed by owner Makoto Kaneko of the decision.

George Washington, though out of an Alysheba mare, seems more suited to a mile on turf than the BC Classic.P

To dirt, or not to dirt? That is the question John Magnier is always asking himself this time of year.

His odd, some might say bewildering, decision to run Dylan Thomas in the Jockey Club Gold Cup as a testing ground for the Breeders' Cup Classic, as well as his intimation that George Washington might run in the Classic instead of the Mile, must be regarded in the light of Coolmore's ultimate raison d'etre as a breeding operation.

Deep Impact will be retired from racing at the end of the year, his trainer, Yasuo Ikee, announced on Wednesday. Last year's Japanese Triple Crown winner, Deep Impact finished third as the 1-2 favorite in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe on Oct. 1. He will stand at the Yoshida family's Shadai Stallion Station, where he has been syndicated for $42.6 million.

Ikee was in the middle of making plans for Deep Impact's late-autumn campaign as well as laying down the foundations for a tilt at next year's Arc when he was informed by owner Makoto Kaneko of the decision.

The lists of the first foreign nominated horses to the Japan Cup and the Japan Cup Dirt, both of which will be run at Tokyo Racecourse on Thanksgiving weekend, offer some clues as to the future intentions of some of the biggest names in racing.