Deep Impact (

Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...

: ディープインパクト, March 25, 2002 – July 30, 2019) was a champion Japanese

Thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are c ...

racehorse who won the Japanese Triple Crown in 2005 and the

Japan Cup The is one of the most prestigious horse races in Japan. It is contested on the last Sunday of November, post time of 15:40 at Tokyo Racecourse in Fuchu, Tokyo at a distance of 2400 meters (about miles) run under weight for age conditions with ...

in 2006, as well as three other Japan

Grade One Grade 1 may refer to: *First grade, the first school year of primary education. *A Grade 1 Graded stakes race horse race * ''Grade One'' (TV series), a 2014 Chinese TV variety show *Grade 1 listed building In the United Kingdom, a listed b ...

races.

Background

Deep Impact's sire

Sunday Silence Sunday Silence (March 25, 1986 – August 19, 2002) was an American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In 1989, he won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes but failed to complete the Triple Crown when he was defeated in the Belmont ...

took over from perennial Japanese leading sire

Northern Taste Northern Taste (March 15, 1971 – December 11, 2004) was a Canadian-bred Thoroughbred racehorse who raced in France and who became one of the most successful and influential leading sires in Japanese racing history Background Bred by E. P. Ta ...

(10 time leading sire in Japan) and was leading sire in Japan 12 times. His dam, Wind In Her Hair, a Group One winner, finished second in The Oaks to super-filly Balanchine and was out of Burghclere, a daughter of dual-Classic winner

Highclere Highclere (pronounced ) is a village and civil parish situated in the North Wessex Downs (an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) in the Basingstoke and Deane district of Hampshire, England. It lies in the northern part of the county, near the B ...

, who was owned and bred by

Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. She was queen ...

. Burghclere in turn was a three-quarters sister to top filly Height Of Fashion, sold by the Queen to

Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum ( ar, حمدان بن راشد أل مكتوم, '; 25 December 1945 – 24 March 2021) was an Emirati politician, the deputy ruler of Dubai and the minister of finance and industry of the United Arab Emirates ...

, and subsequently the dam of

Epsom Derby The Derby Stakes, also known as the Epsom Derby or the Derby, and as the Cazoo Derby for sponsorship reasons, is a Group 1 flat horse race in England open to three-year-old colts and fillies. It is run at Epsom Downs Racecourse in Surrey o ...

winner

Nashwan Nashwan (1 March 1986 – 2002) was an American-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. After winning both his starts as a two-year-old, he developed into an outstanding performer in the spring and summer of 1989, completing a ...

, leading sire

Unfuwain Unfuwain (5 March 1985 – 16 January 2002) was an American-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse bred and owned by Hamdan Al Maktoum. In a career of ten starts, lasting from 1987 to 1989, he won four Group races and was placed in the Ki ...

and multiple Group One winner Nayef.

Racing career

2005: Three-Year-Old Season

Deep Impact won over Admire Japan by two lengths in Kikuka Sho on 23 October 2005, thereby becoming the first horse since

Narita Brian Narita Brian ( ja, ナリタブライアン, Hepburn: ; May 3, 1991 – September 27, 1998) was a Japanese racehorse. Until T M Opera O surpassed him in 2000, Narita Brian was the world's top money earner. Background Narita Brian was a bay ho ...

11 years earlier to complete the Japanese

Triple crown Triple Crown may refer to: Sports Horse racing * Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing * Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing (United States) ** Triple Crown Trophy ** Triple Crown Productions * Canadian Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing * Trip ...

. He also became the first unbeaten Japanese Triple crown winner since

Symboli Rudolf Symboli Rudolf (Japanese : シンボリルドルフ, March 13, 1981 - October 4, 2011) was a Japanese thoroughbred racehorse who won the Japanese Triple Crown, sired by Partholon, a son of Milesian, out of Sweet Luna, a daughter of Speed Sym ...

21 years earlier, but in his next race,

Arima Kinen The Arima Kinen (有馬記念) is a Grade I flat horse race in Japan open to Thoroughbreds which are three-years-old or above and the world's largest betting horserace.

, Deep Impact was defeated by Heart's Cry to suffer his first loss in his racing career.

2006: Four-Year-Old Season

In 2006, Deep Impact returned to the turf with an easy victory in the Grade 2 Hanshin Daishōten. Then he won the spring

Tenno Sho The is a horse race held twice a year in Japan, once in the spring and once in the autumn. "Tenno" means "Emperor of Japan". The races are both International Grade I races. Prior to the 2007 races, both Tenno Sho races were Japanese domestic Gr ...

, setting a new world record for a 3200-meter race in the time of (3'13"4) He followed up with a victory in the Grade 1 Takarazuka Kinen over 2200m. In October, he raced in France's most prestigious race, the Group 1

Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp Racecourse in Paris, France, over a distance ...

over 2400m. He was heavy favourite for the race, and 1,587,263 € (about $1,238,000) was bet on him in France (especially by many of the Japanese fans that traveled to the racecourse). However he only finished third. Two weeks later, news from France Galop revealed Deep Impact was positive tested to

Ipratropium Ipratropium bromide, sold under the trade name Atrovent among others, is a type of anticholinergic (SAMA: short acting muscarinic antagonist) medication which opens up the medium and large airways in the lungs. It is used to treat the symptoms ...

. Connections announced the colt would retire to stud after that season in a syndication deal worth 5.1 billion yen. Deep Impact then won the

and

Arima Kinen The Arima Kinen (有馬記念) is a Grade I flat horse race in Japan open to Thoroughbreds which are three-years-old or above and the world's largest betting horserace.

before being retired. Wins: * 2005 Hochi Hai Yayoi Sho (Domestic G2), Nakayama Turf 2000m * 2005

Satsuki Sho Satsuki is a traditional Japanese name for the month of . It is commonly used as a feminine given name and, more rarely, as a surname or a masculine name. Possible spellings Satsuki can be spelled using different ''kanji'' characters and can mean: ...

(Japanese 2000 Guineas) (Domestic G1), Nakayama Turf 2000m * 2005

Tokyo Yushun Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.468 ...

(Japanese Derby) (Domestic G1), Tokyo Turf 2400m * 2005

Kobe Shimbun Hai The Kobe Shimbun Hai (Japanese 神戸新聞杯) is a Japanese Grade 2 flat horse race in Japan for three-year-old Thoroughbreds. It is run over a distance of 2400 metres at Hanshin Racecourse in September, but was contested over 2000 metres unti ...

(Domestic G2), Hanshin Turf 2000m * 2005 Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger) (Domestic G1), Kyoto Turf 3000m * 2006

Hanshin Daishoten , derived from the second kanji from and the first kanji from (but in ''on''-reading instead of ''kun''-reading), refers generally to Osaka, Kobe, and the surrounding area in the Kansai region of Japan. In the context of a region of Hyōg ...

(G2), Hanshin Turf 3000m * 2006

(Spring) (Domestic G1), Kyoto Turf 3200m * 2006

Takarazuka Kinen The Takarazuka Kinen (宝塚記念) is a Conditions races, Grade I Flat racing, flat Horse racing, horse race in Japan for three-year-old and above thoroughbreds where they run over a distance of 2,200 metres (approximately miles) at Hanshin Race ...

(G1), Kyoto Turf 2200m * 2006

(G1), Tokyo Turf 2400m * 2006

Arima Kinen The Arima Kinen (有馬記念) is a Grade I flat horse race in Japan open to Thoroughbreds which are three-years-old or above and the world's largest betting horserace.

(Domestic G1), Nakayama Turf 2500m

Stud record

Deep Impact stood at the

Shadai Stallion Station is a thoroughbred breeding facility located in Abira on the island of Hokkaido in Japan. The farm was begun in the late 1970s to early 1980s by the late Zenya Yoshida, and is now run jointly by his sons (Katsumi, Haruya, and Teruya Yoshida), known ...

Abira, Hokkaido is a List of towns in Japan, town located in Iburi Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. As of 30 September 2016, the town has an estimated population of 8,323. Geography Located in the north-east of Iburi Subprefecture, and is a hilly area extending ...

, where he became one of the world's most dominant stallions. He was crowned Japanese Champion Sire for nine consecutive years from 2012 to 2020, and sired stars including Gentildonna, Real Steel, and A Shin Hikari. In 2020, his son Contrail completed the Japanese Triple Crown undefeated just like his sire.

Notable progeny

''c =

colt Colt(s) or COLT may refer to: *Colt (horse), an intact (uncastrated) male horse under four years of age People * Colt (given name) *Colt (surname) Places *Colt, Arkansas, United States *Colt, Louisiana, an unincorporated community, United States ...

, f =

filly A filly is a female horse that is too young to be called a mare. There are two specific definitions in use: *In most cases, a ''filly'' is a female horse under four years old. *In some nations, such as the United Kingdom and the United States, t ...

Pedigree

Death

On 30 July 2019, Deep Impact was

euthanized Animal euthanasia ( euthanasia from el, εὐθανασία; "good death") is the act of killing an animal or allowing it to die by withholding extreme medical measures. Reasons for euthanasia include incurable (and especially painful) conditi ...

after suffering a cervical fracture. The 2019 Japan Cup was named the ''Deep Impact Memorial''.

Background

Racing career

2005: Three-Year-Old Season

2006: Four-Year-Old Season

Stud record

Notable progeny

Pedigree

Death

References

See also