Danon Platina scores in Asahi Hai Futurity

Race favorite Danon Platina responded well to expectations in capturing

Hanshin's Grade 1 Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes on Sunday to top his generation.

Danon Platina's three career starts prior to Sunday consisted of a runner-up

finish in his September 6 debut, followed by a convincing four-length win in a

maiden race in October and another strong three-length victory in the Begonia

Sho, an allowance race seven weeks later.

After breaking sharply from an inner stall, jockey Masayoshi Ebina kept Danon

Platina reserved third from the rear and three wide while the Deep Impact colt

briefly fought the bit in the backstretch. Well in hand by the last turn and

angling out wide entering the straight, Ebina allowed the gray juvenile to hit

his best stride. Danon Platina willingly demonstrated a resounding finishing

kick to pass his rivals, including front runner Active Minoru at the

furlong-pole, while holding off the fast-closing Arma Waioli.

"The going wasn't very good and, since we broke from an inner stall, I tried

hard to position him away from the rails which went well as planned," Ebina

explained. "He was relaxed and had enough left in him by the last corner for a

strong final run.

"He definitely takes after his sire Deep Impact -- his finishing speed speaks

for itself."

Danon Platina ran about eight furlongs on the good turf in 1:35 4/5 against

his fellow two-year-old colts.

Since the Victoria Mile triumph with Apapane in 2011, this win marks trainer

Sakae Kunieda's 11th JRA-Grade 1 victory, while Ebina celebrates his 23rd JRA-Grade

1 title after claiming the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies partnered with Shonan Adela,

also sired by Deep Impact, just a week ago.

Deep Impact offspring has now dominated 10 out of 23 JRA-Grade 1 races this

year.

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