Deep Impact looks to extend unbeaten streak in Japan's Arima Kinen

Deep Impact looks to extend unbeaten streak in Japan's

Arima Kinen

Japanese superstar three-year-old DEEP IMPACT (Sunday Silence), a perfect

seven for seven thus far, will confront older horses for the first time in the

50th edition of the Arima Kinen (Jpn-G1) on Christmas Day, headlining a 16-horse

field that is a veritable Who's Who of contemporary Japanese racing. One of the

most treasured prizes in Japan, the Arima Kinen is staged at Nakayama over 2500

meters on the turf, approximately 1 9/16 miles.

This is a truly national event that grips the public's attention, as the

first 10 entries are determined by a vote of the fans, the remainder chosen by

earnings. The presence of  undefeated Triple Crown winner Deep Impact has

spurred even more public interest, and all 190,000 advance-sale tickets have

been sold out.

Deep Impact is just the sixth horse in history, and the first in 11 years, to

capture the Triple Crown, comprising the Satsuki Sho (Japanese Two Thousand Guineas)

(Jpn-G1) at 1 1/4 miles, the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) (Jpn-G1) at 1 1/2

miles, and the Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger) (Jpn-G1) at a grueling 1 7/8 miles.

What makes his achievement even more special is that he is still undefeated,

only the second horse to sweep the Triple Crown while maintaining a perfect

record, the first being Symboli Rudolf in 1984. But Symboli Rudolf failed in his

very next race, finishing third in the Japan Cup (Jpn-G1), before returning to

the winner's circle in the Arima Kinen.

Deep Impact skipped the Japan Cup to focus on this target, and if he succeeds

on Sunday, he will reign as the first unbeaten champion in the rich history of

the Arima Kinen. Bolstering his chances is the strength of the three-year-old

form, recently underscored in the Hong Kong Vase (HK-G1). Finishing second

behind Ouija Board (GB) (Cape Cross [Ire]) that day was Six Sense (Sunday

Silence), who had previously placed in the Satsuki Sho and Japanese Derby.

Perennial leading jockey Yutaka Take will ride Deep Impact.

Standing in his way is defending champion ZENNO ROB ROY (Sunday Silence), the

2004 Japanese Horse of The Year. Although he has not enjoyed as stellar a

campaign this year, Zenno Rob Roy has run creditably in elite events. Most

recently third in the Japan Cup, he previously placed in the Tenno Sho (Autumn)

(Jpn-G1) in October. During the summer, he finished third in the Takarazuka

Kinen (Jpn-G1) before invading England, where he ran an excellent second in the

Juddmonte International (Eng-G1) at York. Kent Desormeaux will be aboard for the

gallant five-year-old's swan song.

Another multiple Grade 1 king making the Arima Kinen his career finale is TAP

DANCE CITY (Pleasant Tap). The venerable eight-year-old is also exiting the

Japan Cup, in which he finished 10th after setting a brutal early pace. He

has loads of back class as the 2003 Japan Cup hero, and he has twice been the Arima Kinen runner-up, in 2002 and 2004.

Other runners coming out of the Japan Cup are the agonizingly close second,

HEART'S CRY (Sunday Silence), who lost by a nostril to Alkaased and will be

reunited with French rider Christophe Lemaire; fourth-place finisher LINCOLN

(Sunday Silence); sixth, SUNRISE PEGASUS (Sunday Silence); seventh-placer, the

mare HEAVENLY ROMANCE (Sunday Silence), who upset Zenno Rob Roy in the Tenno Sho

(Autumn); ninth, SUZUKA MAMBO (Sunday Silence), winner of the 2-mile Tenno Sho

(Spring) (Jpn-G1) in May; 14th, COSMO BULK (Zagreb); 15th, MY SOLE SOUND (Tamamo

Cross); and 17th, BIG GOLD (Brian's Time).

Two classy individuals who did not take part in the Japan Cup deserve special

mention. Last year's Japanese St. Leger hero, DELTA BLUES (Dance in the Dark),

recently returned from a near 11-month layoff to capture a Grade 2 event, and

he is eligible to improve on his fifth in this race in 2004. French ace Olivier Peslier, who has won the last three editions of the Arima Kinen, will be in the

saddle. Also set to go Sunday is the five-year-old mare OSUMI HARUKA (Fusaichi Concorde),

who was a heartbreaking

second in last month's Queen Elizabeth II Commemorative Cup (Jpn-G1) after just

being run

down by Sweep Tosho (End Sweep) in the final yards.

The field is completed by recent Grade 3 winner GRASS BOMBER (Machiavellian);

Grade 2 victor OPERA CITY (Opera House [GB]); and COIN TOSS (Sunday Silence),

third in the 2002 Arima Kinen.