The JRA revealed on October 19 the shocking allegation that national hero Deep Impact (4c, by Sunday Silence, JPN) raced in the Grand Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (G1, 2,400m) under the influence of ipratropium, a banned substance in France. In the race, Deep Impact finished third to Rail Link (3c, by Dansili, GB).
France Galop, the nation’s horseracing authority, is investigating the matter and should issue a ruling on the Triple Crown champion this month. Deep Impact’s connections had already announced his retirement at the end of the season, and a syndicate of breeders worth a record 5.1 billion yen was scheduled to be formed for his stud career starting next season. They have continued to refuse any comment or explanation of the issue until a final decision is made by France Galop. At some point, however, a reasonable explanation will need to be issued to vindicate Deep Impact’s innocence, protect his honor and pacify the colt’s many millions of fans.
Since Deep Impact passed up the Tenno Sho Autumn (GI, 2,000m), his next start will most probably be the Japan Cup, by which time France Galop’s ruling is expected.
Another returnee from overseas is Heart’s Cry (5h, by Sunday Silence, JPN), who finished third to Hurricane Run (4c, by Montjeu, IRE) in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes (G1, GB, 2,400m) in July. Last year, the Sunday Silence horse finished second to Alkaased (6h, by Kingmambo, USA) by a mere 4cm margin in the Japan Cup, and showed his versatility with a bold change of tactics to defeat then-unbeaten Deep Impact in the Arima Kinen (GI, 2,500m). This year, four months prior to the Stakes, he scored an impressive victory in the Dubai Sheema Classics (G1, UAE, 2,400m). In the Stakes, however, he was unable to adjust to a field of the world’s top handicap horses. Since the end of October this year, he has been doing his gallops at Ritto Training Center to fine tune for the Japan Cup.
Meisho Samson (3c, by Opera House, JPN) won the first two Triple Crown races this year, but was unable to close out the Crown in the third leg, the Kikuka Sho (GI, Japanese St. Leger, 3,000m). He finished fourth to Song of Wind (3c, by El Condor Pasa, JPN), who came from well back of the field and burst into a late charge to out-duel Dream Passport (3c, by Fuji Kiseki, JPN) at the finish. Covering the last three furlongs in 33.5 seconds, the El Condor Pasa colt set a new 3,000-meter record for Kyoto Racecourse at 3:02.7.
Song of Wind’s sire, El Condor Pasa (by Kingmambo, USA), won the 1998 Japan Cup, then retired to stud after racing successfully overseas as a four-year-old, including titles in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (G1, FR, 2,400m) and the Prix Foy (G2, FR, 2,400m), as well as runner-up efforts in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (G1, FR, 2,400m) and the Prix d’Ispahan (G1, FR, 1,850m). Song of Wind, the last crop before El Condor Pasa died suddenly in 2002, is the first GI winner among 278 offspring. Plans for him to run in the Japan Cup have not been announced, but it would be intriguing to have him in the field.
Other attractive three-year-old candidates include Dream Passport, who has proved extremely consistent with two seconds and a third in this year’s Triple Crown races, and Admire Moon (3c, by End Sweep, JPN), who passed up the Kikuka Sho to compete against older GI company in the Tenno Sho Autumn (GI, 2,000m), finishing third. Swift Current (5h, by Sunday Silence, JPN), who finished second in front of Admire Moon in the Tenno Sho, is also expected to start in this year’s Japan Cup, but his connections have not yet made this official.
Kane Hekili (4c, by Fuji Kiseki, JPN), last year’s Japan Cup Dirt winner, added another GI victory in the February Stakes (GI, 1,600m, dirt), his first start of the year.He also turned in a fourth-place finish in the Dubai World Cup (G1, UAE, dirt, 2,000m) and was runner-up in the Teio Sho (GI, 2,000m, dirt) in June. But most unfortunately, a bowed tendon suffered in September will prevent him from defending his Japan Cup Dirt title this year.
Adjudi Mitsuo (5h, by Adjudicating, JPN) defeated Kane Hekili in the Teio Sho and claimed four GI wins out of five starts in the first half of this season, but a splint in his left foreleg has put him on the sidelines as well.
Seeking the Dia (5h, by Storm Cat, USA) missed yet another chance to claim his first GI victory in his last start, despite being sent to post a heavy 1.3 favorite in the Mile Championship Nambu Hai (GI, 1,600m, dirt), where he finished a length-and-a-neck fourth to Blue Concorde (6h, by Fusaichi Concorde, JPN). A perennial runner-up in GI events, he has finished second in seven out of ten GI attempts during the past two seasons. He registered a GII victory in the Nippon Television Hai (GII, 1,800m, dirt), in addition to two GIII titles earned in 2004. Even with the JRA’s leading jockey, Yutaka Take, at the reins in the JBC Classic (GI, 2,100m, dirt), he was runner-up by 1-1/2 lengths to Time Paradox (8h, by Brian’s Time, JPN).
After finishing fourth in the 2005 Japan Cup Dirt and capturing the 2006 JBC Classic, Time Paradox (8h, by Brian’s Time, JPN) is nearing the end of a fine career. He had stellar seasons in 2004 and 2005, registering a combined eight wins (four GI), four seconds as well as five thirds out of 23 starts. This year, he managed a third place finish in his first start, Kawasaki Kinen (GI, 2,100m, dirt), but was inconsistent thereafter, until winning the JBC Classic.
In contrast, Hard Crystal (6h, by Crystal Glitters, JPN) who finished 8th in the 2004 Japan Cup and did not run last year, is have his best season yet, with GII victories in the Tokai Stakes (GII, 2,300m, dirt) and the Breeders’ Gold Cup (GII, 2,300m, dirt). He is expected to make his second Japan Cup Dirt Challenge this year.
Sunrise Bacchus (4c, by Hennessy, JPN), fifth in the Japan Cup Dirt last year, did not start well in his four-year-old season, but seems to have picked up after a long break.
His runner-up effort in the Musashino Stakes (GIII, 1,600m, dirt) on October 28 bodes well for the Japan Cup Dirt.
Note: All ages reported in this edition are as of November 2006.
| Trained Country | Horse Name | Sex/Age | trainer |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB | OUIJA BOARD (GB) | M5 | Edward Dunlop |
| FR | FREEDONIA (GB) | F4 | John Hammond |
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