Impact romps home in Takarazuka

Deep Impact romped home in the muddy Kyoto course to win the Takarazuka Kinen(g1) Sunday afternoon.

“I just sat not to disturb him. He wanted to go during the final bend so I gave him a go-sign.”, said winning jockey Yutaka Take. “He ran like flying again. I felt fantastic during the stretch drive.”

Going around the final bend, Deep Impact overtook most of his rivals in a single spurt in doing so that he went up to a good position, just behind the front runners, at the entrance of stretch.

When Take made a final push, the colt went in a single bound into the front at around 200 meters out. The rest never got into a challenge.

It was a commanding 4-length to spare when Deep Impact, with Take reining back in, came home alone in 2 minutes 13 seconds after completing the 2,200-meter trip. Narita Century finished second, a 3/4-length before third-placed Balance of Game.

This victory was the fifth g1 glory and the 10th win in 11 starts for Deep Impact, who races for trainer Yasuo Ikee and owner Kaneko Makoto Holdings Co. Ltd. His career earnings brought up to more than 1 billion yen. Northern Farm in Hayakita, Hokkaido is the breeder of the 4-year-old bay colt by Sunday Silence out of the Alzao mare Wind In Her Hair.