Contrail Rises to the Occasion in Japan Cup

Mark Smith - Sunday November 28

After the champion Deep Impact mare Gran Alegria (JPN) bowed out of racing triumphant in the Group 1 Mile Championship at Hanshin seven days back, Deep Impact’s champion son Contrail followed suit at Tokyo on Sunday with a commanding performance in the $7million Group 1 Japan Cup (2400m).

Here comes Contrai (image PSPS KIZUNA)

In a roughhouse race, Contrail separated himself from the chasing pack in the final 200m to defeat Authority (Orfevre) by two lengths with Shahryar (Deep Impact) a further one and a half lengths back in third.

Grand Glory (Olympic Glory) was the best of the overseas raiders in fifth, with Japan (Galileo) in eighth, and Broome (Australia) eleventh.

Ridden by Yuichi Fukunaga for the unstoppable Yoshito Yahagi, Contrail retires with a record of eight wins, two seconds and a third from 11-starts.

Fresh off winning two races at the Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar with Loves Only You and Marche Lorraine, Yahagi was saddled up on Contrail for his emotional retirement ceremony.

The exquisite son of Deep Impact won all three starts at two, culminating in the Group 1 Hopeful Stakes. At three, he won the Triple Crown, Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas), Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby), Kikuka Sho (Japanese St Leger) as well as the Group II Kobe Shimbun Hai.

Contrail lost his unbeaten record when second to Almond Eye in the 2020 Japan Cup.

The black 4yo stallion met defeat at his first two starts at four.

Advertisement

After a third in the Group 1 Osaka Hai at Hanshin in April he had to play second best to Efforia in the Group 1 Tenno Sho (Autumn) at Tokyo on October 31.

A homebred for North Hill Farm’s Shinji Maeda, Contrail is a son of the perennial champion sire Deep Impact out of the Unbridled's Song mare Rhodochrosite, who was a $385,000 Keeneland September Sale yearling purchase by Koji Maeda, who was placed in four of her seven starts in Japan.

Rhodochrosite is a daughter of the Tiznow mare Folklore who was voted the champion American two-year-old of 2005 following her victory in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.

Rhodochrosite has a 2yo brother to Contrail from the final full crop of Deep Impact.

Named Sunset Cloud, he finished fifth when on debut at Tokyo on October 16 before a fourth in an 1800m maiden at Hanshin on November 7.  

Rhodochrosite has a yearling colt by Heart’s Cry but missed to Kizuna last year.

The fourth winner of the Japan Cup for Deep Impact, Contrail retires to Shadai Stallion Station with all interest centered on his fee.

Contrail bowing out a winner (image PSPS-KIZUNA)

Advertisment
More Reading...
Sires With Winners - Friday August 8
Here is the full list of 39 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Breeding To Win – Crystal Ball – New Season 3YOs to Follow
Who are we highlighting this week? - Analysis of the G1 winning 3YO’s for last season has made us realise how many horses on this list took giant strides from two to three, so we are looking into the crystal ball to find some juveniles we believe could end this season as G1 performers if not G1 winners.
Wootton Bassett Set to Blast Out of Winter
Many people may have anticipated Wootton Bassett (GB) would have been our Champion Australian First Season Sire last season and while that didn’t quite eventuate, he did finish the season with a wealth of horses holding spring potential and several were in action at the trials this morning.
First Godolphin Winner for Maher
Champion trainer Ciaron Maher saddled his first winner for Godolphin at Kembla on Thursday and he did it with a blue-blood colt by Too Darn Hot (GB).
Above the Clouds Wins $100,000 Polytrack Championship
It proved to be a long but fruitful day for Kelly Myers on Friday, with the now Central Districts-based hoop riding home Above The Clouds to win the $100,000 TAB Polytrack Championship (2000m) at Cambridge for local trainer Ralph Manning.
Breeders Paradise - Inglis Digital August (early) Online
An abundance of high-quality broodmares – many in foal to some of the hottest young stallions in the Southern Hemisphere – and broodmare prospects headline a “breeders’ paradise’’ in the Inglis Digital August (Early) Online Sale.
Sires With Winners - Thursday August 7
Here is the full list of 36 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Ozzmosis First Born is Feeling Frisky!
Group I VRC Coolmore Stud Stakes winner Ozzmosis was in demand at Newgate last spring covering 192 mares and his first born foal that arrived on July 31 at Alma Vale Thoroughbreds is the source of great pride for owners Ian and Cathy Mathieson.
Contrail Becomes the Third Undefeated Winner of the Japanese Triple Crown
He needed to dig deep in Sunday’s Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger) at Kyoto, but it was mission accomplished for the superstar Contrail who became the third undefeated Triple Crown winner in JRA history.
Melbourne Cup on Radar for Sons and Lovers
Joseph O’Brien knows what it takes to win a Melbourne Cup and that was mentioned as a possible goal for progressive young stayer Sons and Lovers, who won the Group III Ballyroan Stakes (1m4f) at Leopardstown overnight.