By Heather Anderson
Masaru Shimada's homebred Dee Majesty (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) was only eighth choice (30-1) in the market for this first colts' Classic on the Japanese calendar, but proved his mettle in race-record time with a 1 1/4-length defeat of Makahiki (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) at Nakayama Sunday. The market leader, 8-5 favorite and undefeated G3 Kisaragi Sho hero Satono Diamond (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), was an equal margin back in third. Deep Impact colts completed the trifecta, giving the Shadai supersire his first Japanese 2000 Guineas winner. Trainer Yoshitaka Ninomiya earned a sixth Group 1 victory following Shonan Adela (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn})'s win in the 2014 G1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies and his first Classic score.
“We were slow out of the gate, so I made up my mind to race him toward the rear as there were strong horses in the front,” commented pilot Masayoshi Ebina, who was winning his 25th Japanese Group 1 and second Satsuki Sho after he landed the 2014 edition with Isla Bonita (Jpn) (Fuji Kiseki {Jpn}). “I was hoping to close in on the frontrunners from around the third corner and everything went as planned. He was responding really well turning the last corner and I knew then that he'll be able to take over the field at the top of the slope.”
Sunday, Nakayama, Japan
SATSUKI SHO (JAPANESE 2000 GUINEAS)-G1, ¥229,840,000 (US$2,112,597), Nakayama, 4-17, 3yo, c/f, 2000mT, 1:57.90, fm.
1–&DEE MAJESTY (JPN), 126, c, 3, Deep Impact (Jpn)
1st Dam: Hermes Tiara (Jpn), by Brian's Time
2nd Dam: Shinko Hermes (Ire), by Sadler's Wells
3rd Dam: Doff the Derby, by Master Derby
O-Masaru Shimada; B-Hattori Farm; T-Yoshitaka Ninomiya;
J-Masayoshi Ebina; ¥127,888,000. Lifetime Record: 5-3-2-0,
¥176,059,000. *1/2 to Sacred Reve (Jpn) (Admire Moon {Jpn}),
GSP-Jpn, $1,210,087; and World Reve (Jpn) (Fantastic Light),
SP-Jpn, $584,318. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Werk Nick Rating: C.
2–Makahiki (Jpn), 126, c, 3, Deep Impact (Jpn)–Wikiwiki (Jpn),
by French Deputy. O-Makoto Kaneko Holdings; B-Northern
Farm; ¥47,968,000.
3–Satono Diamond (Jpn), 126, c, 3, by Deep Impact (Jpn)–
Malpensa (Arg), by Orpen. (¥230,000,000 Wlg '13 JRHAJUL).
O-Hajime Satomi; B-Northern Farm; ¥28,984,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, 1 1/4, HF+NS. Odds: 29.90, 2.70, 1.70.
Also Ran: Air Spinel (Jpn), Leontes (Jpn)*, Mount Robson (Jpn), Namura Shingun (Jpn), Lord Quest (Jpn), Admire Daio (Jpn), Umbruch (Jpn), Prophet (Jpn), Miraieno Tsubasa (Jpn), Mikki Rocket (Jpn), Toa Raijin (Jpn), Dreadnoughtus (Jpn), George Cinq (Jpn), Respect Earth (Jpn), Admire Morale (Jpn).
*Leontes (Jpn) finished fourth, but following a stewards' inquiry, was demoted to fifth.
Click for the Racing Post chart, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. JRA VIDEO.
Slow to begin from the widest berth in stall 18, Dee Majesty settled near the tail of the field as Respect Earth (Jpn) (Manhattan Cafe {Jpn}) had things all his own way through the early going. Juvenile champ Leontes (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) kept tabs on that foe several lengths back, while a touch keen and race favorite Satono Diamond found a perch in midfield. Respect Earth set a testing pace through the first 1000 metres in :58.4, but Leontes pounced shortly thereafter and led the cavalry charge into the final corner. Dee Majesty uncorked a powerful bid seven wide and began to rush past horses, but he still had a lot of ground to make up as the home straight beckoned. Leontes looked in danger of being swamped by a host of rivals with a furlong to run and so it proved, as the nearly black colt began to tire, mildly impeded Air Spinel (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) with 200 metres yet to cover. Fully roused, Dee Majesty collared Leontes 100 metres out and held enough late dash to hold safe the late run of Makahiki (Jpn), who had lowered the colors of Leontes in his latest run, the G2 Hochi Hai Yayoi Sho Mar. 6. Satono Diamond also made up some late ground, but settled for third, with another half-length back to Leontes in fourth, only a nose ahead of Air Spinel in fifth. The placings of the latter two were reversed in the stewards' room, as Leontes cost Air Spinel some momentum at a crucial juncture.
Dee Majesty finished runner-up in a 1500-metre Sapporo newcomers' heat when unveiled Sept. 5 and filled that same position extended to 1800 metres over this course Sept. 26. Off the mark going this trip at Tokyo Nov. 23, the bay was scratched out of the Dec. 27 G2 Hopeful S. at Nakayama with a minor leg issue, before added the G3 Kyodo News Service Hai back at Tokyo on Valentine's Day.
The seventh foal from his dam, the unraced Hermes Tiara (Jpn) (Brian's Time), Dee Majesty's second dam, Shinko Hermes {Ire} (Sadler's Wells), is a full-sister to English highweight and dual Classic heroine Imagine (Ire), as well as a half-sister to European highweight and dual Derby hero Generous (Ire) (Caerleon).
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