Another Derby Winner For Deep Impact

[Wandering Eyes]

It was not surprising to see a son of Deep Impact (Jpn) take Sunday’s G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby), but it was not the one most would have expected, with Wagnerian (Jpn) posting a mild 12-1 upset and the heavily favoured 2-year-old champion Danon Premium (Jpn) checking in sixth in a blanket finish after being bottled up on the rail through the stretch run.

Wagnerian went unbeaten in three starts at two, including the G3 Hai Nisai S. over 1800 metres at Tokyo in November, and he was 1 1/2 lengths second to Danon Premium on seasonal debut in the G2 Hochi Hai Yayoi S. up to 2000 metres on Mar. 4. The bay perhaps lost some favour with punters, however, when checking in just seventh behind Epoca d’Oro (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}) over that same trip in the G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) on Apr. 15.

It was Epoca d’Oro who bounced out of the barriers to grab the lead in the Tokyo Yushun, while Danon Premium scored a sweet spot on the fence and right on his heels from the one hole. Wagnerian was forced wide around the first bend from gate 17, and settled about five lengths off the pace and three wide down the backstretch. As they turned into the straight, Danon Premium didn’t appear to initially respond when his rider went to the whip, and he was soon locked into a pocket as Cosmic Force (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) and Wagnerian drew alongside, with Epoca d’Oro clinging to the lead. Wagnerian at last hit the lead under a drive just strides from the wire as an onslaught of late runners surged to make it a tight finish.

Pedigree Notes…

Deep Impact won the 2005 Tokyo Yushun on his way to the Japanese Triple Crown, and Wagnerian is his fourth winner of the Classic as a sire, following Deep Brilliante (Jpn) in 2009, Kizuna (Jpn) the following year and Makahiki (Jpn) in 2013. Wagnerian is Deep Impact’s 36th Group 1 winner.

Wagnerian is out of Miss Encore (Jpn), a daughter of Deep Impact’s Shadai barnmate King Kamehameha (Jpn) who has also produced the listed-winning and Group 3-placed Tenderly Voice (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}).

Sunday, Tokyo, Japan
TOKYO YUSHUN (JAPANESE DERBY)-G1, ¥419,260,000, Tokyo, 5-27, 3yo, c&f, 2400mT, 2:23.60, fm.
1–WAGNERIAN (JPN), 126, c, 3, by Deep Impact (Jpn)
1st Dam: Miss Encore (Jpn), by King Kamehameha (Jpn)
2nd Dam: Broad Appeal, by Broad Brush
3rd Dam: Valid Allure, by Valid Appeal
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-Makoto Kaneko Holdings; B-Northern
Farm; T-Yasuo Tomomichi; J-Yuichi Fukunaga ; ¥227,482,000.
Lifetime Record: 6-4-1-0. *Full to Tenderly Voice (Jpn), SW &
GSP-Jpn, $393,219. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Epoca d’Oro (Jpn), 126, c, 3, Orfevre (Jpn)–Daiwa Passion
(Jpn), by Forty Niner. (¥34,000,000 wnlg ’15 JRHAJUL)
O-Hidaka Breeders Union; B-Toru Tagami; ¥87,852,000.
3–Cosmic Force (Jpn), 126, c, 3, King Kamehameha (Jpn)–
Mikrokosmos (Jpn), by Neo Universe (Jpn). O-Sunday Racing;
B-Northern Farm; ¥53,926,000.
Margins: HF, NK, NO. Odds: 11.50, 9.50, 222.70.
Also Ran: Etario (Jpn), Blast Onepiece (Jpn), Danon Premium (Jpn), Go for the Summit (Jpn), Stelvio (Jpn), Admire Alba (Jpn), Stay Foolish (Jpn), Time Flyer (Jpn), Kitano Commandeur (Jpn), Sans Rival (Jpn), Grail (Jpn), Oken Moon (Jpn), Generale Uno (Jpn), Gendarme, T O Energy (Jpn).
Click for the JRA chart and video or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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