Deep Impact, Japan's triple crown winner in 2005, is back Sunday for his second running this year following a 3 1/2-length victory March 19.
Deep Impact's appearance this year at the spring Emperor's Cup will be a massive crowd draw without a doubt.
Sunday the action moves to Kyoto for the 133rd running of the spring Emperor's Cup, a 3,200-meter turf marathon considered by many to be Japan's most prestigious race.
Deep Impact's appearance this year will be a massive crowd draw without a doubt, as it marks the second time the 4-year-old colt will take on older competitors in a top-level competition. His first bid, the Arima Memorial last December, resulted in the first loss of his career and stopped his winning streak at seven, which is his number in Sunday's race.
If the number proves lucky again (he clinched the triple crown with it), Deep Impact is expected to race abroad later this year. The question is, can anyone stop him? A lackluster workout Wednesday has slightly smudged his shoo-in image, but jock Yutaka Take is saying not too worry.
Sunday's all-male lineup of 17 includes only one other grade 1 winner, Delta Blues (No. 9), who took the Kikkasho last year, but is looking off-form. Lincoln (No. 11) could pull the second pick, but other long-distance specialists such as Eye Popper (No. 14 and 2nd in Australia's Caulfield Cup last year), Tokai Trick (No. 5) and Macky Max (No. 2) are definitely in the running for the first-place prize of 132 million yen.
Wagering is expected to focus around the above names, with Chakra, Rosenkreuz and last year's runnerup Big Gold (Nos. 3, 4 and 8, respectively) also pulling bets. The Emperor's Cup (Tennosho) is the 11th race on Sunday's card at Kyoto. Post time is 3:40 p.m.