They're being called the "countdown to revenge," these final days before Japan Cup 2006, the countdown to Sunday, when the heart and soul of a nation, no matter where its money has been placed, is going to be behind one horse when he makes his jump from the gate.

If hopes can push that one colt across the finish line in first place and not have his victory snatched from him weeks afterward, then every fan of the surely over 100,000 that will be packing the stands at Fuchu is going to be hoping.

Anyone watching that race who has ever felt wronged, anyone who's ever felt he wasn't getting his rightful share, his moment in the sun, is going to be praying that Deep Impact gets his.

This year's Japan Cup, the 26th running of the international Grade 1 classic turf event, is looking to be one of the most emotional races in recent years long before the starter's flag falls.

It's looking to be not only a stage for revenge but a stage for some of the most heated competition between equine and human rivals, and between the sexes.

Triple Crown champion Deep Impact, who has been touted worldwide as one of the best horses running and, in Japan, as the best horse ever to hail from this country, is returning to the track for the first time since running in the world's most prestigious race, the Arc de Triomphe at Longchamps, France.

There, for the uninformed, he finished third, less than a length behind the winner, only to have his name sullied by scandal weeks later having tested positive for illegal medication.

The medication was apparently ingested accidentally (he spilled the bucket onto the stall floor) in amounts too large to leave his system in time for the race.

Deep Impact's performance in the Arc was nullified, striking a shattering blow to the fans who worshipped his name.

Few of those fans would probably see anything wrong if Deep Impact was given a head start and 5 kg off the 10 others' weights, but a race is a race and Heart's Cry, the only horse to have beaten Deep Impact in Japan, would surely hear nothing of it.

The equally globe-trotting Heart's Cry, who edged Deep Impact by half a length in last year's Arima yearend finale, is coming off a third in the King George at Ascot, preceded by a Group 1 win in Dubai.

Last year, French rider Christian Lemaire narrowly missed out on the Japan Cup for his second time and is looking to revenge a nose loss in 2005 to Frankie Dettori.

Meisho Samson, tender at 3, but tough enough to have pocketed the first two legs of the Triple Crown series this year, may be cocky enough to pull off the JC win and his rider, Mamoru Ishibashi, getting his first Japan Cup ride in 21 years, may be determined enough to pull it off as well.

Add to the mix the mighty mare Ouija Board, Europe's champion older horse and Horse of the Year, along with Italian ace Dettori, three-time Japan Cup winner and you are looking at one heck of a horse race.

Post time is 3:20 p.m. on Sunday at Tokyo Race Course.

(Barbara Bayer)