When good things finally come your way they often just keep on coming. Such proved the case for jockey Hirofumi Shii Sunday at Tokyo Racecourse.
The 35-year-old Shii, who, aboard Vodka, captured his first Derby on his 11th try last year, brought Deep Sky up the long Tokyo stretch with the same heady show of strength to win the coveted classic two years running.
Longshot Smile Jack, hugging the rail in the straight, took the lead from the top of the slope and looked to be holding his ground with no serious challengers. That was, until a bid on the far outside shot Deep Sky impressively forward enough to overtake some five horses from the 200-meter mark and catch and pass Smile Jack three strides out.