CHAMPION sire Deep Impact was euthanised two days after undergoing surgery on a persistent neck injury. He was withdrawn from covering duties in early February because of the reported problem. He is expected to sire around 20 foals in 2020.

The worst possible news broke on July 30th, that while surgery on July 28th had been deemed successful, Deep Impact’s condition had taken an abrupt turn for the worse. Further post-surgery x-rays on the then recumbent Deep Impact showed a cervical spine fracture. He was subsequently euthanised.

From Sunday Silence’s penultimate crop, Deep Impact enjoyed an incredible career on the track. A Triple Crown winner in his classic year, he was beaten just once from 13 starts on Japanese soil.

Such was the public following and support generated by his racecourse exploits Deep Impact routinely brought racing news usually resigned to the back pages to the front of main stream media. Twice named Horse of the Year (2005 and 2006), he was inducted into the JRA Hall of Fame in 2008.

While brilliance was the staple of his racing career, it was not entirely without controversy. Deep Impact finished third in the 2006 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe but was subsequently disqualified for a failed drugs test. It was his only overseas excursion.

The public hype and interest followed the Makoto Kaneko-owned colt to Shadai Stallion Station where he resided for stud his career.

Bred by Northern Farm, Deep Impact was bought by Kaneko for €580,000 as a foal in the 2002 Select Sale.

Since being crowned Champion Freshman Sire in 2010, he continued to strengthen his position in the Japanese stallion ranks to remain essentially unchallenged as the leading sire.

Champion sire

Last year, 2018 marked the seventh consecutive year he was crowned the champion sire in Japan. This year is proving to be no different as he holds an already unattainable lead in the sires’ rankings.

To date, Deep Impact is responsible for 42 individual Group 1 winners aamong 113 group winners, domestic and international. He has sired 16 champions, and two-time Horse of the Year Gentildonna remains his leading earner.

Deep Impact’s legacy has further opportunity to continue with several of his sons now standing at stud. Two of them, Kizuna and Real Impact, have made highly encouraging starts to their stallion careers and currently sit first and third respectively in the freshman sires’ list.

Albeit from a relatively small sample, Deep Impact’s influence as a broodmare sire has already begun to produce significant returns. He has sired the dams of seven stakes winners, including Group 1 Kikuka Sho victor Kiseki (by Rulership) and a further three winners in group company.

The timing of Deep Impact’s death will inevitably draw comparisons to that of his sire, Sunday Silence. The two stallions are undoubtedly two of the greatest influences in the history of the thoroughbred industry in Japan.

At the time of his death in 2002, aged 16, the loss of Sunday Silence from the Japanese stallion ranks left a gaping void across the breeding industry which had progressively become ever more reliant on the American import.

A remarkably similar vacancy has now been left by Deep Impact, but with no obvious heir to the throne.

While the loss of Deep Impact will understandably be felt domestically, it is Japan’s standing on the global stage that will feel the brunt of his absence.

Deep Impact almost single-handedly had propelled Japanese racing and breeding into the international spotlight. Global interest and attention for progeny of Japan’s best stallion continued to grow, reaching an all-time high in 2018 and helped in no small part by the exploits in Europe of Saxon Warrior (2000 Guineas) and Study Of Man (Prix du Jockey Club), two of his three European classic stars.

An increased number of mares from both hemispheres were shipped to Japan with the sole intention of visiting Deep Impact in 2019.

Inevitably the remaining blue-blooded progeny yet to be seen on the track will garner huge attention, with possibly the highest-profile of those yet to be born being the expected autumn produce of Vegas Showgirl, the dam of Winx.