His pedigree reads like a breeder’s wish list. His sire Sunday Silence propelled the Japanese bloodstock industry into the global premier league, while his dam, Wind In Her Hair, was a Group One winner who finished second in the Epsom Oaks. The Deep Impact horse lineage is further deepened by the presence of dual-Classic winner Highclere, owned and bred by Queen Elizabeth II, and Epsom Derby winner Nashwan.

He soon showed it, demolishing the competition to become the first horse since Narita Brian to complete the Japanese Triple Crown in 2005. He was also the first unbeaten Japanese Triple Crown winner since Symboli Rudolf 21 years earlier. For Deep Impact, his horse racing legacy ended in 2006, but still retired with a stud syndication deal worth 5.1 billion yen. Learn more about this amazing horse and other fine specimens on TVG On-Air and at TVG.com.

On October 23, 2005 a record crowd of nearly 137,000 gathered at the Kyoto Racetrack to witness the victory of Japan’s sixth Triple Crown winner and only the second to do it with an undefeated record. He clocked in at 3:04.6 seconds over the 3,000 meters of turf with his Jockey, Yutaka Take.

There was a snag in his would-be undefeated career during the Arima Kinen race when he was beaten by Heart’s Cry of France, preventing him from becoming the first unbeaten horse to capture the Arima Kinen title. But Deep Impact was a horse destined for fame, eventually finishing his career without losing again until retirement, cementing his plaque in the hall of fame of horse racing in Japan and around the world.