Legendary Japanese sire Deep Impact’s great year in 2021 continued when his son Glory Vase captured Sunday’s G1 Longines Hong Kong Vase and daughter Loves Only You won Sunday’s G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup.
Loves Only You was Japan’s big hope on the day as she lined up for the G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup, the last of the four top-level races. The 5-year-old Deep Impact mare owned by DMM Dream Club was the heavy favorite after winning the G1 Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf in her last start. Earlier in the year, she won the G1 FWD Queen Elizabeth II Cup and finished third behind Mishriff and Chrono Genesis in the G1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic.
Under Yuga Kawada, Loves Only You came with late rush in Sunday’s 2000m contest to get up and win by short head.
The five-year-old daughter of Deep Impact is set to retire to stud, with Loves Only You having won eight of her 16 starts, including four G1 races.
Her paternal half-brother Glory Vase claimed his second win in the Hong Kong Vase, with that Deep Impact entire having won the Vase previously in 2019.
Six-year-old Glory Vase languished at the back of the field through most of the race as Hong Kong-based rider Joao Moreira judged the timing perfectly. Swinging widest of all into the stretch, he found G1 Coronation Cup winner Pyledriver sprinting for home with a clear lead.
Gobbling up ground, Glory Vase hit the front with 50 meters to go and edged away to win by one length over Pyledriver, completing the distance in 2:27.07.
Now deceased, Deep Impact had another massive year in 2021, with his progeny also capturing such races as the G1 Cazoo Oaks, G1 Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf, G1 Moet & Chandon Spring Champion Stakes, G1 Juddmonte Irish Oaks, and G1 Japan Cup.
Mauritzfontein is home to the only son of Deep Impact standing at stud in South Africa in the form of Danon Platina.
The latter, bred on the same cross as champion and 2021 Japan Cup winner Contrail, was Japan’s Champion 2YO Colt of 2014.
Danon Platina’s eagerly awaited first yearlings go on sale in 2022.
