Top > Sport > 2006 > December > 2006-12-31

Racing Horse, Deep Impact, Ends Career

One of Asia?s best-loved racehorses, Deep Impact, ended his career on a high note. The four-year-old colt won the Arima Cup event ? an annual race held in Tokyo - and went off the course amidst thunderous applause. Deep Impact was practically hero-worshipped by his Japanese fans, who are devastated to see his racing career ending. On the other hand, the horse will undoubtedly command extremely high fees in his second career ? as a stud horse.

In his racing history, Deep Impact ran 14 races and won all except two of them. His one and only attempt to conquer the European racetracks ended unhappily when he was disqualified from being placed third in the famous Prix l?Arc de Triomphe. Authorities maintained that Deep Impact failed a drugs test. Despite this set back, the colt earned over $14-m in prize money during his racing career. Yutaka Take of Japan was the only jockey who ever rode the horse. "I still believe he is the fastest racehorse in the world," he said.

Japan is not the only country to award a racehorse idol status. The English are planning to pay tribute to their own hero, Desert Orchid, a race horse that won the King George Chase IV event a record four times and died last month at the age of 27. Plans are already under way to unveil a memorial headstone in ?Dessie?s? honor at Kempton Park, the scene of some of the colt?s greatest races. Desert Orchid?s ashes were buried near a statue that was already built in his honor at the racetrack.