Deep Impact secures eighth consecutive leading Japanese sire crown

Deep Impact once again topped Japan's leading sire list in 2019. His runners earned ¥7,773,484,000 (£54,507,670/€64,195,560) at both Japan Racing Association and National Association of Racing tracks last year.

The son of Sunday Silence has held the country's leading sire title for eight consecutive years since 2012. Although he was euthanized on July 30, his 2019 figure was his career best, eclipsing the ¥7.493 billion earned in 2016.

Heart's Cry is currently ranked second, the highest ranking yet achieved for the son of Sunday Silence, whose progeny earned ¥4.181bn (£29.313m/€34.519m). The margin of earnings between the two top sires - ¥3.592bn - is the largest gap in the last decade.

The leading sire of two-year-olds is also Deep Impact, who received the title for the ninth time in the past ten years since his first crop began racing in 2010.

Among 158 foals registered in 2017 by Deep Impact, 99 started, 46 of which were winners, earning ¥703.360m (£4.932m/€5.808m). The earnings are the second highest achieved by Deep Impact two-year-olds, second only to 2017 when his juveniles earned ¥728.184m.

Japan's leading first-season sire is Kizuna, a son of Deep Impact. Among 182 foals by Kizuna registered in 2017, 127 of them started and 27 were winners, including Bien Fait, who won the Grade 3 Hakodate Nisai Stakes.

Total earnings for Kizuna came to ¥491.53m (£3.446m/€4.059m). His figures are the second highest achieved by a first-season sire in the last ten years after Deep Impact, whose first crop earned ¥540.74m in 2010.

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