Lauda Sion Scores First Top-Level Victory in NHK Mile

Nearly 10 months after his untimely death, Deep Impact's profound influence on Japanese breeding was on display again May 10 at Tokyo Racecourse as Lauda Sion gave his son Real Impact a first grade 1 winner in the NHK Mile.

With Mirco Demuro riding, Lauda Sion initially contested the lead with favorite Resistencia, who was seeking her first win since taking last year's 2-year-old filly championship. After glancing over his shoulder at that rival, Demuro let Lauda Sion slip back to second and tracked the Christophe Lemaire-partnered filly around the turn and into the stretch.

After cresting the hill, Lauda Sion quickly closed the small gap, hit the front 200 meters from home, and went on to win by 1 1/2 lengths. Gilded Mirror, never far back but lacking room in the stretch, made a late run to finish third, three-quarters of a length behind Resistencia. Lauda Sion finished in 1:32.50 on firm turf.

"I knew the track today ran better for frontrunners, and considering that he's usually an evenly paced colt, I planned to keep him well up in front," Demuro said. "He's always quick out of the gate, so we were able to secure a good position, and I felt he had plenty to outrun Christophe's filly in the final stages."

Lauda Sion entered the Mile with three wins from six starts. In his only previous race at the grade 1 level, he was eighth in the Asahi Hai Futurity at Hanshin Dec. 15—his only attempt farther than 1,400 meters (about seven furlongs).

Trainer Takashi Saito acknowledged before the race he was asking more of his colt.

"It's a stretch, but I think he can handle 1,600 meters," Saito said. "He's more settled than he was before, a lot more mature, and his balance is good now, too. I think he can wait patiently enough." 

Past winners of the race have gone on to top-level success at a variety of trips.

Last year's winner, Admire Mars, captured a tough edition of the Longines Hong Kong Mile (G1), but 2004 winner King Kamehameha and 2008 victor Deep Sky went on to win the Yushun Himba (Japanese Derby, G1). The 1998 winner, El Condor Pasa, captured the Japan Cup (G1) at 2,400 meters (about 1 1/2 miles).

Lauda Sion was bred by Northern Farm's Shunsuke Yoshida and races for Silk Racing. The bay colt is out of the Songandaprayer mare Antiphona, whose only win from six starts came at 1,000 meters (about five furlongs) on the dirt.

An antiphon is a sung response, usually in religious choral music, and the hymn "Lauda Sion" is based on such a sequence, dating to the 16th century.

While Lauda Sion was the first top-level winner for Real Impact, three of Deep Impact's own progeny also contested the NHK Mile with less success than his grandson. Rhinebeck was eighth in the 18-horse field; Stone Ridge 12th; and the third choice, Satono Impresa, 13th. Another Real Impact colt, Shachi, defeated only two rivals.