Colt emulates his sire Deep Impact in Grade 1.
The Yoshito Yahagi-trained Contrail (2 c ex Rhodochrosite by Unbridled's Song) dominated his rivals in the Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) (Gr 1, 2000m) at Nakayama and in the process retained his unbeaten record and emulated his sire Deep Impact (Sunday Silence) who won the race in 2005.
Last seen winning the Hopeful Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) in December, the colt stayed on strongly to beat Salios (Heart's Cry) - who was ridden by Damian Lane - by half a length and the pair where well clear of Galore Creek (Kinshasa No Kiseki), who finished another three and a half lengths away in third.
In winning the race the colt also became the third winner of the contest by the late Shadai Stallion Station-based sire Deep Impact, following up the victories of Dee Majesty and Al Ain, who won the race in 2016 and 2017 respectively.
The colt is out of Rhodochrosite (Unbridled's Song) whose three foals to race have all been winners.
Meanwhile, the colt's third dam - Contrive (Storm Cat) - produced Listed winner Divided Attention (A.P. Indy). Further back this is the family of Grade 1 scorer Come Dancing (Malibu Moon), Grade 2 winner Tizahit (Tiznow) and Grade 3 winners Jeano (Fappiano) and Lord Alex (Exchange Rate).
Contrail is one of elite winners bred on the Deep Impact / Unbridled's Song cross; with the other being Danon Platina.
Deep Impact, who died last year, is the sire of 156 stakes winners headed by 46 Group 1 winners. The sire was responsible for a $1.9 million yearling at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale in January, after Galletta Construction snapped a colt by the stallion from the Arrowfield Stud draft.
This year at the sales in Australia the stallion has had four yearlings sell for an aggregate of $3,510,000 at an average of $877,500.
