Japanese champion, and superstar sire, Deep Impact, may have died in 2019, but the son of Sunday Silence remains a potent factor in pedigrees today.
Champion Sire in Japan for 11 consecutive years, Deep Impact’s final tally of stakes winners stood at 208.
His 59 individual G1 winners include such champions as Gentildonna, Contrail, Gran Alegria and Fierce Impact, as well as such European classic winners as Auguste Rodin, Beauty Parlour, Fancy Blue Saxon Warrior, Snowfall, and Study Of Man. Deep Impact is also the sire of Loves Only You, winner of the 2021 G1 Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf.
Deep Impact’s sire sons are enjoying increasing success at stud. His champion son Kizuna was recently crowned Japan’s Champion Sire for 2025, with the Japanese classic winner having also led the Japanese Sires premiership in 2024. Kizuna, who has sired 45 stakes winners to date, was also Japan’s Leading Sire of 3YOs in 2025.
Deep Impact’s Japanese Triple Crown winning son Contrail made a very pleasing start with his first two-year-olds last year, with Contrail crowned Japan’s Leading First Season Sire for 2025. At the time of writing, Contrail had been responsible for 19 individual first crop winners, with his tally including three horses who either won or were placed in black type races.
Deep Impact’s success as a sire of sires, however, is not limited to Japan. His G1 Dubai Turf winning son Real Steel is responsible for 2025 G1 Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic/G1 Saudi Cup winner Forever Young, while Real Steel’s French classic winning very close relation Study Of Man is the sire of dual G1 Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes heroine Kalpana.
Deep Impact horse Satono Aladdin was New Zealand’s Leading Sire of 2YOs in 2022-2023 , while other sons of Deep Impact to sire G1 winners include Saxon Warrior, Real Impact, Staphanos, and World Premiere. The latter made an exciting start to his stud career, with World Premiere’s first 11 runners headed by G1 Hopeful Stakes winner Lovcen.
Another son of Deep Impact, the six time G1 winner and dual Derby hero, Auguste Rodin begun his stud career in 2025, and he looks to be another potential star sire son of Deep Impact.
South Africa’s blessed to stand a champion son of this extraordinary stallion in the form of Danon Platina.
Japan’s Champion 2YO Colt of 2014, and winner of the 2014 G1 Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes, Danon Platina has sired high-class performers in each of his first three crops to race.
Danon Platina’s first crop was headed by G2 Mike De Kock Ipi Tombe Challenge winner and millionaire White Pearl, Listed Lady’s Pendant winner Gocekwithlove, and Cape Racing Gold Rush winner Rapidash. The latter has earned more than R5.448 million in stakes.
Danon Platina’s second crop contains high-class G3 Cape Classic winner Great Plains, who looks destined for more feature race glory this season, and this season’s Listed Settlers Trophy winner Landoftherisingsun, while his current crop of three-year-olds include G3 Langerman winner Absolutely Yes and the smart filly Tina Lovelace.
The latter ran second, to champion Golden Palm, in last season’s G1 Douglas Whyte Thekwini Stakes.
