FUNABASHI, Chiba Pref. -- No Christmas cheer awaited this year's superstar Deep Impact on Sunday, at least not in the form of an Arima Kinen victory and its 180-million yen winner's bounty.
![News photo](/images/photos2005/sp20051226a1a.jpg)
Instead, this year's Triple Crown champion was handed the first defeat of his career, a loss by half a length to Japan Cup runnerup and race fourth pick Heart's Cry. Sixth-choice Lincoln and 10th-pick Cosmo Bulk finished in third and fourth place, respectively.