Kizuna Colt Tops Foal Session at JRHA Select Sale

A colt by Kizuna  topped the Japan Racing Horse Association Select Sale foal session July 13, selling to Yoshihisa Ozasa for ¥410 million (US$3,693,694).

Ozasa did not attend the sale and his bids were relayed by his trainer, Yoshito Yahagi, who talked with Ozasa by telephone. The underbidder was Susumu Fujita.  

"This is the one which I was firmly resolved to acquire," Ozasa said. "Yoshito Yahagi strongly recommended him and others who inspected him told me unanimously that this is a very nice horse. I thought he would cost ¥300 million or more or less, but I didn't intend to retreat at all. I won the bidding war and hope the colt will win big races."

Consigned by Northern Farm as Hip 428, the colt is out of Selkis , winner of the 2011 Diana Trial (G2) in Germany. Selkis is also the dam of multiple stakes winner Velox, who in 2019 was second in the Satsuki Sho (Japanese Two Thousand Guineas, G1), and third in the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby, G1) and Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger, G1).

Yahagi also went to ¥240 million (US$2,162,162) to purchase Hip 329, a Frankel  colt out of 2015 Las Virgenes Stakes (G1) winner Callback , for Thoroughbred Club Lion. Northern Farm's Katsumi Yoshida bought Callback at the 2019 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale for $2 million. 

"This is an outstanding individual," Yahagi said of the colt. "I visited Northern Farm for inspection three times and have a feeling this colt has been getting better, better, and better. While he may not be a typical Frankel, I like him a lot and am sure he is worth paying this amount of money."

A total of 213 lots from 230 offered sold for a cumulative of ¥10,923,000,000 ($99,081,600) during the foal session, a 31.1% increase from 12 months ago. The average price, ¥51,281,690 ($465,172), and median price, ¥33 million ($299,340), are 24.9% and 13.8% increases, respectively, from 2020. The clearance rate improved from 89.8% in 2020 to 92.6% in 2021.

Over the two days of the JRHA Select Sale, with the yearling session a day earlier, 439 lots from 472 offered sold for a cumulative of ¥22,561,000,000 ($204,649,000). The total price is 20.3% higher than 2020. The average price through two days, ¥51,391,780 ($466,171), is up 18.3% from 2020. The overall clearance rate improved from 90.9% in 2020 to 93% in 2021.

"This is a much stronger market than I expected," said Teruya Yoshida, active chairman of the JRHA.

"As the catalog this year does not include King Kamehameha  and includes very few by Deep Impact , I thought the market would shrink, but I was wrong.

"I am very impressed to see so many new players active through two days at 2021 Select Sale.

"Most impressive was Mr. Susumu Fujita, who attended at JRHA Select Sale for the first time and spent ¥2,367,000,000 ($21,470,900) in total through two days, which is more than 10% of the gross sale.

"The number of buyers registered at this year's sale is more than 700, which is 10% more than last year, and the market has enough number of players at every price range. I think it created this strong market."