Yoshida Purchases Search Results, Wonder Wheel at F-T

Katsumi Yoshida of Northern Farm made two high-value purchases of grade 1-winning females Nov. 7 at The November Sale at Fasig-Tipton, securing Search Results (Hip 179) and Wonder Wheel (Hip 200) for $3.6 million and $3.2 million, respectively. Both will be sent to Yoshida's Northern Farm in Abira, Hokkaido, to become broodmares.

Search Results , who finished sixth in the Nov. 4 Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) at Santa Anita Park, won seven of 17 starts and more than $1.9 million. A 5-year-old Flatter  mare bred by Machmer Hall, she captured the 2021 Acorn Stakes (G1) in her top victory. Among other fine efforts that year, she placed in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) for trainer Chad Brown and owner Klaravich Stables.

After winning two stakes last year, she went 1-1-2 in five starts at age 5 in 2023, winning the Locust Grove Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs and placing in three other stakes, including the La Troienne Stakes (G1) at Churchill Downs in the spring. She sold as a racing/broodmare prospect as part of the ELiTE consignment as Hip 179.

Shingo Hashimoto, agent for Yoshida, described Search Results as "gorgeous." 

"So we were really excited when we first saw her," he said. "She was one of our top candidates, and we are very happy that we purchased her."

Out of the Candy Ride   mare Co Cola , she was a $310,000 purchase by agent Mike Ryan from the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale when consigned by Select Sales.

Wonder Wheel, the 2022 champion 2-year-old filly and daughter of four-time leading sire Into Mischief  , sold about an hour later as Hip 200. Hashimoto said her physical appearance struck him.

Consigned by Taylor Made Sales on behalf of DJ Stable, Wonder Wheel won the Alcibiades Stakes (G1) and Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at Keeneland in 2022 on her way to earning $1,591,857 under the direction of Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse.

"So we know she's really good," Hashimoto said.

Bred in Kentucky by Three Chimneys Farm & Clearsky, Wonder Wheel is out of multiple grade 1-placed stakes winner Wonder Gal . She went winless in four starts this year as a 3-year-old.

Jon Green, general manager of D. J. Stable, praised their team for the "added value" that each brought to Wonder Wheel from their early days of acquiring her to her racing career, and then on sales day.

"We were very confident bringing her here that she was going to bring a good amount of money," Green said. "You never can handicap it perfectly as far as who's on the horse, who liked the horse, and to what extent. But I feel like Taylor Made did a phenomenal job of giving us the proper information of handicapping who was going to be on her.

"And Fasig-Tipton, you can't say enough about this night and this venue and just the spirit of competitiveness here. It's just a fun place to be."

Green said it was "bittersweet" to sell Wonder Wheel, noting that she was the final horse his mother, Lois Green, named before she died. He also said she had been able to travel to Kentucky to watch her run before her death in May.

"It was a very difficult decision from an emotional standpoint, but from a business standpoint, it makes all the sense in the world," he said of selling Wonder Wheel.

Toward the conclusion of the evening, Yoshida made two more purchases. Armony's Angel went for $1.8 million, with the dam of Arkansas Derby (G1) winner Angel of Empire  selling in foal to Gun Runner   as Hip 207 from the Taylor Made Sales Agency. The final purchase of the evening headed back to Japan came from the supplemental catalog, Hip 265, the Cotillion Stakes (G1) and Torrey Pines Stakes (G3) winner Ceiling Crusher . The 3-year-old Mr. Big   filly was also consigned by Taylor Made.