Records Broken at Japan's JRHA Select Yearling Sale

A stronger-than-expected market at the Japan Racing Horse Association Select Sale yearling session, held July 9 at Northern Horse Park, set records for gross sales, average price, and clearance rate.

The fireworks began with Hip 13, a colt by King Kamehameha out of the North American grade 1 winner Miss Serendipity, that Northern Racing sold for ¥240 million (US$2,172,000) to Yoshihisa Ozasa. 

"When I visited Northern Farm for inspection, I liked him and he got on my short list," Ozasa said. "(He is also) from a beautiful family. Although the price is higher than I thought, I did not want someone else to buy him. I want him to become a classic winner."

The highest-priced yearling of the session was Hip 21, a Deep Impact colt out of King's Rose, New Zealand's 2011 champion 3-year old filly, that Masahiro Noda of Danox bought for ¥250 million ($2,262,500). Noda has been a major buyer at this sale for years.

"He is a very nice individual," Noda said of the colt purchased from the Northern Racing consignment. "I thought he would be less than U.S. $2 million, but today's market is very strong, and I was determined to go for more."

Hip 26, colt by Heart's Cry out of Life For Sale, a dual group 1 winner in Argentina and consigned by Northern Racing, was bought by Riichi Kondo for ¥230 million ($2,081,500).

"My trainer, Yasuo Tomomichi, strongly recommends this colt," said Kondo, who has been great supporter of Japanese bloodstock market for more than three decades. "Heart's Cry is my favorite stallion, and I am happy to add him to my string."

"I think he is a typical mile-and-a-half horse," Tomomichi added. "And he is a nice individual and a good mover. This is my pick of day."

The opening session of 2018 JRHA Select Sale put 233 yearlings through the sales ring, of which 211 sold for ¥9,674,500,000 ($87,157,658). Gross sales were 12% more than 2017's first session. 

The average price of ¥45,850,711 ($413,070) is a 14.7% increase compared with last year and the clearance rate improved to to 90.6% from 89.3% in 2017. The results produced across-the-board records for the JRHA Sale's yearling session.

"The gross sales and the clearance rate are both far beyond my expectation," said Katsumi Yoshida of Northern Farm, the leading consignor of the Monday session. "Nice individuals sold very well. And I am very happy to see, not only Deep Impact, but also other sires are very popular. It is an amazing market." 

The JRHA Select Sale foal session will be held July 10.