Deep Impact Headlines Again at JRHA Select Sale's Close

It was a nearly identical story to the yearlings auctioned 24 hours earlier at the JRHA Select Sale as a Deep Impact colt stood out during the July 9 foal session.

Riichi Kondo swooped for the mighty Japanese stallion's top lot, consigned by Northern Farm, July 8 when picking up a son of smart international mare Musical Way for ¥360 million (US$3,272,728), and the major owner had to go even higher to acquire Deep Impact's best foal.

It came through the Tiznow  mare Titan Queen, who placed in the United States but has proved far more influential in the world of breeding. She has already delivered Japanese grade 3 scorer Strong Titan, Schuylerville Stakes (G3) winner Fashion Alert, and Renee's Titan, who landed the Santa Ynez Stakes (G2).

Her meeting with Deep Impact presented an arresting colt, Hip 358, who took the Northern Horse Park by storm as he eventually reached an astronomical ¥470 million ($4,272,728)..

"My trainer, Yasuo Tomomichi, is very keen for me to buy him, which was quite unusual," Kondo said of the sales topper. "I paid ¥580 million for a Deep Impact colt here two year ago, which was more expensive than today's one, though I think today's colt is a better one at this point of the Select Sale."

Tomonichi added: "He has everything. Beautiful conformation and he's a very good mover. And I like his head particularly, which gives me a special feeling."

It comfortably exceeded the second top hip of the day, another Deep Impact colt from Katsumi Yoshida's Northern Farm.

This particular youngster, Hip 400, hails from one of Japan's grandest families, with his unraced mother Venenciador, by King Kamehameha, being a half sister to such names as Queen Elizabeth II Commemorative Cup (G1) heroine To the Victory, and grade 3 winners Silent Deal and Be Positive.

The foal is a full brother to Denim and Ruby, who was beaten a whisker in both the Japan Cup (G1) and Takarazuka Kinen (G1), and it took the Danox Co. some ¥290 million ($2,636,364) to get him.

Offspring of Lord Kanaloa were also in demand, with the smart stallion responsible for Hip 382, the third highest figure of the day.

Yoshihisa Ozasa went to ¥270 million ($2,454,546) for the gray son of four-time winner Admire Temba, who is from the immediate family of Japan's 2004 champion older mare Admire Groove and stallion Duramente.

Ozasa, the chairman of Link and Motivation, a consulting company for business organizations, said: "My bloodstock adviser recommends this colt strongly. Though I have bought some expensive foals by King Kamehameha in the last couple of years, I am here this year to find a nice colt by Lord Kanaloa, which has more speed than his sire, King Kamehameha. The price was much more than I expected."

International buyers were on the ground, too, with Australian Gai Waterhouse swooping for a colt by Rulership, Hip 337, and North American owners Gary Barber and Charles Fipke getting in on the act through the day.

New record figures were set throughout the foal session. With 194 foals sold for an aggregate of ¥9.784 billion ($88,945,455), there was an 18.5% increase from 2018. The average price of ¥50,432,990 ($458,482) was 25.2% higher and the clearance rate improved from 88.7% in 2018 to 89.8% in 2019.

As there had also been new bests for trade on the opening session it gave the event, which was inaugurated in 1998, a rosy look.

"The market was very strong and it was a really good sale, especially for Northern Farm, which is run by my brother," Teruya Yoshida, the active chairman of the JRHA, commented with a laugh at the conclusion of the sale.

"We have received many first-time visitors from foreign countries this year and I am very glad to hear that they are saying the quality of Japanese-bred horses is very high. I am also very impressed to see unproven new stallions are very popular. And I am delighted to see many new buyers, who enjoy all activities at the sales ground. It is really good for horse racing and the breeding industry.

"I do hope the horses bought here yesterday and today will run well."