Another Record Sale For JRHA

For the fourth consecutive year, the Japan Racing Horse Association's Select Sale posted a record gross when the two days of trade came to a close at Northern Horse Park in Hokkaido on Tuesday. Total spend for the two sessions was ¥14,942,100,000 ($144,030,637), with a total of 390 sold and a buyback rate of 18.6% (it was 16.2% last year). The cumulative average was up 14.6% to ¥38,310,000.

The foal session also posted double-digit increases on last year for both gross and average. A total of 173 foals changed hands for ¥6,811,500,000 ($65,657,751), up 12.2% from last year. The average was up 19.4% at ¥39,370,000 ($379,497).

“We are more than happy, it's amazing,” said JRHA Vice Chairman and Shadai Farm owner Teruya Yoshida upon the conclusion of Tuesday's foal session.

Two sons of Deep Impact shared the day's top price of ¥280-million ($2,718,447), and both were bought by Japanese owner Hajime Satomi. Coolmore's MV Magnier, visiting the sale for the first time, was the underbidder on the first of those through the ring, a son of G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches winner Elusive Wave (Ire) (Elusive City).

“We are very sorry the Japanese position is so strong,” Yoshida laughed. “Coolmore had bid up to a very expensive price.”

Yoshida noted that each year, the growing returns from the sale are being invested into improving the quality of Japanese stock.

“Every year we investment the money into expensive mares from the worldwide broodmare market, and naturally the quality is increasing,” he said. “Since we've started to challenge the international races in Dubai and France, the results are much better than we thought. That means the quality of Japanese-bred horses is really high now. Breeders all over the world are looking for outside blood for future stallions, so I think they have to come to Japan to buy good stallion prospects.”

Like Monday's yearling session, the progeny of perennial champion sire Deep Impact once again stole the show on Tuesday. The Japanese Triple Crown winner was responsible for the top five lots, including all four on the day to surpass the $2-million mark. He sired six of the 10 top-priced lots on Tuesday and nine of the top 20. Deep Impact had 13 sell from 15 offered on the day for an average of ¥144,230,769 ($1,396,767).

The other sires with lots to pass the ¥100-million mark on Tuesday were second-season sire and fellow Triple Crown winner Orfevre (Jpn) (Stay Gold {Jpn}) (2); and first-season sire Just a Way (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}).

Deep Pockets…

Gaming executive Hajime Satomi bought the first millionaire lot during Monday's yearling session when spending $1.7-million on a Deep Impact colt out of Shamrocker (NZ) (O'Reilly {NZ}), and the prominent local owner was once again the first to strike at seven figures during Tuesday's foal sale, going to ¥280-million ($2,718,447) for lot 328, another son of Deep Impact out of G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches victress Elusive Wave (Ire) (Elusive City). Coolmore's MV Magnier was the underbidder on the half-brother to French listed-placed Brandybend (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).

Satomi, who did his bidding alongside his advisor, Yasuo Ikee and trainer Yasutoshi Ikee, said the colt was his pick of the day, but he didn't necessarily expect to take him home, knowing Magnier was likely to bid.

“I expected Coolmore would bid up to $5-million, so I thought I would finish bidding if the horse went over $3-million,” he revealed. “The horse has everything, including good conformation and pedigree; everything about him is perfect.”

Satomi, who campaigns this year's G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas)-third and G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) runner-up Satono Diamond (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), himself a $2.3-million buy from this sale, revealed he has ambitions to win not only the biggest races in Japan, but worldwide.

“I want to buy a horse who can win the global races,” he noted.

Coolmore clearly regards Elusive Wave highly, with Magnier having spent 800,000gns on her at Tattersalls December in 2010. Elusive Wave was exported to Japan in 2013 in foal to Frankel (GB) after being bought privately by Katsumi Yoshida, and that resulting filly is now named Elusive Happiness (Jpn). Elusive Wave's yearling filly by Deep Impact was bought by Carrot Club for ¥54-million on Tuesday.

Elusive Wave's colt wasn't the only Deep Impact son of a French pattern winner to find favour at Northern Horse Park on Tuesday. Masahiro Noda of Danox Co. Ltd. spent ¥180-million ($1,747,573) on lot 357, a Deep Impact from Shadai Farm out of the dual French group winner Celimene (Ire) (Dr Fong).

Co-Topper Eludes Coolmore…

The Deep Impact son of Elusive Wave was also the pick of the sale for team Coolmore, and although they missed out on him and ultimately went home empty handed, the sale was not a lost mission. MV Magnier was attending the sale for the first time and was accompanied by David O'Loughlin as well as Ashford Stud's Dermot Ryan, who came to the sale for the first time last year, and team Coolmore was assisted by John McCormack, a regular buyer at the sale.

Magnier explained that Shunsuke Yoshida, vice chairman of Northern Farm and son of Katsumi Yoshida, had been trying to tempt him to visit Japan for some time.

“Shunsuke Yoshida has, for the last couple years, been trying to get me to come, and John McCormack has been saying it,” he said. “I met Shunsuke down at the Gold Coast again and he said, 'you really should come this year,' and John McCormack was saying the same. Dermot was here last year and he said it was really worth coming, so myself and David decided to come out.”

Magnier explained that Coolmore has been doing business with the Yoshida family for a long time, and in addition Coolmore breeds “a couple” mares to Deep Impact each year.

“They've been very good supporters of ours, and they're very nice people,” he said, noting that there is currently a 2-year-old Deep Impact filly out of G1 Moyglare Stud S. winner Maybe (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in training at Ballydoyle. The mare produced a colt by the same sire last year, and that one has also been sent to Ireland.

Deep Impact must be a highly accomplished sire by anyone's standards, and Magnier said his success in Europe has furthered his appeal for team Coolmore. The Shadai flagbearer is the sire of G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches winner Beauty Parlour (GB), as well as this year's G1 Prix d'Ispahan victor A Shin Hikari (Jpn). His Kizuna (Jpn) beat Ballydoyle's Ruler Of The World (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the 2013 G2 Prix Foy and finished a highly respectable fourth in the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

Summarizing his first visit to the JRHA sale, Magnier said, “it's unbelievable. As everyone else would say the people are so polite, the horses look great–they stand up to anywhere in the world. It's an incredible place.”

Satomi Mines Another Diamond…

Hajime Satomi signaled he was serious about his intention to win the world's best races when once again shelling out ¥280-million, this time on Northern Farm's Deep Impact colt out of Malpensa (Arg) (Orpen) (lot 389) midway through the session. Satomi is well aware of the abilities of Malpensa's progeny, as he campaigns the mare's current 3-year-old Satono Diamond (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), who placed in this year's Japanese 2000 Guineas and Japanese Derby. Malpensa has a 2-year-old filly by Stay Gold (Jpn) who is in training, but Tuesday's co-sale topper is sadly her last foal, as she died of complications from colic shortly after producing him. Malpensa was a triple Group 1 winner in her native Argentina.

Satomi revealed after signing the ticket that when he first saw the colt, he thought Satono Diamond was better at that stage of his life. He changed his mind, however, when he saw the colt on Tuesday.

“When I first saw this foal in June, I had the impression that Satono Diamond was better at that stage of his life,” Satomi explained. “The foal's condition was not beautiful, maybe affected by the loss of the mother.”

“But he has improved significantly,” Satomi continued. “The foal has changed a lot and when I saw him today he was very different.”

Satomi admitted the price was a lot to pay, but said, “I understand this is a very good horse. The price is expensive but it was worth it.”

Satomi ended the foal session as the leading buyer on the day, spending a total of ¥821,000,000 ($7,911,123).

Deep Impact was responsible for four lots to surpass the ¥200-million mark on Tuesday. Splitting the Satomi pair was lot 378, a colt from Shadai Farm out of GI American Oaks winner Cambina (Ire) (Hawk Wing), who was bought by Takaya Shimakawa for ¥230-million ($2,233,010). Shadai Farm bought Cambina for $750,000 at Fasig-Tipton's November Sale in 2013 in foal to Exchange Rate and that resulting filly, now a 2-year-old, has yet to start.

An Ace For Otsuka…

Ryoichi Otsuka enjoyed some of his finest moments as an owner thus far with G2 Milers Cup winner World Ace (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), who he owned as part of the Sunday Racing group, and the investment banker admitted for the past two years he has been looking for a sibling of that horse to add to his stable. When the opportunity arose on Tuesday, Otsuka pounced at ¥240-million ($2,330,098) for (lot 485), World Ace's full-brother.

Otsuka, who enthusiastically took the shank of his new colt behind the ring and lavished him with hugs, kisses and selfies, said, “I love this female line and actually named World Ace, so after World Ace ran so well I was waiting for a sister or brother to come to this sale.”

“I got the catalogue and found the full-brother and I thought, 'this is my horse,'” added Otsuka, who admitted he has been a lifelong racing fan and once wanted to be a jockey. “The price was more than I thought, but I couldn't resist to buy him.”

Lot 485 is out of Mandela (Ger) (Acatenango {Ger}), a half-sister to triple Group 1-winner Manduro (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}) who was herself a stakes winner in Germany and third in the G1 German Oaks.

Orfevre Finding Favour…

While Deep Impact, as per usual at this sale, dominated the top of the market, there was good news also for some of his up-and-coming challengers.

The 2011 Japanese Triple Crown winner Orfevre (Jpn) (Stay Gold {Jpn}) enjoyed a strong session on Monday with his first-crop yearlings, which realized up to ¥84-million, and the market proved even hungrier for his second-crop foals, with two passing the ¥100-million barrier. The dearest of those sold yesterday was lot 395, a colt who is the first foal out of the G1 Victoria Mile winner Whale Capture (Jpn) (Kurofune). The Apr. 28 foal, a grey like his dam, was bought by Shigeyuki Okada of Big Red Farm for ¥170-million ($1,650,486) from the Chiyoda Farm consignment.

“When I saw him walking in the parade ring I fell in love with him,” said Okada, who was certainly not exaggerating. The bidding was initially handled by Okada's son, Hirokazu Okada, sitting in the ring, but when the young Okada dropped out at $1.5-million his father sprinted into the ring and instructed him to keep going.

“I feel he has inherited the strength of Orfevre and the acceleration of Whale Capture,” Okada added. “I thought, 'this is the kind of horse I will find only once every 10 years,' so I decided I would really like to buy him, because I think he is a stallion candidate.”

Orfevre had 14 sell from 19 offered yesterday for an average of ¥48,464,285 ($469,340).

Rio-Bound Owner Scores A Deep Impact…

Japanese businessman and supermarket chain owner Hidenori Futagi is already involved in sporting at the highest level and, as president of the Japanese Gymnastics Association, he heads to Rio de Janeiro next week to oversee Team Japan ahead of the start of the Olympic Games.

Futagi will look to conquer a new game, however, after acquiring his first Thoroughbred on Tuesday: a ¥155-million daughter of Deep Impact (Jpn) who is the first foal out of Italian Group 1 winner Final Score (Ire) (Dylan Thomas {Ire}) (lot 346).

“This is my first time coming to a horse sale; I just obtained by JRA owners license recently,” Futagi explained. “My experience with horse racing so far is just to have a little bet. I have very little knowledge of the horses, but this horse was picked by my trainer Hideaki Fujiwara.”

Futagi explained that he decided to invest in Thoroughbreds at the urging of his friend Hirosaki Toshihiro, who raced triple Group 1-winner Straight Girl (Jpn) (Fuji Kiskei {Jpn}) with Fujiwara.

Final Score, winner of the G1 Premio Lydia Tesio and G2 Oaks d'Italia, was a private purchase by Northern Farm. Final Score's dam, the stakes-winning Holy Moon (Ire) (Hernando {Fr}), has become legendary in Italy as the dam of three-straight Oaks d'Italia winners. Like Final Score, her half-sister Charity Line (Ire) (Manduro {Ger}) also went on to win the Lydia Tesio. It is also the family of G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere winner Dabirsim (Fr) (Hat Trick {Jpn}).

Admiration For Just A Way…

As one of Japan's most prominent racehorse owners, Riichi Kondo has enjoyed some big days in some of the country's greatest races with his Thoroughbreds, most of which carry the 'first name' Admire. He admits one of his greatest days, however, came not in his native country but in Australia, when his Admire Rakti (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) won the G1 Caulfield Cup in 2014 under top weight.

Admire Rakti tragically died after the G1 Melbourne Cup just weeks later after suffering acute heart failure. Kondo will now look to recapture the magic with Admire Rakti's half-brother (lot 380), which he bought on Tuesday for ¥140-million ($1,359,224).

The bay from Northern Farm is from the first crop of Heart's Cry's highly accomplished son Just a Way (Jpn), who won Japan's G1 Yasuda Kinen and G1 Tenno Sho Autumn and was named the world's best racehorse of 2014 by the IFHA for his 6 1/4-length score in the G1 Dubai Duty Free.

He is out of Admire Teresa (Jpn) (Helissio {Fr}), who has also produced the stakes-winning Satono Jupiter (Jpn) (Agnes Tachyon {Jpn}), also campaigned by Kondo and bought at this sale for ¥22-million ($236,742). Admire Rakti cost Kondo ¥32-million ($346,240) here in 2009. Admire Teresa's daughter Vamoose (Jpn) (Admire Moon {Jpn}) sold for A$340,000 at last month's Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale in-foal to Lord Kanaloa (Jpn). Admire Teresa has a 2-year-old filly by Heart's Cry and is back in foal to Admire Rakti's sire.

Just a Way had 14 sell on Tuesday from 19 offered for an average of ¥31,285,714 ($302,613).

First Kingman Foal To Danox…

Tuesday's session featured the first foal by Cartier Horse of the Year and champion miler Kingman (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) to be offered at public auction, and that son of French Group 3 winner Mambia (GB) (Aldebaran) (lot 413) was hammered down to Masahiro Noda of Danox Co. Ltd. for ¥88-million ($854,369). Mambia was bought by Katsumi Yoshida for 160,000gns carrying this colt at Tattersalls December last year, and she is now in foal to Heart's Cry (Jpn).