(15th Jul 09)

2009 JRHA Select Sale. Day#3, Foal Session

Mr. Masahiro Noda of Danox Co.Ltd and his wife Mizuki Noda are responsible for two of top three lots on the third and final session of JRHA Select Foal Sale.
The husband bought Hip#411, colt by Deep Impact bred by Northern Farm, for 76,000,000yen. "When I visited Northern Farm to inspect foals, I found this colt has an outstanding quality", Noda said of the half brother to Goshawk Ken, winner of G1/Asahi Hai, after the purchase. "I thought the value of this colt should be more than a US$ million and I am very happy with this price." The colt will be trained by Yasutoshi Ikee, the leading trainer in Japan in 2008 who recommended this colt strongly to Mr. Noda.
Makoto Kaneko, who owned Deep Impact, was the under-bidder.
Only ten minutes before the husband bought the #411, the wife signed the ticket of Hip#409, colt by Neo Universe bred by Teruya Yoshida's Shadai Farm. The price of colt out of Lady of Chad, winner of G1/Prix Marcel Boussac, is 78,000,000yen. "I am happy to see my husband could manage to buy the foal which he like the best, and I am happy to buy the foal which I like the best", Mrs. Mizuki Noda said.
Another lot which is sold for 78,000,000yen, the top price of the day, is Hip#427, colt by Symboli Kris S bred by Katsumi Yoshida's Northern Farm. The colt out of Fusaichi Pandora, the winner of G1/Queen Elizabeth Commemorative Cup, is bought by R.S Corporation.
Unexpected thunder storm hit the south/west part of Hokkaido Island on Wednesday morning, and it hit the horse market as well.
The day's gross sale, 1,839,500,000yen, is 35.8% decline from 2008, and the average of the day, 20,668,539yen, is 29.3% decline. The buy-back rate is 39.0%, which was 34.2% last year. The gross sale of two days foals session 4,913,200,000yen, is 33.0% decline from 2008, and the average price at the foal session, 23,735,265yen, is 28.2% decline. The buy-back rate at the foals session is 35.3%, which was 29.3% last year
The gross sale through three days session, 7,612,600,000yen, is 21.4% decline from 2008, and the average price, 23,138,601yen, is 21.8% decline. The buy-back rate through three days is 30.8%, which was 29.7% in 2008.
"I am satisfied with the final figures", Teruya Yoshida, vice chairman of the Japan Racing Horse Association, said at the press conference after the sale. "Under the current economic surroundings, I must be happy to see the gross sale at the yearling session bettered the previous year, and the buy-back rate through three days is almost the same as last year."
"It is certainly the buyer friendly market, and I am very happy to see my clients are happy with the horses they bought and happy with the price they paid. Once the clients are happy, I am happy." said Teruya Yoshida with happy smile.

(14th Jul 09)

2009 JRHA Select Sale. Day#2, Foal Session

Hip#275, colt by Daiwa Major, who is widely recognized as the star of day, was bought by Takaya Shimakawa for 165,000,000yen "He is different type with his brother", Shimakawa said about the half-brother to Deep Impact. "He is a very strong colt, carrying much muscle, and it looks he is similar to his sire Daiwa Major." Asked about the price, Shimakawa said "this is much more than I thought". Shimakawa also said he has not decided who is going to train the colt.
Earlier the day, Shimakawa, one of the biggest spenders at the JRHA Sale, paid 155,000,000 yen on the Hip#235, colt by Deep Impact out of Every Whisper by Northern Taste. "This is the pick of day for myself, and I think this is the best foal by Deep Impact in the catalogue", Shimakawa said with big smile after the purchase of the colt. "When I visited Northern Farm, I saw him and fell in love with him. I do not visit farms to see foals more than once normally, however, I went to see this colt for several times and he impressed me every time. I knew several different buyers were bidding on him, but I never thought I would stop bidding".
Katsumi Yoshida who bred and consigned the colt is naturally very happy with the price. "I know many people came to see him at my farm and he is very popular. But this price is much higher than I expected."
The colt will be trained by Yasutoshi Ikee, the All-Japan leading trainer in 2008."The colt looks like his father and his face is just a copy of his father's face", said Yasutoshi Ikee, whose father Yasuo Ikee trained Deep Impact.
Takaya Shimakawa dominated the top end of market, buying the Hip#306, colt by Symboli Kris S for 125,000,000yen. "He is certainly on my shortest list" Shimakawa said of the half brother to Admire Moon. "It was my last bid, while I did not think I could manage to buy this colt for this price."
The gross sales of the day is 3,073,700,000yen, which is 31.2% decline as compared with the first day of foal session last year, and the average price 26,048,305yen is 27.7% decline. And the buy-back rate on the day is 32.1%, which was 24.8% on the first day of foal session in 2008.
The third and final session will start at 11:00a.m. at Northern Horse Park.

(13th Jul 09)

2009 JRHA Select Sale. Day#1 Yearling Session

Shigeyuki Okada of Big Red Farm paid 145,000,000yen for the Hip#65, colt by Rock of Gibraltar, bred by Katsumi Yoshida's Northern Farm and consigned by Shunsuke Yoshida's Northern Racing.
"I have the feeling that the quality of muscle which the colt is carrying is very good", Okada said of the half brother to Admire Moon, who is also the JRHA Sales graduate and the winner of three G1s, including G1/Dubai Duty Free. "While the offsprings by Rock of Gibraltar tend to have the problem of weak muscle. this colt has taken over the muscle with nice quality from his broodmare sire Sunday Silence. He is beautiful".
Asked about the price, Okada said, "It is surprising. Surprisingly high for me, however, I could not stop myself, because this is the lot which I like the best in today's catalogue".
Okada said he has not decided who is going to train him. During the opening session, 122 lots are sold for 2,699,400,000yen in total, and the gross sale of the day is 14.99% more than the previous year. The average price 22,126,229yen is nearly the same as the last year, and the buy-back rate is 21.8%, which was 30.5% last year.
"The gross sale is 15% more than the last year, and the buy-back is much fewer than the last year. This is amazing market, as we consider the current economic surroundings", said Teruya Yoshida, vice-chairman of Japan Racing Horse Association. "And we are very happy to see many new players are coming into this game and they are active. This is very good sign for our industry"
The foal session starts at 11:00a.m.Tuesaday.

(15th Jun 09)

FLORENTINO(JPN), JRHA graduates, enjoyed G2 success at Churchill Downs

Florentino(JPN), 3-y-o colt by Swept Overboard, who was bought by Darley at the 2006 JRHA July Select Foal Sale, on the G2/Jefferson Cup at Churchill Downs on Saturday June 13th.
Unsuccessful in three starts at 2, two of which were on dirt and the rest of them was on synthetic surface, Florentino, trained by Kiaran McLaughlin, tried grass for the first time at the maiden on January 10th at Gulfstream Park and collected his first win.
Since then, he has been running solid on grass, picking up his second win in the allowance at Gulfstream Park on March 1st.
Florentino(JPN) performed well in the G3/Transylvania S, finishing third, on April 3rd at Keeneland, which was his first attempt in the Graded Stakes company, last time out.
Florentino(JPN), bred by Katsumi Yoshida's Northern Farm and bought by Darley for 140,000,000yen, the fifth highest price of the sale, is a half brother to Rhein Kraft(JPN), winner of the Oka Sho, Japanese 1000 Guineas, and NHK Mile Cup, which of which are the Graded One event over one mile in Japan.
As Rhein Kraft(JPN) is by End Sweep, Florentino is three parts brother to Rhein Kraft(JPN).
Must be Loved by Sunday Silence, dam of Rhein Kraft(JPN) and Florentino(JPN), is full sister to Admire Max(JPN), winner of G1/Takamatsunomiya KInen.

(16th Mar 09)

Summary of the 2009 JRHA July Select Sale

*Dates
July 13th, Monday-Yearling Session
Session starts at noon.
The pre-sale group-showing is not organized in the morning of the sales day.
Buyers can inspect the yearlings at the barn area.

July 14h, Tuesday & July 15th, Wednesday-Foal Session
Session starts at 11:00a.m.
Pre-sale group-showing starts at 8:30a.m.

*Number of lots offered
Approximately 150 yearlings
Approximately 300 foals

*Inspection of sale horses
Inspection/Showing times are from 9:00a.m. to 5:00p.m. on July 11th, Saturday & July 12th, Sunday.
Please confirm the horse's arrival time.

*Veterinary Repository
Hours Viewing at Veterinary Repository is available from 9:00a.m. to 5:00p.m. on July 11th Saturday & July 12th, Sunday.
On July 13th, Monday, it opens from 9:00a.m. until the end of the sales session.

*To be held at
Northern Horse Park in Tomakomai City

*Conducted by
Japan Race Horse Association


JRHA July Select Sale starts the following new incentive buyers.

*JRHA gives the Premium Service.
If you buy a yearling/foal at JRHA July Select Sale, you will receive a Select Sale Premium when your horse wins the JRA two-year-old graded stakes (including Dirt Graded Races).

Grade	Bonus fee (YEN)
G1(JPN1)	10,000,000
G2(JPN2)	3,000,000
G3(JPN3)	1,000,000

*Premium Service fee will be 1/2 of above for Dirt Graded Races.

*Online service is available for Repository materials.
Radiographs and the animation of upper respiratory tract for the yearlings can be viewed at JRHA website.
**The service will start on July 3rd, Friday.

*Walking video is available at JRHA website.
In addition to the horse's photo, catalogue pedigree and 3-cross pedigree, the walking video can be viewed at JRHA website.
**The service will start on July 3rd, Friday.

(28th Jan 09)

KANE HEKILI recorded his seventh G1 victory in the Kawasaki Kinen.

Running the 58th G1 Kawasaki Kinen took place at NAR-Kawasaki Racecourse on January 28th, and the most favorite Kane Hekili partnered with Christophe Lemaire ranged up outside the Masayuki Kawashima's four-year-old Furioso and overtook him in the final strides. The 2002 JRHA Select Sale graduate and a grandson of Sunday Silence had succeeded to be undefeated in three G1 starts and grabbed his seventh G1 win, which is most tie record along with Symboli Rudolf, T M Opera O, Admire Don, Deep Impact and Blue Concorde.
Purchased for 20,000,000yen by the owner Makoto Kaneko, the seven-year-old Kane Hekili debuted in turf race and had disappointing performances over the surface, but he had been a dramatic change in form when he was shifted to dirt, winning by seventh lengths. He swept the Japan's best dirt races for three-year-olds in Japan Dirt Derby and Derby Grand Prix before winning the Japan Cup Dirt in the same year. Kane Hekili recaptured his Japan Cup Dirt title last year in his second race up after the long layoff of more than two years due to the tendon injury. He also shook off the champion Vermilion in a tenacious rally by side by side in the G1 Tokyo Daishoten last time.

Kane Hekili

Sire: Fuji Kiseki
Dam: Life Out There
Sire of Dam: Deputy Minister
C7
Consigned: Northern Farm