(25th Nov 14)

JRHA graduates 1-2 finish in G1/Mile Championship

Very competitive field was put together for this year's G1/Mile Championship at Kyoto on November 23rd. It included the winner of this race in previous two years, Tosen Ra and Sadamu Patek, Grand Prix Boss, winner of two Graded One stakes over 1,600m and narrowly beaten by Just A Way in G1/Yasuda Kinen earlier this year. Logo Type, Champion Two-Year-Old and winner of G1/Japanese 2000 Guineas, and Mikki Isle, the best three-year-old miler who won G1/NHK Mile Cup.
In the end, the winner was Danon Shark, six-year-old horse by Deep Impact. He is the winner of G3/Fuji Stakes, one of the most important prep race for Mile Championship, in 2013, and he ran very well, finishing 3rd, in last year's Mile Championship. And Danon Shark ran bravely in G1/Yasuda Kinen in June, finishing 4th, as well. Hence, Danon Shark is the horse who is deserved to win this prestigious race over one mile.
Danon Shark's win was confirmed after lengthy check of finishing photo, as the winning margin was very narrow. The second finisher was Fiero, five-year-old horse by Deep Impact. Fiero is the second finisher in G2/Milers' Cup earlier this year, and the third finisher in G3/Swan Stakes, another important prep race for Mile Championship. Therefore, Fiero is also the horse who is deserved to win this race, however, he was three inches short of becoming the champion miler.
Danon Shark, bred by Shimokobe Farm, was bought by Masahiro Noda's Danox Co Ltd for 30,000,000yen at the foal session of 2008 JRHA Select Sale, and Fiero, bred by Shadai Farm, was bought by Kaneko Makoto Holdings Co Ltd for 40,000,000yen at the foal session of 2009 JRHA Select Sale.

Danon Shark

Sire: Deep Impact
Dam: Carla Power
Sire of Dam: Caerleon
C6
Consigned: Shimokobe Farm

(17th Nov 14)

Another star filly emerges from JRHA

G1/Queen Elizabeth 2 Cup, the championship race for fillies and mares in Japan, on November 16th at Kyoto racecourse was won by Lachesis, four-year-old filly by Deep Impact.
Lachesis is the second finisher in the G1/Queen Elizabeth 2 Cup in 2013, which was her first attempt in the Graded One Stakes. She had been winless through four starts this year, in prior to the race at Kyoto, old capital in Japan, on Sunday, however, she ran bravely against colts and horses, finishing second in G3/Chunichi Shimbun Hai in March and second in G2/All Commer Stakes in September.
Lachesis, ridden by Yuga Kawada, was settled nicely in the middle of field on the rail and delivered strongest challenge on homestretch to win her first Graded Stakes in the major race.
Lachesis, out of Magic Storm, winner of G2/Monmouth Oaks, is bred by Northern Farm and sold to Masaya Oshima of LADYOS Corporation for 30,000,000yen, $333,333 at the exchange rate of the sales day, at the foal session of 2010 JRHA Select Sale. She has won four races from eleven starts, and earned 213,392,000yen now.

Lachesis

Sire: Deep Impact
Dam: Magic Storm
Sire of Dam: Storm Cat
M4
Consigned: Northern Farm

(20th Oct 14)

JRHA graduate, ADMIRE RAKTI(JPN) storms home in Caulfield Cup

The Caulfield Cup, the Championship race over 2,400m at Australian Spring Racing Carnival, which carries the total purse of 3.15 million Australian dollar, on October 18th at Caulfield was won by Admire Rakti, Japanese-bred 6-y-o Horse by Heart's Cry.
Admire Rakti, ridden by Hong Kong based Australian jockey Zac Purton, was settled in the second half of 18 runner's field. Much ground to make up for Admire Rakti was still there at the top of stretch, the Japanese stayer delivered fascinating late kick to mow down Rising Romance, winner of G1/Australian Oaks of last season, at the wire to win by neck.
Admire Rakti will head to G1/Melbourne Cup on November 4th at Flemington next start, for which he is now ante-post favorite.
Admire Rakti, bred by Northern Farm, was sold to Riichi Kondo at the yearling session of 2009 JRHA Select Sale for 32,000,000yen, and has now earned approximately 450,000,000yen.

Admire Rakti

Sire: Heart's Cry
Dam: Admire Teresa
Sire of Dam: Helissio
C6
Consigned: Northern Farm

(15th Jul 14)

JRHA Select Sale 2014 Day2

The foal session of 2014 JRHA Select Sale was organized under hot and humid climate, which is unusual at Hokkaido, at Northern Horse Park on Tuesday 15th.
Riichi Kondo, prominent supporter of JRHA Sale for years, paid 250,000,000yen to acquire Hip#403, colt by Deep Impact out of American Champion Azeri. "He is my pick of day" Riichi Kondo said of the sales topper at the session. "He is very nice individual and I would really like to buy him." Mr.Kondo also said he has not decided the trainer yet.
189 foals from 220 foals offered were sold for 6,547,050,000yen in total, which is 16.8% more than the second session of 2013. The average price､34,640,476yen, is 2.6% more than 2013, and the buy-back rate decreased from 24.5% in 2013 to 14.1% in 2014.
The JRHA Select Sale in 2014 has concluded leaving a record breaking figure. 404 lots were sold for 12,575,050,000yen in total, which eclipsed the previous record, 11,764,700,000yen, established in 2013. The average price through two days, 31,126,361yen, is 3.7% more than 2013. The buy-back rate through two days dropped from 17.8% in 2013 to 14.9% in 2014.
"I think this is the beginning of new era", Teruya Yoshida, owner of Shadai Farm and vice chairman of JRHA, said at press conference. "I am so happy to see foreign buyers are so active. And they paid attention only on nice individual by Deep Impact in the past, however, they are now interested in foals and yearlings by other stallions, such as Hart's Cry and Stay Gold. This is profitable sale for us, Japanese breeders, and I think I will be able to invest to recruit another quality mares."
Full result and statistics are available on JRHA `s website http://www.jrha-selectsale.com

(14th Jul 14)

JRHA Select Sale 2014 Day1

While the rain was expected, the weather forecast was wrong and the opening session of 2014 JRHA Select Sale was organized under bright sunshine. It was hot and sunny day, and the market was as hot as outside of sales pavilion.
Sheikh Fahad, who attended at JRHA Sale in 2013 for the first time and has obtained the owners' license at JRA since then, bought Hip#53, colt by Deep Impact, for 260,000,000yen,
approximately US$2.55 million, the highest price of session. The colt out of Listen, winner of G1/Fillies' Mile, will stay in Japan and trained by Mitsumasa Nakauchida at Ritto.
255 yearlings went through the sales ring and 215 lots were sold for 6,028,000,000yen in total, which is 2.15% decline as compared with 2013. The average price, 28,037,209yen, is 2.85% higher than the last year and the buy-back rate increased from 12.06% in 2013 to 16.09% in 2014.
Full results and other statistics are available on website http://www.jrha-selectsale.com
"It was very good sale today" Katsumi Yoshida of Northern Farm, the biggest consignor at the sale, said after the session. "I am very glad to see so many buyers from Mid East, Australia, Hong Kong, and some other countries, trying to buy Japanese-breds. I think this is truly the international market".
The foal session starts at 10 a.m. on Tuesday at Northern Horse Park.

(9th Jun 14)

JUST A WAY(JPN) extends winning streak

Just a Way, 5-y-o Horse by Heart's Cry, the 7 to 10 favorite in G1/Yasuda Kinen on June 8th at Tokyo, needed to get over some difficulties to win the race to decide Japanese Champion Miler of spring season.
First of all, the competition was very tough, as the field included some very good milers, such as Tosen Ra, winner of G1/Mile Championship last autumn, Mikki Isle, winner of G1/NHK Mile Cup last month, and Glorious Days, winner of G1/Hong Kong Mile in December. And one mile, the trip of Yasuda Kinen, is shorter than the ideal distance for Just a Way, who is mile and quarter horse as a principle. And the track on the day was heavy, which he experienced only once when he was two-year-old and beaten fourth in G3/Tokyo Sports Hai 2-y-o Stakes.
At the top of homestretch, Just a Way was still at the rear of field and it looked he was struggling to handle the heavy ground. However, Just a Way kept going, passing one by one, and caught Grand Prix Boss, another JRHA graduate, at the final stride to win by nose. Danon Shark, the fourth finisher in Yasuda Kinen, is also JRHA graduate.
Just a Way, who has won G1/Tenno Sho(Autumn) in last October, and G2/Nakayama Kinen and G1/Dubai Duty Free both in March, achieved to win four Graded Stakes in a row, and has proved he is unbeatable at any circumstances.
Just a Way, bred by Shiraoi Farm, was offered at the yearling session of 2010 JRHA Select Sale and bought by Akatsuki Yamatoya, well-known scenario writer of animated cartoon, for 12,000,000yen, $133,333 at the exchange rate of the day. Just A Away has now earned approximately US$8.3 million.

Just a Way

Sire: Heart's Cry
Dam: Sibyl
Sire of Dam: Wild Again
C5
Consigned: Shiraoi Farm

(12th May 14)

MIKKI ISLE(JPN), another G1 glory for JRHA

The NHK Mile Cup, which is recognized as "Japanese Guineas", and the race to decide the best three-year-old miler, on May 11th at Tokyo Racecourse, is won by Mikki Isle, the 9 to 10 hot favorite in 18 runners' field.
Though it is common sense in Japan that it is difficult to complete the wire-to-wire victory at the one mile course of Tokyo Racecourse, which has long homestretch, Mikki Isle did it bravely, using his brilliant natural speed.
Mikki Isle, three-year-old colt by Deep Impact out of Star Isle, is bred by Northern Farm and bought at the yearling session of JRHA July Select Sale in 2012 by Mizuki Noda for 76,000,000yen.
Mikki Isle is from beautiful family, as his second dam, Isle de France, is two times Graded Stakes winner and second finisher in G1/Marcel Boussac, and she is daughter of Stella Madrid, who won four Graded One Stakes in the United States.
Mikki Isle, trained by Hidetaka Otonashi at Ritto, won maiden at Kyoto on November 2nd,
which was his second start. Then, he has been faultless, winning Hiiragi Sho, stakes of graduation class on December 14th at Nakayama, G3/Shinzan Kinen at Kyoto on January 12th, and G3/Arlington Cup at Hanshin on March 1st.
All five races Mikki Isle has won so far are one mile race, and he may try to compete with top older milers in G1/Yasuda Kinen on June 8th at Tokyo.

Mikki Isle

Sire: Deep Impact
Dam: Star Isle
Sire of Dam: Rock of Gibraltar
H3
Consigned: Northern Farm

(31st Mar 14)

JUST A WAY(JPN), JRHA graduate, impressed the world at Dubai

Dubai World Cup night, the world richest horse racing event, was taken place at Meydan on March 29th, and one of the highlight at the event was the smashing and fascinating performance by Just A Way(JPN) in the G1/Dubai Duty Free.
The field of G1/Dubai Duty Free in 2014 is very competitive, as it included The Fugue, winner of three Graded One Stakes including 2013 G1/Irish Champion Stakes where she beat colts and horses, Vercingetrix, who was unbeaten through six starts including two Graded One Stakes, Dank, winner of 2013 G1/Breeders Cup Filly and Mare Turf, Hunter's Light, winner of Graded One stakes at Europe and Dubai, and Anaerobio, winner of two Graded One Stakes in Argentine.
Just A Way(JPN), 5-y-o Horse by Heart's Cry, did not disappoint the racing fans who supported him as the 3 to 1 favorite at the betting market organized in the United Kingdom. He did not break well and was settled at the rear of field until three furlong pole. And then, the turn of foot he used on homestretch was ultra-impressive. Just A Way drew clear to win by six and a quarter of lengths and the winning time, 1 minutes 45.52 seconds, is the track record shading the previous record for 2.41 seconds.
It is arguably the best performance in the world so far in 2014, and Racing Post in the United Kingdom has given him the Racing Post Rating 130, which is three pounds higher than Game On Dude, the winner of G1/Santa Anita Handicap on March 8th, and the top in the current table. .
Just A Way(JPN), bred by Shiraoi Farm, is by Heart's Cry, winner of G1/Dubai Sheema Classic in 2006. He was offered at the yearling session of 2010 JRHA Select Sale and bought by Akatsuki Yamatoya, well-known scenario writer of animated cartoon, for 12,000,000yen, $133,333 at the exchange rate of the day. Just A Away has now earned approximately US$7.33 million, which is more than 55 times of his price.
Just A Way is one of good sample which proves that JRHA Select Sale is the place to find super star for reasonable price.

Just a Way

Sire: Heart's Cry
Dam: Sibyl
Sire of Dam: Wild Again
C5
Consigned: Shiraoi Farm