(16th Nov 03)

Admire Groove marked her first G1.

Admire Groove(JPN), 3-y-o filly by Sunday Silence bought at 2000 JRHA Select Foal Sale by Riichi Kondo for 230,000,000yen, the top price of the sale and the most expensive filly in the history of sale, captured G1/Queen Elizabeth Second Commemorative Cup, the year-end Championship race for fillies and mares in Japan, at Kyoto Racecourse on November 16th.
This triomphe is following in the hoofsteps of her dam, Air Groove, the Japanese Horse of the Year and Multiple G1 winner, and her granddam, Dyna Carle, the Japanese Oaks winner, and the great achievement of winning JRA's G1 for three consecutive generations has been completed.
Admire Groove, trained by Mitsuru Hashida at Ritto Training Center, won three races in a row since her debut, before experiencing her first defeat in the G1/Japanese 1000 Guineas, where he finished third behind Still in Love. Since then, she was disappointing 7th in the G1/Japanese Oaks and runner-up to Still in Love in the G1/Shuka Sho, the final leg of fillies' triple crown, last time out.
In the Queen Elizbeth Second Commemorative Cup, Admire Groove finaly turned the table and grabbed the victory, beating Still in Love, the fillies' triple-crown winner, by nose, and Tigertail, Graded One Stakes placer in Canada, England, and Italy, was third.

Admire Groove

Sire: Sunday Silence
Dam: Air Groove
Sire of Dam: Tony Bin
M3
Consigned: Northern Farm

(9th Sep 03)

Sundrop made successful debut

Sundrop(JPN), a two-year-old filly by Sunday Silence out of Night Shift mare Oenothera,
who was bought at 2001 JRHA Select Sale for 50,000,000yen, made her racecource debut at
Lingfield on September 9th and won the maiden in very gutsy style.
The David Loder-trained filly, one of seven purchases by John Ferguson on behalf of
Sheikh Mohammed at 2001 JRHA Select Sale, was supported by punters as the 10/11 hot favorite
in the maiden of seven furlong over all-weather track, and did not disappoint her spporters
holding Sir Michael Stiute-traied filly Grandalea in second place by head.
Sundrop(JPN) is entered both in Cheveley Park S and Fillies' Mile, and it is highly
expected she would be competitive in higher class.
A year younger full sister to Sundrop was also bought by John Ferguson at 2002 JRHA Select
Sale for 50,000,000yen.

(10th Jul 03)

Record Breaking 2003 JRHA Select Sale Concluded

The sixth annual of Select Foal Sale conducted by Japan Horse Racing Association taken place at Northern Horse Park on Monday July 7th and Tueaday July 8th concluded with the record-breaking figures.

The total sales of two days session was 7,073,200,000 yen, which is 30.0 % more than theprevious year and the record of the sale, and the average price 33,520,000 yen is also 14.5% higher than the last year. In addition, the buy-back rate this year 23.6%, is the lowest in the sales history.
"This is amazing result, I do not think there is any other sales in the world which sell 7,073 million yen for two days ", Teruya Yoshida, vice chairman of JRHA, said of the recordbreaking sale."
"This is the sixth annual sale, and the sales graduates have started to show excellent performances at the race tracks. I believe this contributed well to boost the market.
I understand the power of the last crop by Sunday Silence was great, and it is true that the market was supported by the offsprings by Sunday Silence. On the other hand, I am very glad to see the sons and daughters of young sires were also sold very popular, for example, my farm sold five lots by Agnes Tachyon, and the price of all of them were almost the double of the reserved price I set.
And what was also pleasing for us was to see a lot of money from new comers was invested in the market.
I understood there was skeptical outlook about the future of sales, but I am feeling rather optimistic now."

(8th Jul 03)

JRHA Select Sale 2003 Day #2

A colt by "Iron-Horse" Giants Causeway consigned by Katsumi Yoshida's Northern Farm was sold for 160 million yen, the highest price of the second session of 2003 JRHA Select Foal Sale, taken place at Northern Horse Park on Tuesday July 8th.
Hip#180, colt out of American-bred mare Red Velvet, who is sister to MG1SW General Challenge, was bought by Fusao Sekiguchi, who campaigned Fusaichi Pegasus in America.
"Honestly speakng, I do not know where he is going to run", said Fusao Sekiguchi, who was asked about the future plan of the colt. "Yes, this colt has the pedigree which can act on dirt in America. But I would like to see how he will grow up. If he proves to be good enough to compete in America, I will try it.".

Takaya Shimakawa, who bid through his racing manager Kazuhisa Okawa over telephone, acquired Hip#178, bay colt by Sunday Silence out of Lancashire Oaks winner Fanjica, for 154 million yen.
Shimakawa has decided the trainer neither for this colt nor for a year older Sunday Silence colt whom he bought at Select Sale last year for 335 million yen, which is still standing as the record price of the sale.
"It is the policy of owner not to decide the trainer so early", said Kazuhisa Okawa who is working for Takaya Shimawaka, who runs natural foods company based at Sendai City.
"My boss does not make his mind about the trainier until the spring time of two-year-olds".
Later the day, another colt by Sunday Silence was added to the Shimakawa's strong string as Hip#234 was bought for 132 million yen. The consignment from Teruya Yoshida's Shadai Farm, out of MSW Sing Like Talk, is the grand son of Free Talk, who was 3rd in Japanese 1000 Guineas and 4th in Japanese Oaks. Hiroshi Fujita of Royal Farm was underbidder.

The effort to acquire premier racing prospect by Riichi Kondo, who was underbidder for the sales topper, was rewarded as he made the successful bid of 139 million yen for Hip#223, colt by Sunday Silence out of Promotion, Graded Stakes winner in Japan by Hector Protector.
"I missed Hip#180, but my assesement on #223 is as good as #180. Hence, I am happy", said Riichi Kondo. "The handler of this horse is not decided yet, but I believe a long list of trainers who desire to train him is awaiting." Underbidder for this lot was Makoto Kaneko.

Hip#246, who has same mating as #180, by Sunday Silence out of Hector Protector mare, was also made the nine figure bid, and bought for 100 million yen by Hisao Tanabe, who runs housing business in Tokyo. The full sister to Seiko Sunday, MSW in Japan, will be trained by Yoshitaka Ninomiya, who was responsible for El Condor Pasa as he was runner-up to Montje in 1999 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

(7th Jul 03)

JRHA Select Sale 2003 Day #1

Black Bay colt by Sunday Silence out of Set Florian, who had her racing career in Australia and finished second in AJC Oaks, just missed to break the record price of the sale as he was bought by Fusao Sekiguchi for 330,000,000yen on the opening day of the 6th annual Select Foal Sale taken place at Northern Horse Park on Monday.
Hip No.72, own brother to Tiger Cafe, who was second in the Japanese 2000 Guineas in 2002, was recognized as the star in the catalogue. As auctioneer Yoshinobu Nakano called to open the bid at 60,000,000yen, the battle for the colt was immediately heated up and the price went up to 200 million in a few minutes. Then, it became the match race between Fusao Sekigichi, who was sitting with his daughter-in-law Yukari Sekiguchi in front of the auctionreer's stand, and Shigeyuki Okada, who bid through his son Hirokazu Okada who was sitting backside of the sales pavillion. After Sekiguchi made a bid of 330,000,000yen, Okada did not respond to the call of 340,000,000yen made by Nakao.
The sales record was made last year as a colt by Sunday Silence out of Dancing Key was sold for 335,000,000yen.
"I thought this is definitely the best horse in the catalogue" said Sekiguchi. "I felt much of Sunday Silence in him as I saw him at the Shadai Farm, (which consigned the colt). This is certainly the big price, but I did not set any ceiling of budget on this horse. I am very happy to acquire such nice racing prospect in my stable". So far, Sekiguchi has not decided who is going to train this colt.

Earlier the day, Sekiguchi bought Hip#25, a colt by first season sire Kurofune, consigned by Katsumi Yoshida's Northern Farm, for 99 million yen. This smashing colt is out of Fusaichi Airedale, who was carring Sekiguchi's colour as she was in traning and captured four Graded Stakes for Sekiguchi. The underbidder for this lot was Makoto Kaneko, who owned Kurofune as he was in training.
Sekiguchi who has come back at the JRHA Sale after the absence for three years, spent 568 million yen for four lots on single day.

As well as the sales topper, the second highest lot on the first day is also consigned by Terry Yoshida's Shadai Farm. Hip#125, a bay colt by Sunday Silence out of Elizabeth Rose, who is own brother to Fusaichi Zenon and Agnes Gold, both of whom are multiple Graded Stakes winners in Japan, is bought for 128 million yen. The ticket is signed by Seiichi Iketani, T.V producer based at Tokyo, and will be the property of his racing stable "Broodmare Company Limited".
The bar of 100 million yen was also cleared by Hip.46, another colt by Sunday Silence out of Tony Bin mare Hishi Vital, who is from the family of Nureyev and Sadler's Wells. He was bought by Keishiro Kanamori, who recenly bought "Clover Club", the racing syndication for horses in training, from previous owner Hiroyasu Okawa and renamed it as "Gold Horse Club". This bay colt by Sunday Silence will be the property of this racing club and will be trained by Kazuo Fujisawa, leading trainer in Japan, at Miho Traiing Center.

The top priced filly of the first day was Hip#115, who was bought by Shigeki Goto, Nagoya-based business man and owns his breeding farm "Soda Noen" at Shizunai in Hokkaido, for 80 million yen, which is the highest price for fillies in recent three years.
The filly by Singspiel out of Silver Lane, Graded Stakes winner in France, is half-brother to Black Hawk, winner of two Graded One Stakes in Japan, and is sold by Lord Loyd-Webber's Watership Down Stud through Irish agent Harry Sweeny's Paca Paca Farm.
"This price is more than I expected" said Simon Marsh, stud manager of Watership Down who was attending at the sale. "I believe this is the most expensive filly by Singspiel sold at any sales, so that I am very happy. The mare, Silver Lane is now in foal to French Deputy, who is very popular in Japan, and we are thinking to sell this foal at this sale next year as well."

(20th Apr 03)

Big Taste captured Nakayama Grand Jump

Big Taste, who was bought at 1998 JRHA Select Sale for 46,000,000yen, captured Nakayama Grand Jump, the international race over hurdles taken place at Nakayama Racecourse on April 19th, beating the quality field, which was including Tiutchev, four time G1 winner from United Kingdom.
Big Taste is the 50th Graded Stakes winner for his sire Northern Taste, legendary stallion in Japan.

Big Taste

Sire: Northern Taste
Dam: Crafty Wife
Sire of Dam: Crafty Prospector
C5
Consigned: Northern Farm

(4th Apr 03)

DANUTA by Sunday Silence won UAE Oaks

Sheikh Mohammed's home-bred Danuta, by Sunday Silence, won UAE Oaks on April 3rd at Nad Al Sheba.
Danuta, one time winner at U.S.A last year, drew off to a 7.3/4-lemgth victory in the Moonshell Mile, the first leg of UAE triple crown for three-year-olds, on February 20th last time out.
Danuta was shipped to U.S.A after the race to compete with the top sophomore fillies in U.S.A.

(1st Apr 03)

Believe Sprint G1 Double

Believe, the 60,000,000yen purchase at the 1998 JRHA Select Sale, won the G1/Takamatsunomiya Hai, the premier championship for sprinters in the spring season in Japan, at Chukyo Racecourse near Nagoya on March 23rd.
Believe has won G1/Sprinter Stakes in Septempber last year, and completed the historic double of the most prestigious sprint race in Japan.
The total earning of Believe has notched the mark of $3 million now, which is approximately the six times of her purchased price.

Believe

Sire: Sunday Silence
Dam: Great Christine
Sire of Dam: Danzig
F5
Consigned: Uemizu Bokujo

(7th Jan 03)

JRHA graduates captured two JRA Awards

Japan Racing Association announced the 2002 JRA Awards on January 6th, and it proved that JRHA has produced two champions of 2002 in Japan.
Kiyoshi Nishikawa's Manhattan Cafe, who was sold at 1998 JRHA Select Sale by Teruya Yoshida's Shaidai Farm for 130,000,000yen, is named as the Champion Older Colt or Gelding.
The most notable victory won by Manhattan Cafe in 2002 is the G1/Emperor's Cup Spring in April, beating Jungle Pocket, the Horse of the Year of the previous year. Manhattan Cafe earned the purse valued for 522,834,000yen, and has retired to stand at Shadai Stallion Station.
The glory of Campion Older Filly or Mare went to Shinobu Osako's Diamond Biko, who captured three graded stakes in 2002, including G2/Hanshin HImba Stakes in December. Diamond Biko was consigned at 1998 JRHA Select Foal Sale by Teruya Yoshida's Shadai Farm and bought by Shinobu Osako for 175,000,00yen. Diamond Biko has earned 327,319,000yen. No definite plan for Diamond Biko in 2003 is announced yet.
The presentaion ceremony of the 2002 JRA Award will be conducted on January 27th at Akasaka Prince Hotel in Tokyo.