(11th Jul 23)

Report from foal session of JRHA Select Sale 2023

Very first lot on foal session of 2023 JRHA Select Sale at Northern Horse Park on Tuesday July 11th made big wireworks. Colt by Kitasan Black(USA) out of Fadillah(GB), consigned by Northern Racing, was bought for 380,000,000yen, US$2,657,343, by Interhose, partnership which includes existing JRA-registered owners. Fadillah, German-bred dam of Hip#301, is half siter to Seismos(GER), winner of G1/Grosser Preis von Bayern, and was bought by Katsumi Yoshida at Tattersalls December Sale in 2018 for 700,000gns..
Mr.Karson Cheng from Hong Kong managed to buy Hip#321, filly by Drefong(USA) out of Dona Blini for 210,000000yen, US$1,468,532. “This is my first visit to JRHA Sale. I am impressed with wonderful atmosphere and warm hospitality. And I am most impressed with the quality of Japanese-bred foals,” Mr.Cheng said after the purchase. “As I missed to buy Hip#94, half sister to Hip#321 yesterday, I am very happy to buy this filly. I plan to keep her in Japan and race her in Japan, though, I will have to start working to find a Japanese trainer for me. I would like to make a good start”. The consignment from Northern Racing is a half sister to Gentildonna(JPN), who was awarded as Japanese Horse of the Year twice.
Mr,Cheng managed to acquire another smashing colt later the sale. as he bought Hip#393, colt by Lord Kanaloa out of Contested(USA), consignment from Shadai Farm, for 200,000,000yen, US$1,398,602.
Feature of Tuesday session was first crop by Contrail(JPA), unbeaten Japanese Triple Crown in 2020, and the battle for Hip#329, colt by Contrail out of Bye Bye Baby(IRE), was heated up. The consignment from Grand Stud was bought for 330,000,000yen, US$2,307,693, by Shinji Maeda, who owned Contrail when he was in training. And the colt will be trained by Yoshito Yahagi, who trained Contrail. Bye Bye Baby, dam of Hip#329, is winner of G3/Blue Wind Stakes and was bought by Grand Stud through Narvick International at Fasig-Tipton November Sale for $3,100,000.
And the sales-topper at foal session was a colt by Contrail. Hip#360, colt by Contrail out of Conviction(ARG), consigned by Northern Farm, was bought for 520,000,000yen, US$3,636,364, by Koji Maeda’s North Hills, which bred Contrail. “I think Hip#329 and Hip#360 are the best two Contrails in the catalogue,” Koji Maeda commented after the purchase. Hence, my brother bought Hip#329 and I bought this one.”
“Although I estimated the price would be 300,000,000yen or more less, I did not want to stop bidding. This colt will be trained by Yuichi Fukunaga”, Fukunaga was a regular rider of Contrail, who quit riding earlier this year and starts operating his stable next March. Conviction, dam of the sales-topper, is winner of G1/Gran Premio Gilberto Lerena.
219 lots, from 231 lots offered, were sold for 14,780,000,000yen in total, which is 14.6% increase from 2022. Average price, 67,488,584yen, is 17.8% increase from 2022 and median price, 41,000,000yen, is 2.5% increase from 2022. All of gross sale, average price, and median price are new record at foal session, while clearance rate, 94.8%, is the second best at foal session, after 2022, when it was 95.3%.
During two days session of 2023 JRHA Select Sale, 435 lots, from 453 lots offered, were sold for 28,145,000,000yen, which is 9.2% increase from 2022. Average price, 64,701,149yen, is 12.3% increase from 2022 and clearance rate, 96.0% in 2023, bettered 95.3% in 2022. All of gross sale, average price, and clearance rate are new record at JRHA Select Sale.
“I feel there is strong passion for horse racing in this country”, Teruya Yoshida, active chairman of Japan Racing Horse Association, commented at conclusion of sale.
“First crop by Contrail is obviously one of factors which boosted the market. I am impressed to see the owner who owned Contrail when he was in training and the breeder who bred Contrail were so much supportive.”
“We are having many young successful entrepreneurs as new players in this game. They are very keen to acquire young talented horses, even though they are expensive.”
Please visit website of JRHA to find detailed result from yearling session.
JAPAN RACING HORSE ASSOCIATION(en) (jrha-selectsale.com)

(10th Jul 23)

Report from yearling session of JRHA Select Sale 2023

Although strong market was expected, it was stronger than expected at yearling session of July Select Sale, conducted by Japan Racing Horse Association, at Northern Horse Park on Monday July 10th.
First fireworks went off when Hip#4 was up on sales ring. The colt by Kitasan Black(JPN) was bought by Masahiro Noda of Danox Co.Ltd for 310,000,000yen, US$2,167,833, which is co-highest price at the session. The consignment from Northern Racing is the fifth foal out of Include Betty(USA), who won G1/Mother Goose Stakes in 2015. Kitasan Black has sent Equinox(JPN), current leader of World Thoroughbred Racehorse Ranking, from his first crop.
13th foal out of Palace Rumor(USA), consignment from Northern Racing who was offered as Hip#20, was bought for 310,000,000yen, US$2,167,833, by TN Racing.
The colt by Silver State(JPN) is a half brother to Palace Malice(USA) by Curlin(USA), who won G1/Belmont Stakes in 2013, and a half brother to Justin Palace(JPN) by Deep Impact(JPN), who was bought at JRHA Select Sale in 2020 for 190,000,000yen and won G1/Tenno Sho Spring on April 30th 2023. His dam, Palace Rumor(USA), was bought by Katsumi Yoshida at Fasig-Tipton November Sale in 2013 for US$1,100,000.
Hip#73, who has strong American flavor in the pedigree, as he is a colt by American Pharoah(USA),
out of Spiced Perfection(USA), was bought for 170,0000,000yen, US$1,188,812, by Yosuke Imafuku.
“This is very tough market for buyers”, Mr,Imafuku said after the purchase. “I am glad I managed to buy this colt. I hope he proves to be a Graded Stakes winner.” The consignment from Oiwake Farm is first foal out of Spiced Perfection(USA), who won G1/La Brea Stakes in 2018 and G1/Madison Stakes in 2019.
Kitasan Black(JPN) was popular at the yearling session and Hip#92, a colt by Kitasan Black(JPN) out of I’m Already Sexy(USA), winner of three Graded Stakes on turf in U.S.A, was bought by Hirosaki Toshihiro HD Co.Ltd for 290,000,000yen, US$2.027,973. “I would really like to buy a yearling by Kitasan Black”, Mr.Hirosaki said of his latest purchase. “It was expensive, however, I was determined I must keep bidding until I become a successful bidder. I hope he will be a strong and durable racehorse, as like Kitasan Black.” The consignment from Shadai Farm is the sixth foal out of I’m Already Sexy(USA), who was bought at Fasig-Tipton November Sale by Shadai Farm for $420,000.
216 lots, from 222 lots offered, were sold for 13,365,000,000yen in total, which is 3.8% increase from 2022. Average price, 61,875,000yen, is 6.7% increase from 2022, and median price, 45,000,000yen, is 7.1% increase from 2022. All of gross sale, average price, and median price, are new record at yearling session. And clearance rate, 97.3%, is also new record at yearling session.
“I am impressed the market was very strong all way through today”, Katsumi Yoshida of Northern Farm commented at conclusion of yearling session. “Clearance rate, 97.3%, tells the whole story. I am very glad to see the buyers were active, not only at top end of market, but also at middle and bottom market.”
“Final crop by Duramente(JPN) was very popular and Kitasan Black was popular as well”.
“And I am very happy to see so many new players in the game, who were very active”

Please visit website of JRHA to find detailed result from yearling session.
JAPAN RACING HORSE ASSOCIATION(en) (jrha-selectsale.com)
Foal session of 2023 JRHA Select Sale starts at 9:30 at Northern Horse Park on Tuesday July 11th.

(1st May 23)

JUSTIN PALACE wins the Tenno Sho Spring under Christophe Lemaire

Justin Palace claimed the first group one victory in the Tenno Sho Spring over 3000m at Kyoto on Sunday. Sent to the second favorite, the 4-year-old son of Deep Impact drove home with a remarkable charge, catching Deep Bond and drew clear for 2.1/2 lengths.
"I’m really happy to have won the first Tenno Sho held at the newly renovated Kyoto Racecourse. The horse was calm throughout the race and I was sure that he was going to win when we moved up behind Deep Bond and entered the straight. He has become a super horse over long distances, so I think he will do well in races like Arima Kinen in the future,” commented Christophe Lemaire.
Sold at 2020 JRHA Select Sale Yearling Session for 190,000,000yen, Justine Palace, trained by Haruki Sugiyama and owned by Masahiro Miki, finished 2nd in the 2021 G1 Hopeful Stakes but showed little in the G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas, 2000m) and the G1 Japanese Derby (2400m). Ran a well 3rd in the G1 Kikka Sho (Japanese St. Leger) and rounded off the 7th-place in the G1 Arima Kinen (2500m) in December. Coming off the victory in the G2 Hanshin Daishoten (3000m) last time. The race favorite Titleholder (by Duramente) pulled up before turning for home due to the lame in his right foreleg.

Justin Palace

Sire: Deep Impact
Dam: Palace Rumor
Sire of Dam: Royal Anthem
H4
Consigned: Northern Farm

(2nd Feb 23)

USHBA TESORO scored his second straight G1 title

The 6-year-old Ushba Tesoro showed his class and won the local G1-Kawasaki Kinen over 2100m dirt at NAR-Kawasaki racecourse on February 1st.
Ridden by Kazuo Yokoyama, the son of Orfevre came home with a remarkable charge, denying the race favorite T O Keynes at the line by half-length.
Since switched to dirt in April in 2022, he won 5 in 6 runs over the surface including the G1 Tokyo Daishoten(2000m) last out.
Winning jockey Yokoyama said,”My concern was how he would handle the small turns here (at Kawasaki), but he was able to travel well. The way he ran at thi
s type of track gave me lots of confidence for the future.”
According to his connections, Ushba Tesoro has been registered for the G1 Dubai World Cup (2000m), and if they get an invitation they are heading to the race.
Ushba Tesoro was hammered down to Kenji Ryotokuji for 25 million yen in the 2017 JRHA Select Sale Foal Session and is trained by Noboru Takagi.

Ushba Tesoro

Sire: Orfevre
Dam: Millefeui Attach
Sire of Dam: King Kamehameha
C6
Consigned: Chiyoda Farm