For the second straight year, a colt by Deep Impact out of U.S. Horse of the Year Azeri was the star of the Japan Racing Horse Association's foal sale.
On July 15 in at Northern Horse Park in Hokkaido, Riichi Kondo went to ¥250 million ($2,450,981 in U.S. dollars) to acquire this year's highest priced foal, offered by Northern Farm. The youngster is a full brother to last year's sale-topping foal, also bought from Northern Farm and yet unnamed, for ¥240 million ($2,352,942) by Shigehisa Tanabe of Desk Valet Co. Ltd. for an undisclosed client.
Azeri, a daughter of Jade Hunter, was America's Horse of the Year in 2002 and a three-time champion older female (2002, 2003, 2004). From seven foals, she has produced four winners from as many starters, including 2012 Monmouth Oaks (Gr. II) winner Wine Princess and stakes-placed runner Arienza.
Katsumi Yoshida's Northern Farm bought the now 16-year-old mare for $2.25 million at the 2009 Keeneland November breeding stock sale, where she was offered by John Sikura's Hill 'n' Dale Sales Agency for the Allen E. Paulson Living Trust.
Day two of the JRHA select sale saw 189 foals change hands for total sales of ¥6,547,050,000 ($64,186,765). The average price was ¥34,640,476 ($$339,613) and the median was ¥24,000,000 ($$235,295). The clearance rate was 85.9%.
The first foal by undefeated European champion Frankel to be offered in Japan--a Japanese-bred filly--who garnered much attention from both foreign and domestic buyers, sold to Toshio Terada for ¥96,000,000 ($941,177). Out of the winning Foxhound mare Goodwood March, the youngster is a half sister Hong Kong stakes winner Gold-Fun, runner-up in the 2013 Hong Kong Mile (HK-I), and English stakes winner Body and Soul. The filly was offered by Mishima Farm on behalf of Qatari Sheikh Fahad Al Thani, who is in the process of securing an owner's license in Japan.
Sheikh Fahad bought the sale topper at the previous day's yearling sale, spending ¥260,000,000 ($2,549,020) for colt by two-time Japanese Horse of the Year Deep Impact out of English group I winner Listen.
Sheikh Fahad, through racing manager David Redvers, bought eight foals during Tuesday's sale, spending ¥610 million ($5,999,050), the highest price of which was a colt by Deep Impact out of multiple French group winner Musical Way, by Gold Away, for ¥180 million ($1,764,706).
Of the five foals cataloged from the first crop of U.S. champion and dual classic winner I'll Have Another , three went through the ring. A colt out of the winning King Kamehameha mare Eva sold for ¥18 million ($176,471) to Matsuju Onoue out of the Shadai Farm consignment; and Hirano Farm' colt out of the Special Week mare Special Woman brought ¥9.7 million ($95,099) from Tsuneo Namba. Eiko Take's colt out of the Deep Impact mare Queen's Trail failed to meet his reverse price.
I'll Have Another, champion 3-year-old male of 2012 after winning the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands, Preakness Stakes, and Santa Anita Derby, all grade I, launched his stud career in 2013 at Big Red Farm in Hokkaido after being sold by owner J. Paul Reddam for $10 million.
The first foal by Gainesway stallion Tapizar to be offered at auction sold for ¥10 million ($98,040) to Yoshimi Ichikawa out of the Orion Farm consignment. The Japanese-bred colt is out of the grade III-placed Bluegrass Cat mare Bluegrass Chatter.
Among other offspring of U.S.-based sires to sell at the foal sale, Northern Farm's filly by WinStar Farm 2011 leading sire Distorted Humor out of two-time grade I winner Diamondrella sold for ¥40 million ($392,157) to Hajime Satomi. Hidaka Taiyo Farm offered a filly by Lane's End resident Candy Ride out of Sweet and Savory, a half sister to champion Sweet Catomine, who was bought by Toshio Terada for ¥36 million ($32,942). Four foals by Darley sire Street Sense sold for a total of ¥64 million ($629,356).
