The Japan Racing Association’s select sale of foals and yearlings July 9 and 10 offers Americans an opportunity to get caught up with some old friends. Flip through the catalog and you’ll see numerous horses in the pedigrees that were top runners in this country before heading to the Land of the Rising Sun. You’ll also see some talented Thoroughbreds that are still based in the U.S. but have offspring in the auction, which will be held at the Northern Horse Park on the Japanese island of Hokkaido.
Remember Azeri? She was 2002’s Horse of the Year. She also was the champion older female that year as well as in 2003 and 2004.
In 2009, Katsumi Yoshida of Northern Farm in Japan bought the daughter of Jade Hunter for $2.25 million from Hill ‘n’ Dale Sales Agency, agent, at the Keeneland November breeding stock sale. She was in foal to Distorted Humor at the time.
In the yearling portion of the JRHA select auction, Azeri has a colt by Zenno Rob Roy, who is a son of Sunday Silence, the 1989 Horse of the Year, champion older male, and Kentucky Derby (gr. I) and Preakness (gr. I) winner. The chestnut yearling is cataloged as Hip No. 85. His sire was the 2009 champion first crop sire in Japan and was a Japanese Horse of the Year. The colt’s grandsire was one of Japan’s greatest sires ever.
Northern Farm is the yearling’s consignor.
Dancing Edie (by Moscow Ballet), who captured the 2006 John C. Mabee Handicap (gr. IT ), has a daughter by Zenno Rob Roy in the yearling portion of the JRHA select sale. Cataloged as Hip No. 74, the bay filly is consigned by Terry Yoshida’s Shadai Farm.
Ermine, who won the 2007 Apple Blossom Handicap (gr. I), has a son by Japanese classic winner Special Week (by Sunday Silence) in the yearling portion of the JRHA select auction. Northern Farm is the consignor of the dark bay or brown colt (Hip No. 101). Katsumi Yoshida bought Ermine (by Exchange Rate and in foal to A.P. Indy) for $1.3 million from Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent, at the 2008 Keeneland November breeding stock sale.
Sky Diva (by Sky Mesa ), who triumphed in the 2008 Frizette Stakes (gr. I), is represented by her first foal, a son of two-time Japanese Horse of the Year Deep Impact (by Sunday Silence), in the foal portion of the JRHA select auction. The bay colt (Hip No. 327) is in Northern Farm’s consignment. His sire was Japan’s top juvenile sire in 2010 and 2011.
Spoken Fur (by Notebook), who captured the 2003 editions of the Coaching Club American Oaks (gr. I) and Mother Goose Stakes (gr. I), has a son of Deep Impact in the foal portion of the JRHA select sale. The gray colt (Hip No. 360) is in Symboli Stud’s consignment.
There also are horses in the JRHA select auction out of other well-known former North American female runners such as Two Item Limit, Lethal Heat, and Roza Robata.
Empire Maker , winner of the 2003 Belmont Stakes (gr. I), is the sire of 11 yearlings cataloged for the JRHA select sale. In addition, there are a number other stallions with strong North American ties or that stand in the U.S. that have yearlings and/or foals in the auction. Among them are Brian's Time, Tapit , and Wild Rush.
Also cataloged for the JRHA select sale are a Curlin yearling (Hip No. 45) that is a half brother to 2010 Ballerina Stakes (gr. I) winner Rightly So (by Read the Footnotes), and a Medaglia d'Oro foal (Hip No. 410) that is a half brother to Turbulent Descent (by Congrats ). Turbulent Descent won the 2010 Hollywood Starlet Stakes (gr. I) along with the 2011 Santa Anita Oaks (gr. I) and Test Stakes (gr. I). She also is an added-money winner this year.
More information about the JRHA select sale can be found online at www.jrha-selectsale.com.