A colt by Deep Impact out of Isle de France was bought by Makoto Kaneko for 66 million yen (US$588,954) to top the yearling session of the Japan Racing Horse Association July select sale July 12 at the Northern Horse Park on the Japanese island of Hokkaido. The colt was bred by Northern Farm and consigned by Northern Racing.
Kaneko, who made the opening bid of 40 million yen ($356,942), owned Deep Impact when he was in training. A daughter of Nureyev, Isle de France won the Prix Minerve (Fr-III) and Hillsborough Handicap (gr. IIIT). Stella Madrid, the second dam of the colt, was a multiple grade I stakes winner in the U.S..
According to a JRHA press release, 173 yearlings were sold for 3,157,100,000yen ($28,172,500). The sale company noted that comparisons for gross receipts could not be made because the 2009 catalog for yearlings was considerably smaller.
The average price of 18,249,133 yen ($162,847) represented a 17.6% decline from last year, and the buy-back rate of 19.2% was lower than the 21.8% figure in 2009, according to the release.
"I am very happy with the fact that more than 80% of lots on the market found new owners." said Terry Yoshida, vice chairman of the JRHA, in a prepared statement. "The median market was strong, and it was widely supported by new players at this market, who made their first purchases here. I believe this is an encouraging sign for our industry."
The second and final session, for which 215 foals are cataloged, will be held July 13 at the Northern Horse Park.
