(Edited Japan Racing Horse Association press release)
The Japan Racing Horse Association (JRHA) foal sale suffered downturns of 33.1% in gross and 28.2% in average during its two-day run that ended July 15 at the Northern Horse Park on the Japanese island of Hokkaido. The three-day gross for the foal and yearling sales combined was down 21.4% from the previous year and the average fell 21.9%.
"I am satisfied with the final figures", said JRHA vice chairman Teruya Yoshida, who owns Shadai Farm. "Under the current economic surroundings, I must be happy to see the gross at the yearling session bettered the previous year, and the buy-back rate through three days (30.9%) is almost the same as last year (29.7%).
"It is certainly a buyer friendly market,” he continued, “and I am very happy to see my clients are happy with the horses they bought and happy with the prices they paid. Once the clients are happy, I am happy."
During the foal sale, 207 horses were sold for a gross of 4,913,200,000 yen (approximately $52,770,000 in U.S. funds) and an average of 23,735,266 yen ($254,925). The median was 19 million yen ($204,075), which was down 26.9%. The buy-back rate was 35.3%, compared to 29.3% in 2008.
The results for the second session only included a gross of 1,839,500,000 ($19,757,100) for the 89 horses that sold. The average was 20,668,539 yen ($222,000), and the median was 15 million yen ($161,100).
Masahiro Noda of Danox Co. Ltd. and his wife, Mizuki, bought two of the three most expensive horses during the foal auction’s second session. Masahiro Noda signed the sale ticket for a Deep Impact – Allthewaybaby colt that brought 76 million yen ($816,275). Consigned by Katsumi Yoshida’s Northern Farm. The brown foal is a half-brother to Japan’s 2007 champion 2-year-old male, Goshawk Ken (by Bernstein).
"When I visited Northern Farm to inspect foals, I found this colt has an outstanding quality," Noda said. "I thought the value of this colt should be more than $1 million, and I am very happy with this price."
The colt will be trained by Yasutoshi Ikee, the leading trainer in Japan in 2008, who strongly. recommended the foal to Noda.
Makoto Kaneko, who owned two-time Japanese Horse of the year Deep Impact, was the immediate underbidder.
Mizuki Noda spent 78 million yen ($837,750) for a Neo Universe colt out of French champion Lady of Chad (by Last Tycoon). Shadai Farm consigned the dark bay or brown foal.
"I am happy to see my husband could manage to buy the foal which he liked the best, and I am happy to buy the foal which I like the best,” Mizuki Noda said.
R.S. Corp. purchased a Symboli Kris S colt that is the first foal out of Fusaichi Pandora (by Sunday Silence), who was a group I winner in Japan, for 78 million yen ($837,750). Northern Farm consigned the dark bay or brown foal.
The results for the foal and yearling sales combined included a gross of 7,612,600,000 yen ($81,762,850) for the 329 horses that sold. The average was 23,138,602 ($248,500).