From Japan to the World
FROM JAPAN TO THE WORLD
By Michele MacDonald
Not so long ago, Japanese breeding and sales were viewed by the rest of the world as an exotic domain– basically inaccessible and mostly incomprehensible.
Those days are gone. In the span of only about a decade, Japanese breeders have demonstrated that they can produce, with increasing regularity, horses able to conquer the best of Europe and America in the rich races in Dubai, as well as consistently vie for the top prize in the GI Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
With those resounding results, the Japan Racing Horse Association (JRHA) Select Sale–the premier venue for yearlings and foals in the Land of the Rising Sun–is poised to build on last year’s record gross of ¥11,764,700,000 (about $115,340,196) for 392 horses sold when the two-day auction begins on July 14 at the Northern Horse Park.
“The JRHA hopes to have a stronger market this year than last year,” said Naohiro Goda, who coordinates international buyers’ logistical arrangements for the sale on Japan’s northernmost island, Hokkaido. He cited increases recorded across the board at Japan’s juvenile sales this year and optimism about the domestic economy as positive factors.
Additionally, there seem to be increasing numbers of domestic and international buyers, with both groups encouraged by the Japan Racing Association’s move to relax qualifications for owner’s licenses, thus allowing more competition for lucrative JRA purses. The result has been a 20% increase in new JRA registered owners over the last year compared to the same period for the previous year, Goda said.
On a similar upward arc, the 2013 JRHA sale generated the most activity by international buyers in the 16-year history of the auction, topped by the five horses purchased by Qatar’s Sheikh Fahad Al Thani, who plans to be back this year. Goda indicated that representatives of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who continues to build a large racing stable in Japan, also might be on the scene, along with Australians Paul Fudge of Waratah Thoroughbreds and Phil Sly, both of whom have been buying Japanese-breds at this sale since gaining JRA licenses in 2012.
Strong, fast horses such as Just A Way (Jpn) (Heart’s Cry {Jpn})–currently the top-rated runner on the World’s Best Racehorse Rankings after a record-breaking triumph in the $5 million G1 Dubai Duty Free–are the magnets for buyers. Bred by the Shadai Corp’s Shiraoi Farm, Just A Way was sold for ¥12 million (about $133,333) to Akatuki Yamatoya at the 2010 JRHA Sale.
Just A Way and Mikki Isle (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn},
another sales graduate and Group 1 winner this year, represent what has become a potent formula for the Japanese: matings of their top class sons and grandsons of Sunday Silence with outstanding mares of American, European or other foreign bloodlines. A dozen years after his death, Sunday Silence still stands tall over the sport in Japan; indeed, 82% of the horses in the JRHA sale bear his influence in the male or female lines of their catalog pages.
Led by brothers Teruya and Katsumi Yoshida and their respective Shadai and Northern Farms, Japanese breeders have invested untold millions in buying elite mares around the globe over the past several years. They now stand to reap the harvest with a goal, as stated by Teruya Yoshida, of no less than producing the world’s best racehorses.
Quality Abounds…
This year’s JRHA catalog, featuring 260 yearlings and 231 foals, appears the strongest in the sale’s history, offering not only some of the best Japanese pedigrees available, but also horses with appeal to buyers anywhere in the world.
One of the marquee attractions surely will be hip 376, a chestnut filly from the first crop of Frankel (GB) who is a half-sister to Hong Kong star Gold-Fun (Ire) (Le Vie Dei Colori {GB}), an earner of nearly $3 million and second in last year’s G1 Hong Kong Mile. The filly is consigned by Mishima Farm on behalf of the Qatar Bloodstock operation of Sheikh Fahad and his brothers.
Many Japanese owners and trainers have been inspecting the filly at the farm, reported Ken Mishima. David Redvers, Sheikh Fahad’s bloodstock advisor, said, “I’ve heard she’s extremely popular and there has been a lot of chat about her.”
Redvers also coordinated the sale of the first Frankel foal to debut in world markets–a colt acquired by Coolmore along with his dam, Crystal Gaze (Ire) (Rainbow Quest), for £1.15 million at the recent Goffs sale in London. That colt and his dam, who is back in foal to Frankel, were also owned by Sheikh Fahad’s operation.
But the JRHA offers much beyond the allure of Frankel. There are no fewer than 54 horses set to go under the hammer whose first dams are international Grade/Group 1 winners, or half-sisters or producers of such elite performers. There are a further 40 whose second dams meet those criteria, with the combined group representing 19% of the sale and spanning 11 countries. Fifteen of the yearlings and foals claim American champions or Breeders’ Cup winners as or under their first or second dams.
Among these distinguished mares is 2002 Horse of the Year Azeri (Jade Hunter), whose 2013 colt foal by Deep Impact (Jpn) (Sunday Silence) topped last year’s JRHA sale on a bid of ¥240 million (about $2,352,942) from Chiyono Terada, founder of worldwide moving company Art Corp., and her family. Azeri is represented by another Deep Impact colt foal this year–hip 403 from the consignment of Katsumi Yoshida’s Northern Farm.
That colt is one of several by Deep Impact that Goda said are “smashing individuals,” and thus are virtually guaranteed to elicit big bidding. Deep Impact has succeeded Sunday Silence in dominating the JRHA sale since his first foals arrived in 2008 and he has led all sires by progeny earnings since 2012, with his offspring last year amassing ¥5,490,286,500 (about $53.7 million under current exchange rates).
Some of the other intriguing Deep Impacts in the sale include hip 436, a colt foal who is the first offspring of GI Del Mar Debutante and GI Oak Leaf S. winner Weemissfrankie (Sunriver); hip 78, a yearling filly who is the second foal of GI Ashland S. winner Lilacs and Lace (Flower Alley), and hip 171, a yearling filly out of Grade I winner Ultra Blend (Richly Blended).
One of the potential sale toppers, however, boasts top European performance in his pedigree. Hip 53, a dark bay Deep Impact yearling colt consigned by Northern Farm, is out of G1 Fillies’ Mile winner Listen (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells), a full-sister to Sequoyah (Ire), a Group 1 winner and the dam of English and Irish Classic winner Henrythenavigator (Kingmambo) and his twice Classic-placed full-sister Queen Cleopatra (Ire).
Also high on the list of notable yearlings is hip 110 from Northern Farm, a bay colt by Deep Impact out of Loves Only Me (Storm Cat). The colt’s dam is a half- sister to European champion Rumplestiltskin (Ire) (Danehill) and his granddam is a daughter of champion Miesque (Nureyev), and therefore a sister to Kingmambo (Mr. Prospector).
Consignor Power…
Northern Farm–the perennial sale leader–once again tops all consignors with 149 horses in the catalog, with Shadai next at 112. Adding in the nine horses consigned by the Yoshidas’ younger brother, Haruya, through his Oiwake Farm, the Yoshida family has 270 of the 491 horses, or 55%, which reflects their power in the Japanese industry.
Next among top consignors by number of entries are Chiyoda and Lake Villa farms, with 18 each; Grand Stud with 14 and Paca Paca Farm with 13.
Deep Impact leads all sires with 34 yearlings and foals, although Goda reported that one particularly promising colt, Shadai’s foal out of French Group 1 winner Lily of the Valley (Fr) (Galileo {Ire}), died–a real loss to his breeder and to the sale. In 2013, a full-brother, who is the mare’s first foal, sold to organic food entrepreneur Takaya Shimakawa for ¥190 million ($1,862,746).
Japanese buyers are often keen to acquire promising new blood, and a pair of stallions represented by their first crop of yearlings–G1 Dubai World Cup winner Victoire Pisa (Jpn) (Neo Universe {Jpn}) and G1 Epsom Derby and G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Workforce (GB) (King’s Best)–rank just behind Deep Impact, each with 26 horses in the catalog. Heart’s Cry (Jpn) (Sunday Silence), who is enjoying a banner year with G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) winner One and Only (Jpn) and G1 Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) winner Nuovo Record (Jpn) joining Just A Way as his top runners, also has 26 offspring in the sale.
Next come 2010 and 2011 leading sire King Kamehameha (Jpn) (Kingmambo) and Kurofune (French Deputy) with 23 each, followed by four more sons of Sunday Silence: Daiwa Major (Jpn) and Stay Gold (Jpn), sire of Triple Crown winner Orfevre (Jpn), 22; Neo Universe, 19 and 2009 leading sire Manhattan Cafe (Jpn), 17.
Altogether, there are 77 horses set to be sold by stallions whose first foals are yearlings of 2014, joining 53 by those whose first foals are juveniles this year, such as English import Harbinger (GB) (Dansili {GB}).
There are another 49 offerings by stallions whose first offspring or first Japanese-sired offspring are foals, including sons and daughters of Tokyo Yushun winner Deep Brillante (Jpn), the first Classic winner by Deep Impact to stand at stud; Hong Kong Group 1 winner Rulership (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}); Group 1 winner Smart Falcon (Jpn) (Gold Allure {Jpn}); Darley’s King’s Best (Kingmambo) and French import Turtle Bowl (Ire) (Dyhim Diamond {Ire}).
The sale kicks off at 10 a.m. local time with the yearling session July 14, followed by the foals July 15. For the catalog, results and streaming, visit www.jrha-selectsale.com.
It’s All in the Family…
While some past editions of the Japan Racing Horse Association select sale have been something of a puzzle to breeders and owners outside Japan–with only the name of the American horse that changed breeding forever on the island nation, Sunday Silence, seeming familiar–that is no longer the case.
Not only does this year’s JRHA sale feature the first filly foal by Frankel (GB) to be offered for sale anywhere in the world, it also includes a number of horses whose pedigrees would be highly valued in many other countries, giving global credibility to the catalog.
Sires represented include Europe’s rising sensation Sea The Stars (Ire); the late Unbridled’s Song; European champion Workforce (GB), whose first offspring are yearlings; leading Australian sire and American shuttler Lonhro (Aus); Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner I’ll Have Another (Flower Alley); American import Empire Maker, sire of multiple champion Royal Delta, and American champion Street Sense.
Other sires who made their mark outside of Japan are Awesome Again, Candy Ride (Arg), dual Breeders’ Cup Turf winner Conduit (Ire), Discreetly Mine, Distorted Humor, Exceed and Excel (Aus), French Deputy, Harbinger (GB), Iffraaj (GB), King’s Best, Pyro, Roses in May, Speightstown, Summer Bird, Tapizar and Wild Rush.
While some of those sires only have one or a few offspring in the sale, typically due to the importation of in-foal mares from Europe and the United States by Japanese breeders, the top Japanese stallions also are becoming more recognizable due to their success abroad or to victories by their offspring in premier international races.
Deep Impact (Jpn) leads the battalion of Sunday Silence sons and grandsons that still dominate Japanese racing, and his daughter Gentildonna (Jpn) has imprinted his name globally as the winner of this year’s G1 Dubai Sheema Classic and a two-time winner of the G1 Japan Cup.
The female families of many of this year’s sale horses also are easily appreciated. This year’s first dams include, to mention just a few: a sister to American champion Sweet Catomine and Breeders’ Cup Distaff winner Life Is Sweet; a half-sister to Golden Ballet, dam of GI Belmont S. and GI Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Drosselmeyer; half-sisters to champions Gold Beauty and Stardom Bound; half-sisters to GI Breeders’ Cup Mile winner Domedriver (Ire), Chilean champion Washington City (Chi) and New Zealand champion Shamrocker (NZ); a half-sister to G1 Epsom Derby winner and sire Motivator (GB); a half-sister to sire El Prado (Ire), and half- or full-sisters to Grade/Group I winners Zazu, Desert Stormer, Love and Pride, Dublin, Necklace (GB) and Majestic Roi.