What's really important, of course, is what happens in two or three years' time when these youngsters make it to the track, but the first test, on the commercial market, has been passed with flying colours. Graduating at the head of his class was lot 360, the Northern Farm-bred colt out of Argentinean Grade I winner Conviction (Arg) (City Banker {Arg}), who made Monday's yearling trade look almost abstemious when bringing a sale-topping price of ¥520 million ($3.7m).

“This is my gift to the new trainer,” said buyer Koji Maeda of North Hills, who bred the sleek, near-black Contrail and posed with the trainer-to-be, Yuichi Fukunaga, who is better known for now as the jockey who steered Maeda's star Contrail to five Grade I victories, consisting of the Japanese Triple Crown, the Japan Cup, and the Hopeful S. as a two-year-old.

A brother to two winners to date, the Contrail colt became the third-most expensive foal ever to be sold at the JRHA Select Sale and he was not the only foal by the Shadai stallion to carry a hefty price tag.

With an average of ¥128.6m ($915,000) for 20 foals sold, Contrail's offspring at the Northern Horse Park included eight who changed hands for more than $1 million. Shinji Maeda, the brother of Koji in whose name Contrail raced, bought lot 329, who was consigned by Grand Stud and is out of Bye Bye Baby (Ire), a Group 3-winning daughter of Galileo (Ire) and sister to the Derby winner Serpentine (Ire). His second dam Remember When (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) is closely related to Dylan Thomas (Ire) and Homecoming Queen (Ire).

With several hours of trade left on Monday a new record aggregate for the foal session had been set, and by the time the 219 foals to have changed hands had all been rung through the till, the tally came in at ¥14.78 billion (£81.5m/€95.6m/$105.2m), which was up 11.5% on last year's trade. The day's clearance rate was 94.8%.

It follows then, with records achieved in each individual session, that the overall turnover was also at a new high of ¥28.1 billion (£155.2m/€182.1m/$200.4m)), from ¥25.8 billion last year. The average of ¥64.7 million (£356,820/€418,738/$460,793) was up from ¥57.6 million in 2022, and the clearance rate for the two days was 96%.

Throughout both sessions, only four horses were sold to non-Japanese owners. A new buyer from Hong Kong, Karson Ka Ching Cheng, signed for two foals, and Sheikh Fahad of Qatar Racing, bought a yearling filly by Suave Richard (Jpn). The extraordinary level of trade for both yearlings and foals is yet another emphatic indication of the extraordinary interest and investment in racing and breeding in Japan.

Another Commercial St Leger Winner…

There were of course plenty of other stallions of note besides Contrail represented at the sale, and those with the most significant results were almost all racehorses who plied their trade at the highest level at a mile and a half-plus. 

The Japanese St Leger and Japan Cup winner Epiphaneia (Jpn) now has not just his half-brother Saturnalia (Jpn) but also his son, the 2021 JRA Horse of the Year Efforia (Jpn), alongside him at the Shadai Stallion Station. Epiphaneia proved from the outset that he could get a good one when his first-crop daughter Daring Tact (Jpn) won the Fillies' Triple Crown, and he remains popular in Hokkaido. 

Among his best-selling foals was lot 417, a half-brother to the Grade I-winning miler Schnell Meister (Ger) (Kingman {GB}) out of the G1 Preis der Diana winner Serienholde (Ger), a daughter of Soldier Hollow (GB).

Oh to live in a country where you can send an Oaks winner to a St Leger winner and have a hugely commercial foal. That's not uncommon in Japan, and Serienholde's colt sold for ¥300 million ($2.1m) to Tabata Toshihiko. He wasn't the most expensive foal by Epiphaneia, however. That honour went to lot 332, Northern Farm's son of Pixie Hollow (Jpn) (King Halo {Jpn}) who is already the dam of champion sprinter Pixie Knight (Jpn) (Maurice {Jpn}). He was sold for ¥330 million ($2.3m) to Susumu Fujita.

…And Another 

Kitasan Black (Jpn) played a leading role in Monday's yearling session, and he opened the batting for the foals in similar style when his elegant young son out of the Monsun (Ger) mare Fadillah (Ger) sold for ¥280 million ($2.65m). 

The 10-year-old mare, a dual winner in England, was bought from the Tattersalls December Sale by Katsumi Yoshida for 700,000gns and her family continues to thrive. Her second dam Sacarina (GB) (Old Vic {GB}) established a notable dynasty in Germany where she is the dam of the Classic winners Samum (Ger), Schiaparelli (GB) and Salve Regina (Ger), who are all by Fadillah's sire Monsun. Another of their full-siblings is Sanwa (Ger), the dam of German Derby winner Sea The Moon (Ger), who last weekend sired the winner of that same race, Fantastic Moon (Ger). The family has also been represented this season by the Derby Italiano winner Goldenas (Ire) (Golden Horn {GB}), a great grandson of Sacarina.

The final foal of the day to breach the million-dollar mark came when lot 499, the last by Kitasan Black to grace the ring, was knocked down after a boisterous exchange of shouting bid-spotters at ¥290 million ($2m). The colt in question is out of the treble winner War Chronicle (Jpn) (War Emblem), whose half-siblings Chrono Genesis (Jpn) and Normcore (Jpn) are both Grade I winners.

She Still Reigns

The aforementioned Saturnalia, the half-brother to Epiphaneia whose win in the G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2,000 Guineas) earned him the title of champion three-year-old of his generation, had his first yearlings on sale on Monday.

From his second crop came a filly foal out of the Golden Slipper winner and Australian champion juvenile filly, She Will Reign (Aus). The daughter of Manhattan Rain (Aus) has had just one foal to race to date, and that is the G2 Kyoto Shimbun Hai runner-up Danon Tornado (Jpn). Her youngest daughter will eventually race in the same colours, having been bought for ¥200 million ($1.4m) by Masahiro Noda of Danox Co Ltd.

Gentildonna's Sister for HK Owner

If you're planning to get involved at the pricey JRHA Select Sale, it helps if your name is Ka Ching. Karson Ka Ching Cheng, to use the new buyer's full name, is no stranger to top-class winners on the track as his father Keung Fai Cheng raced the Hong Kong Derby winner Designs On Rome (Ire), whose success on the island was legion.

Cheng Jr made his first visit to the sale worthwhile with the purchase of a filly foal with one of the best pedigrees in the book. He bought the half-sister to dual Horse of the Year Gentildonna (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) for ¥210 million ($1.5m). The daughter of Drefong is the final foal of Donna Blini (GB) (Bertolini), winner of the G1 Cheveley Park S. in her racing days in England and also the dam of G3 Sekiya Kinen winner Donau Blue (Jpn). The latter is a full-sister to the six-time Group 1 winner Gentildonna and both sisters are now stakes producers. Gentildonna's daughter Geraldina (Jpn) (Maurice {Jpn}) won the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup in November. The family also includes Japanese Derby winner Roger Barows (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), who is out of Donna Blini's half-sister Little Book (GB) (Librettist).

Cheng, who plans to race the Drefong filly in Japan eventually, said, “I was underbidder on Donna Blini's yearling yesterday. I liked her on type and I love the foal, too.”

The mare's yearling filly from the final crop of Duramente sold for the same price (¥210m) to TN Racing. 

Cheng returned later to buy a Lord Kanaloa (Jpn) half-brother to G2 Kinko Sho winner Gibeon (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) from Shadai Farm for ¥200 million ($1.4m). The colt's dam Contested (Ghostzapper) won the GI Acorn S. and is out of a half-sister to the GI King's Bishop S. winner Pomeroy.

That's a Wrap

Teruya Yoshida, acting chairman of the JRHA and head of Shadai Farm, was out photographing foals during the inspection session at 8am, and almost 12 hours later he gave a televised address to the media as two days of frenetic action came to a close.

“The market was surprisingly strong and we welcome the many new buyers,” he said. “The yen is quite weak at the moment, which was why some more foreign visitors attended, and we hoped that they would be more involved, but I think that the increased prices were beyond what they were expecting.”

Thirty-five foals sold for more than a million dollars on Tuesday, including six by Kitasan Black and eight by his younger stud-mate Contrail. Across the sale as a whole, 63 horses surpassed that mark.

Yoshida continued, “Kitasan Black has of course had the champion Equinox and Satsuki Sho winner Sol Oriens this season, so that has enhanced his popularity.

“Contrail is not a big stallion but his foals are well balanced with good conformation, and in addition to that many people think favourably of him as a Triple Crown winner, so that has increased their desire to buy his stock.”

In an earlier interview with TDN, Yoshida had spoken of Deep Impact's great influence in succeeding his own dominant sire Sunday Silence at Shadai Stallion Station.

“Maybe Contrail will come next,” he said. Maybe he's right.

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At the final count, 447 foals and yearlings (from 469 offered) changed hands for a new record aggregate of ¥25,762,500,000 (£159m/€187m), up 14% on last year's previous high. The average also increased significantly, by 12%, to ¥57,634,228 (£355,000/€419,000) for the sale as a whole. The foal session's contribution to that overall tally on Tuesday was ¥12,892,500,000 (£98m/€116m) spent on 225 foals from the 236 offered. That figure represented an 18% increase, while the average of ¥57,300,000 (£353,000/€417,000) was up by almost 12%.

“It was a record-breaking market here last year and I did not expect to beat it this year,” said leading breeder Teruya Yoshida of Shadai Farm, who is also the chairman of the JRHA. “The market was very strong from the top end through to the bottom end, and I am very impressed with the depth of buyers. High demand for young horses was kept thoughout the two days and the clearance rate of 95.3% is unbelievable.”

He added, “I am very happy to see that so many people are interested in enjoying ownership of racehorses and very glad to witness that they are very keen to make a big investment in the bloodstock market.”

Just as Ireland and Britain have lost the influential Galileo (Ire) and Pivotal (GB) from the stallion ranks in recent years, the Japanese breeding scene is now contemplating life after the big-hitters Deep Impact (Jpn) and King Kamehameha (Jpn), both of whom died in 2019.

Duramente (Jpn), a Classic-winning son of King Kamehameha, had been starting to hint at his own prowess, but he was lost to an attack of colitis last August leaving 629 foals from his four seasons at stud. With his eldest runners now four, Duramente is responsible for this season's G1 Japanese 1000 Guineas and G1 Oaks winner Southern Stars (Jpn), as well as Titleholder (Jpn), a member of his first crop who claimed last year's G1 Japanese St Leger and has added another two Group 1 wins to his record this season in the Tenno Sho and Takarazuka Kinen.

The late stallion featured prominently among Monday's yearling results and, with a member of his final crop he topped the final day when the second foal of the GII Gulfstream Park Oaks winner Champagne Anyone (Street Sense) brought the hammer down at ¥320 million (£1.97m/€2.33m). The colt (lot 393) was offered by Shunsuke Yoshida, the son of Northern Farm owner Katsumi Yoshida who is now in his second year consigning, and was bought by Red Horse.

The death of Giant's Causeway was also much lamented, and this year's Select Sale has featured the first yearlings of his talented son Bricks And Mortar, a four-time Grade I winner, including the Breeders' Cup Turf, and one of four sires imported to Japan from America for the 2020 breeding season. His 11 yearlings in the sale were led by lot 104, a colt from the dual Group 3 winner and Classic-placed Maximum De Paris (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) who sold for Y135 million (£831,400/€982,800) from Shadai Farm to Hirosaki Toshihiro.

The 8-year-old stallion was also represented by 13 foals on Tuesday and these included the day's second-top lot (325). The graduate of Northern Farm was offered alongside his dam Awake (Jpn), a Group 2-placed daughter of Daughter Impact (Jpn) from the family of the globetrotting Stella Veloce (Jpn) (Bago {Fr}), and was sold for Y310 million (£1.9m/€2.25m) to Tetsuhide Kunimoto.

“I visited Northern Farm several times in the last few months and found that this colt, out of Awake, kept improving. That is what I like about him,” said Kunimoto. “To be frank, I do not know who [will be] the next leading sire, though I think Bricks And Mortar is a very suitable stallion for racing in Japan, as he is a turf champion himself and most of his yearlings look like sharp and speedy turf horses. This colt lets me have a dream.”

The Australian four-time Group 1 winner Mosheen (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) had her name in lights on Monday when her Maurice (Jpn) colt topped the yearling session at ¥450 million (£2.7m/€3.25m), and she made an appearance herself on Tuesday in the company of her colt foal by Epiphaneia (Jpn). Offered as lot 367 by breeder Katsumi Yoshida of Northern Farm, her youngest offspring was also in demand and sold for ¥300 million (£1.84m/€2.18m) to Ver Co Ltd. Epipheneia, whose leading offspring include the Fillies' Triple Crown winner Daring Tact (Jpn), was also the sire of another of the day's bestsellers, lot 353, another from Northern Farm and out of the GI Del Mar Debutante S. winner She's A Tiger (Tale Of The Cat). The top-priced filly among the foals, she was knocked down to Hiroyasu Takeuchi, racing manager of Nicks Co Ltd for ¥280 million (£1.72m/€2.03m).

“I studied her pedigree and am convinced she should have inherited a lot of speed,”  said Takeuchi. “She is very valuable as future broodmare as well and I believe she is worth paying this amount of money.”

Fifteen foals by Epiphaneia were sold on Tuesday for an average price of ¥111,100,000 (£684,000/€808,800).

Fourteen members of the first crop of G1 Japanese 2000 Guineas winner Saturnalia (Jpn) were for sale on Tuesday and the stock of the son of Lord Kanaloa (Jpn) received a thumbs-up from buyers, with two ending up among the top 10 lots of the day. These included lot 339, a three-parts-brother to G1 Mile Championship winner Stelvio (Jpn) (Lor Kanaloa {Jpn}) who fetched ¥300 million (£1.84m/€2.18m). Their dam L'Archetto (Jpn) (Falbrav {Ire}) had also provided one of the leading yearlings of the opening day–a colt by Rey De Oro (Jpn) who sold for ¥220 million. Both youngsters were bought by Kaneko Makoto of Deep Impact fame.

Concluding his review of the two-day sale, Teruya Yoshida added, “The quality of mares we have in Japan is very high and the quality of young horses offered here yesterday and today was very high as well. Japanese-bred horses are running very well in international races in the USA and Middle East, and I understand that it helps to boost this market.”

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The yearling section of the sale, which this year features 234 entries taking into account withdrawals at the time of writing, follows a fairly traditional format (though the sale's website does include a document noting the yearlings' heights, girth and cannon bone measurements, vices, and any surgical intervention), but it is the following day's session of foals that gives the JRHA Select Sale its unique feel. The foals arrive with their dams at Northern Horse Park early on the morning of the sale, though potential buyers have already visited the individual consigning farms for yearling and foal shows prior to auction. On sale morning, there is a two-hour window for further viewing, with several hundred foals and their usually fairly illustrious mothers standing in lot order among the trees in the park for the fanciest mass line-up of Thoroughbred stock in the world. They then proceed to the ring in tandem, and the foals, once sold, return to their original farm until they are weaned.

During the first year of the pandemic, figures dipped slightly from the then-record-breaking year of 2019, but by 2021, more records were set, with the highest turnover ever seen across the two-day sale of ¥22.5 billion (€163m/£138m) for 226 yearlings and 213 foals sold. Covid restrictions are now more relaxed in Japan and the JRHA's international representative Naohiro Goda says they they expect to have more trainers, owners, agents and media returning to the sale this year, with some American and Australian agents having already arrived in Hokkaido.

For the first time, and in a move which has proved highly effective in other jurisdictions, the JRHA will be accepting online bidding from international buyers.

Japanese bloodstock continues to advertise its merit on racecourses around the world, and inspection of the Select Sale catalogue demonstrates just how highly prized top-class international form is for Japanese breeders when it comes to assembling broodmare bands. Whatever your nationality, there will be mares throughout the pages who are instantly memorable, usually because of their Group/Grade 1 racing form.

For the first time since he arrived on the scene as a stallion of note, there will be no Deep Impact (Jpn) yearlings on offer in Hokkaido, the great sire having died in 2019, leaving a small final crop born in 2020. Poignantly, his 31-year-old dam Wind In Her Hair (Ire) (Alzao) still resides within sight of the sale at the Northern Horse Park with her pony companions.

Deep Impact does still have the edge in Japan's leading sires' table so far this season, but his lead over the former leading first-crop sire Lord Kanaloa (Jpn) is slim. The latter, also a Shadai stallion, is represented by 11 yearlings and nine foals in the JRHA Select catalogue, including a yearling filly (lot 14) out of the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac winner Lily's Candle (Fr) (Style Vendome {Fr}), who was bred in Normandy by Monique Lepeudry at Elevage de Tourgeville. Her close family also includes the former Japanese Horse of the Year and G1 Cox Plate winner Lys Gracieux (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}).

Homecoming Queen (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) and Jet Setting (Ire) (Fast Company {Ire}), 1000 Guineas winners in England and Ireland respectively, are each represented by yearlings in the sale. The former, a half-sister to Arc winner Dylan Thomas (Ire) and champion 2-year-old filly Queen's Logic (Ire) (Grand Lodge), has a colt by Maurice (Jpn) catalogued as lot 55, while Jet Setting's Frankel (GB) colt is slated as lot 23.

Another close relation to a European Classic winner can be found as lot 16, who is the half-brother to Irish Oaks winner Covert Love (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}) and by the current first-crop sire Satono Diamond (Jpn).

G1 VRC Oaks winner Mosheen (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), whose other top-class victories included the G1 Australian Guineas and G1 Royal Randwick Guineas, is another to have visited Maurice in 2020, and her yearling colt is consigned by Northern Farm as lot 76. The 14-year-old mare is already the dam of treble Group 3 winner Primo Scene (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and she is doubly represented in the sale as her Epiphaneia (Jpn) colt foal is due to sell on Tuesday as lot 367.

Yoshida is a name which will be oft-heard through the sale: the brothers Teruya and Katsumi are the most dominant breeders and consignors represented, each with sizeable drafts in both sectors, while another brother, Haruya, will also play a part via his Oiwake Farm. But Yoshida (Jpn) also appears on the sires' list through one of his first crop of American-conceived yearlings. The son of Hearts's Cry (Jpn) stands at Winstar Farm and is the sire of lot 77, a granddaughter of the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies and GI Matron S. winner Folklore (Tiznow).

The dual Dubai World Cup winner Thunder Snow (Ire) is another with first yearlings and he has two catalogued, lots 192 and 203.

The foal section includes lot 314, an Epiphaneia half-brother to Japanese Derby winner Roger Barows (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), whose dam Little Book (GB) (Librettist) is a half-sister to Group 1 winner Donna Blini (GB) (Bertolini), later better known as the dam of dual Japanese Horse of the Year Gentildonna (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}). Three of the first crop of foals of Juddmonte's G1 Irish 2000 Guineas winner Siskin will also make an appearance.

Looking ahead to the start of the sale on Monday, Naohiro Goda said, “The quality of the catalogue this year is the best I have seen. This is first JRHA catalogue which does not include Deep Impact, and we understand that it is impossible that one single stallion plays his role. Instead, however, the variation and depth of stallions we have in this year's catalogue is amazing, as there are so many young proven stallions, such as Lord Kanaloa, Epiphaneia, Duramente (Jpn), Maurice, Kizuna (Jpn), Drefong, and so on. In addition, hugely exciting unproven stallions will be represented by their young crops, such as Rey De Oro (Jpn), whose first foals made such a big splash last year, Bricks And Mortar, Suave Richard (Jpn), New Year's Day, Siskin, Nadal, Admire Mars (Jpn), Le Vent Se Leve (Jpn), and Saturnalia (Jpn).”

Goda added, “It will not be easy to break last year's new record but we hope the market at the 2022 Select Sale is as active as it was last year.”

The JRHA Select Sale starts on Monday with the yearling session, followed on Tuesday by the foals.

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The most prolific son of Sunday Silence, who was just 17 when he died a few months after covering a final book of 24 mares, has held the title consecutively since 2012, the year in which his eldest runners were 4-year-olds. He had hit the ground running as the champion first-season sire in 2010.

From that final crop, members of which have just turned two, seven foals are listed as having been born in Japan, and another seven in Europe. As would be expected, they belong to some high-end breeders, and include the Aga Khan's half-sister to the five-time Group 1 winner and young stallion The Autumn Sun (Aus) (Redoutes's Choice {Aus}); Godolphin's half-sister to Prix Marcel Boussac and Breeders' Cup winner Wuheida (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}); a full-brother to Saxon Warrior (Jpn), and a filly out of the seven-time Group 1 winner Minding (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), whose first foal born the previous year was a colt by Deep Impact. Also among the Galileo mares sent to Deep Impact in his final year by the Coolmore partners were the multiple Group 1 winners Hydrangea (Ire) and Rhododendron (Ire), both of whom foaled colts.

The Niarchos family, whose early patronage of Deep Impact resulted in his Classic-winning son Study Of Man (Ire), who is now his sole representative at stud in Britain, have a 2-year-old filly out of Malicieuse (Ire), a Galileo half-sister to Bago (Fr) and Maxios (GB). 

With Snowfall (Jpn) having enhanced Deep Impact's record in the European Classics last year with her victories in the Oaks and Irish Oaks, it is not unreasonable, from this select clutch of youngsters, to imagine that his tally in this part of the world could be extended further still by his final two batches of 3-year-olds this year and next.

Deep Impact's progeny earnings for 2021 stood at ¥6,978,499,500 (approximately £44.5m/€53.3m) from 205 winners, led by Contrail (Jpn), who bowed out of his own magnificent racing career with victory in the Japan Cup the year after he completed the Triple Crown. Deep Impact was also represented by his seventh (and fourth consecutive) Japanese Derby winner in Shahryar (Jpn).

At a fee of ¥12 million (approximately £76,300/€91,500), Contrail is now one of six sons of Deep Impact at Shadai Stallion Station, where their sire stood his entire career and was routinely graced with big books of high-class mares. In all bar one of Deep Impact's full covering seasons he was sent in excess of 200 mares, reaching a high of 262 in 2013. Unsurprisingly, he is also an accomplished broodmare sire, a sphere in which his name will loom large for a good while to come, and was runner-up in that division in 2021.

For the second year running, fellow Shadai stallions Lord Kanaloa (Jpn) and Heart's Cry (Jpn) filled the second and third places on the Japanese sires' list.  The former, a 14-year-old son of the late King Kamehameha (Jpn), has five Group 1 winners to his credit, including the outstanding Almond Eye (Jpn), and his leading performer last year was the 6-year-old Danon Smash (Jpn), whose top-flight wins have come in both Japan and Hong Kong. Lord Kanaloa also had a smart juvenile in 2021, the Group 2 winner King Hermes (Jpn), among his 247 winners overall–the highest number recorded by any of the stallions on the list.

Heart's Cry, another son of Sunday Silence and racing contemporary of Deep Impact, had the champion back in second when winning the G1 Arima Kinen in his final season on the track, and he has compiled his own impressive record at stud, albeit always in Deep Impact's shadow. Now 21, Heart's Cry is the sire of the globetrotting Lys Gracieux (Jpn) and Japan Cup winner Suave Richard (Jpn) among his 11 Group I winners.

Recording his highest place on the sires' list to date was Deep Impact's 12-year-old son Kizuna (Jpn), who was the leading first-season sire of 2019 and is looking a proper force to be reckoned with after just three crops of racing age. Kizuna was the second of his sire's Derby winners in 2013 and he ventured to France that same year to win the G2 Prix Niel before finishing fourth behind Treve (Fr) in the Arc.

With 155 winners in 2021, Kizuna was also represented by his first top-level winner in Akai Ito (Jpn), victrix of the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup in November. His first-crop son Deep Bond (Jpn) won the G2 Hanshin Daishoten and G2 Prix Foy at Longchamp as well as finishing runner-up in both the G1 Tenno Sho and G1 Arima Kinen.

King Kamehameha (Jpn) died only a fortnight after a Deep Impact so his is another name who will gradually disappear from the stallion tables, if not from pedigrees. He was fifth overall in 2021, but he got the better of Deep Impact in one regard when finishing at the top of the broodmare sires' list.

Another of King Kamehameha's sons, the 15-year-old Rulership (Jpn), was just below him on the table, while with five crops of racing age under his belt, the former Japanese Triple Crown winner and dual Arc runner-up Orfevre (Jpn) was seventh. 

The handsome Epiphaneia (Jpn), a son of Symboli Kris S and a contemporary of Kizuna, is doing well from his first three crops to be eighth overall. He is ahead of his young rival in one regard, however, as Epiphaneia is already the sire of three Grade I winners, including last year's Arima Kinen winner Efforia (Jpn) and this season's Classic prospect Circle Of Life (Jpn).

Drefong Leads The Japanese Freshman

Gio Ponti's multiple Grade I-winning son Drefong took up residence at the Shadai Stallion Station in 2018 and the Breeders' Cup Sprint hero is already making a mark on his adopted country, having claimed the first-season sires' championship in 2021. 

He covered 207 mares in his first book, and of his 92 starters last year, he notched 31 winners, six clear of his nearest rival in that regard, Copano Rickey (Jpn), by Sunday Silence's son Gold Allure (Jpn), who was sixth overall. Drefong's leading runner was Northern Farm's Geoglyph (Jpn), whose two wins included the G3 Sapporo Nisai S.

Deep Impact's son Silver State (Jpn), who stands at the Yushun Stallion Station, was runner-up in the table with 22 winners, including the Group 3 winner Water Navillera (Jpn). The Japanese 2000 Guineas winner Isla Bonita (Jpn), by Fuji Kiseki (Jpn), also recorded 22 winners to be third.

The hugely talented Kitasan Black (Jpn), the leading son of Deep Impact's full-brother Black Tide (Jpn), was a seven-time Group 1 winner on the track and he is off to a decent start at stud, finishing fourth in the table with 13 winners from 44 starters. 

Darley Japan's Grade 1-winning son of War Front, American Patriot, was fifth, represented by 18 winners, including the Group 3 runner-up Be Astonished (Jpn).

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The son of Epiphaneia (by the Kris S. stallion Symboli Kris S) was bred in Japan by Katsumi Yoshida's Northern Farm and trained by Yuichi Shikato. He covered 2,500 meters (about 12 1/2 furlongs) in 2:32 on good to firm turf and paid 210 yen on a 100 yen bet. Longshot Deep Bond tried to keep up with Efforia in the final furlong of the Arima Kinen but the winner was just too good. Chrono Genesis, second choice in the betting and winner of this race in 2020, was third in the field of 16 runners.

The Arima Kinen field is determined by a combination of top earners and a popular vote among Japanese racing fans.

The win was the sixth in seven starts for Efforia, who was produced from Katies Heart, a daughter of the Sunday Silence stallion Heart's Cry. Two of his previous wins came in G1 races, the Satsuki-sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) in spring and the Tenno-sho in autumn. Efforia's only career defeat came when second to Shahryar in the G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) on May 30.

Jockey Takeshi Yokoyama is the son of active rider Norihiro Yokoyama, who won the 1996 Arima Kinen, making them the second father and son duo to be victorious in the race. The first was Kunihiko Take and his son Yutaka.

Panthalassa went to the front to set a quick pace and opened a lengthy early lead, with Efforia tracking prime rival Chrono Genesis – the 2020 Arima Kinen winner – for much of the way while racing to the outside in mid-pack on the clockwise-running course. He moved up to loom a threat on the stretch turn as the front-runner began to tire and took a narrow lead inside the furlong pole. Deep Bond gave a valiant effort to be second best.

“He wasn't in the same perfect condition today as in the Tenno Sho in which he was 120%, but his potential proved he still could give a remarkable performance even with the added distance – 2,500 meters is the longest he's ever run,” said Yokoyama. “Unlike in the Derby, he was relaxed and positioned well and was able to show his true strength.”

Attendance was limited because of COVID-19, with a crowd of 6,140 reported on a day that historically would see more than 100,000 fans on-track.  A total of $549,500,188 was wagered throughout Japan on the 12-race Nakayama program that is traditionally the biggest betting day of the year for the Japan Racing Association. A total of $429,077,971 was wagered on the Arima Kinen itself.

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Kicking off her career in August with a third over 1,800 meters, the filly broke her maiden in her following start at a mile and landed her first grade-race title in her next Artemis Stakes (G3, 1,600m, or one mile) on Oct. 30. Trainer Sakae Kunieda picked up his 21st JRA-G1 title, the first since with Akaitorino Musume (the Shuka Sho) in October, and his second victory in this race after with Apapane in 2009. Jockey Mirco Demuro, whose last G1 victory this year was in the Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) with Uberleben, is now a winner of 34 JRA-G1 titles.

Circle of Life, after a smooth break, was unhurried while the race opened with a rush of horses scuffling for a good position in front and traveled in mid-field and three-wide throughout most of the trip. Still way behind turning for home, the Epiphaneia filly still had plenty of energy left to carry her further out for a clear path and mow down the stretch to reach contention after the furlong pole and engaged in a four-horse rally in the last 100 meters. While still having to brush off her foes once taking command with just 50 meters to the wire, the improving filly prevailed to a half a length victory.

“She was great today, she had a good break, and we had a smooth trip. We went wide at the stretch but the track was really good on the outside and the horses (in previous races of the day) seemed to stretch well along that path. My filly was closed well over the smooth track so I trusted her to make it and indeed she exhibited strong finishing speed. I was certain in the last 200 meters that she would win. I've ridden her since her debut and she really takes it in her stride in new surroundings and unfamiliar tracks so she has plenty of energy to use in the race. I'm sure she can further extend her distance in future races so I'm really looking forward that too,” commented jockey Mirco Demuro in the post-race interview.

Eight favorite Lovely Your Eyes was smooth out of the gate and was checked briefly as the horses in front disputed for the lead. Settling between rivals in mid-division around sixth along the backstretch, the Logotype filly met traffic into the stretch but escaped smartly for a clear run along the center lane inside Water Navillera who assumed command before the furlong pole. Joined by the eventual winner and Namur who loomed to contention from the inside, Lovely Your Eyes gave her all stretching her legs to out-finishing Water Navillera by 1/2 lengths while short of the winner by the same margin for second.

Water Navillera was smartly positioned in third along the rails and had a smooth trip and a clear run at the homestretch where she assumed command at early stretch. She continued gamely while joined by foes in the last 100 and while sustaining her bid to the end, was outrun by the first two finishers for third.

Race favorite Namur broke poorly and cost her the race as she traveled well behind the pace while saving ground. Her jockey smartly guided her along the inside route after turning for home and the filly showed a good turn of speed to reach contention in the critical stages but was unable to sustain her bid in the last strides and finished fourth, one-plus lengths from the winner.

Other Horses:
5th: (1) Namura Clair—hugged rails around 11th, switched to outside at early stretch, showed effort but no match for top finishers
6th: (16) Belle Cresta—settled 4-wide around 13th early, advanced after 3rd corner, failed to sustain bid
7th: (8) Sternatia—traveled 3-wide around 6th, lacked needed kick
8th: (5) Statistics—sat 2nd from rear, angled out, passed tired rivals
9th: (12) Anegohada—ran 3-wide around 4th, remained in contention up to 200m pole
10th: (7) Kimiwa Queen—took economic trip around 4th, showed response up to 200m pole
11th: (14) Saku—made headway from last to 13th, circled wide, never fired
12th: (9) Sea Cruise—positioned 3-wide around 13th, showed little at stretch
13th: (4) Toho la Vie en—chased leader in 2nd, faded after 300m out
14th: (15) Dark Page—set pace from wide draw, maintained lead until early stretch
15th: (6) Tana the Wing—raced around 13th, never threatened
16th: (18) Personal High—sat 4-wide around 6th, outrun at stretch
17th: (2) Namura Lycoris—saved ground around 6th, gradually fell back
18th: (3) Hinokuni—traveled around 10th, unable to reach contention

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Deep Impact, the Triple Crown winner and breed-shaping sire, died on July 29, 2019, having missed much of the preceding covering season with the spinal issues that ultimately took his life. His small final crop was expected to contain around 20 foals, four of which will go under the hammer this week and will, in fact, bookend Monday's yearling session. They are lot 1, a colt out of GII Gulfstream Park Oaks and GII Black-Eyed Susan S. winner Go Maggie Go (Ghostzapper); lot 52, a filly out of GI Beverly D. S. winner Watsdachances (Ire) (Diamond Green {Fr}); 130, a filly out of the four-time winner Jewel Maker (Jpn) (Empire Maker); and lot 248, a colt out of champion and three-time Group 1 winner Sweep Tosho (Jpn) (End Sweep), who has produced seven winners from seven runners.

At the first renewal of Japan's market-leading sale following Deep Impact's death last summer, buyers were keen to get their hands on some of his last progeny and indeed he was responsible for the top six yearlings by price and twice during the session his progeny set a new record for high price for a yearling at the sale, topped by a half-brother to GI Kentucky Oaks winner Cathryn Sophia (Street Boss) who fetched ¥510-million (£3.77m/€4.19m/$4.75m) from Tetsuhide Kunimoto.

Deep Impact has continued to posthumously justify those buyers' confidence in the 12 months since the 2020 Select Sale; he earned his eighth consecutive champion sire title in 2020, his leading light being Contrail (Jpn), who was his third straight G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) winner-and sixth overall–and emulated his sire by winning the Japanese Triple Crown. For good measure, Shahryar (Jpn) continued the Deep Impact Tokyo Yushun procession this year.

Deep Impact likewise bolstered a remarkable record in Europe last July with Fancy Blue (Ire), winner of the G1 Prix de Diane and G1 Nassau S., and he notched a fourth European Classic winner in four years-and fifth overall–last month when Snowfall (Jpn) ran away with the G1 Cazoo Oaks by a record 16 lengths. Others to fly his flag over the past year include G1 Mile Championship, G1 Sprinters S. and G1 Victoria Mile winner Gran Alegria (Jpn); G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup scorer Loves Only You (Jpn); G1 Osaka Hai victress Lei Papale (Jpn); G1 Yasuda Kinen winner Danon Kingly (Jpn) and Fierce Impact (Jpn), who became the latest Australian Group 1 winner for his sire in the Makybe Diva S. Last year was, in fact, Deep Impact's best-ever year by stakes winners and calendar-year earnings, with 35 black-type winners notched (for 46 total stakes wins) and $78,145,659 in the bank.

The JRHA Select Sale will, of course, not be all about Deep Impact; leading local sires like Epiphaneia (Jpn), Heart's Cry (Jpn) and Lord Kanaloa (Jpn) are well represented. With the death of Deep Impact and King Kamehameha in 2019 and the more recent retirement of Heart's Cry, Japanese stud masters have made a significant investment in stallion prospects the past few years and those represented by members of their first-crop weanlings or yearlings here include American Horse of the Year Bricks and Mortar; G1 Japan Cup winner Cheval Grand (Jpn); champion 3-year-old Satono Diamond (Jpn); multiple Grade/Group 1-winning sprinter Mind Your Biscuits; Deep Impact's G1 2000 Guineas winner Saxon Warrior (Jpn); and the Japanese-bred, American Grade I winner Yoshida (Jpn), who himself graduated from this sale. The catalogue also includes some of the first Japanese-bred progeny of GI Kentucky Derby winner California Chrome, and second- and third-crop progeny of American champion sprinter Drefong, who has his first runners this year.

Other highlights from Monday's yearling section of the catalogue include a Heart's Cry colt who is the first foal out of G1 Golden Slipper She Will Reign (Aus) (Manhattan Rain {Aus}) (lot 19); a colt by Satono Diamond out of G2 Oaks d'Italia winner Cherry Collect (Ire) (Oratorio {Ire}), a stakes producer and half-sister to G1 Yorkshire Oaks victress Sea Of Class (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) (lot 65); a Daiwa Major (Jpn) colt out of GI Alcibiades S. winner and stakes producer Wickedly Perfect (Congrats) (lot 74); a Lord Kanaloa colt who is the first foal out of G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. winner Queens Ring (Jpn) (Manhattan Cafe {Jpn}) (lot 96); a Lord Kanaloa colt out of American champion female sprinter Finest City (City Zip) (lot 100); a colt from the first crop of American Triple Crown winner Justify who is the second foal out of GI First Lady S. scorer Zipessa (City Zip) (lot 113); a Heart's Cry colt who is the second foal out of triple Grade I winner Curalina (Curlin) (lot 132); a Heart's Cry son of French Classic winner Elusive Wave (Ire) (Elusive City), a stakes producer whose progeny have topped this sale twice (lot 141); and a colt by Just A Way (Jpn) out of Australian Classic winner Absolutely (Aus) (Redoute's Choice {Aus}) (lot 193).

Highlights of the foal section include a filly by Kizuna (Jpn) out of dual Group 1 winner Covert Love (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}) (lot 307); a colt by Duramente (Jpn) out of dual Grade I winner Vasilika (Skipshot) (lot 316); a Frankel (GB) colt out of GI Las Virgenes S. winner Callback (Street Sense) (lot 329); a Heart's Cry filly out of American champion 2-year-old She's A Tiger (Tale of the Cat), whose Heart's Cry colt was last year the second-top lot at the foal sale when bringing ¥270-million ($2,451,091/£1,763,058/€2,063,729) (lot 342); a colt by Maurice (Jpn) out of dual Grade I winner Photo Call (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) (lot 388); and a Lord Kanaloa colt out of Australian champion Yankee Rose (Aus) (All American {Aus}) (lot 398).

The yearling session of the JRHA Select Sale begins at 10 a.m. local time on Monday, with the foal session following at the same time on Tuesday.

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Among those looking to thwart Daring Tact’s bid for history is Ria Amelia (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), Silk Racing’s daughter of the American champion 2-year-old filly Ria Antonia (Rockport Harbor). Ria Amelia was herself a Group 3 winner at two and though she faltered when 10th over the yielding ground in the Oka Sho, she was a good fourth after a slow break in the Yushun Himba and put in a seamless prep when winning the G2 Sho Rose S. over this trip at Chukyo on Sept. 20. This will be her first time running at Kyoto but she broke her maiden at Hanshin, also a right-turning track.

The Yushun Himba second and third Win Marilyn (Jpn) (Screen Hero {Jpn}) and Win Mighty (Jpn) (Gold Ship {Jpn}) are back to re-oppose, as is Maltese Diosa (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}), who was unplaced in both prior Classics but won a key prep for this, the G3 Shion S., over 2000 metres at Nakayama on Sept. 12.

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