Katsumi Yoshida | Horse Racing Free Tips

Yoshida Hails ‘Amazing Market’ As JRHA Records Tumble

It doesn't seem to matter where you are in the world: bloodstock sales are booming. That was certainly the case for the opening day and sole session of yearlings at the JRHA Select Sale, which reached new highs after last year's record-breaking trade.

At Y12,870,000,000 (£78.7m/€93m), the aggregate for the session improved by 10.6% from 2021 with a staggeringly high clearance rate of 95.3%, which was yet another record. Only 11 of the 233 yearlings offered returned unsold to their vendors, with the average price driven up 12.6% to an all-time high of Y57,972,973 (£355,000/€419,000).

“This is an amazing market. As it was a record-breaking market last year and I thought it would be difficult to beat it this year, this is a pleasant surprise,” said Katsumi Yoshida of Northern Farm, the largest consignor at the sale, who was responsible for the top eight lots in the sale.

“I am very impressed with the depth of buyers, which include a lot of newcomers. And the most important aspect of today's market is very high clearance rate.

“While this year's catalogue does not include any yearlings by Deep Impact, several stallions, such as Duramente, Epiphaneia, and some others, played the role of his replacement. I am very happy with the depth of young stallions in Japan now.”

Taking top honours on day one was lot 76, Northern Farm's colt by Maurice (Jpn) out of the treble Australian Classic winner Mosheen (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), who was bought by Masahiro Noda of Danox Co Ltd for ¥450 million (£2.7m/€3.25m).

“The foals out of Mosheen have been getting better and better, crop by crop, and this yearling, who is the eighth foal out of Mosheen, is a fantastic individual,” said Yoshida. “Therefore, I set the highest reserve price [for him] in our consignment. Many owners and trainers who visited and saw him at Northern Farm were enchanted by him and I expected he would be expensive. But the price, 450 million yen, is much more than I expected.”

Noda was one of the leading buyers of the session and among six yearlings bought was another colt by Maurice, this one out of the 1,000 Guineas winner Homecoming Queen (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), who was sold for ¥220 million (£1.3m/€1.6m).

The Japanese Guineas and Derby winner Duramente (Jpn), who died last year from colitis after becoming the country's leading first-crop sire of 2020, was responsible for the day's second-most expensive yearling (lot 96). The colt is the first foal of Jaywalk (Cross Traffic), a former champion 2-year-old filly in the U.S. and Breeders' Cup winner. He was knocked down at ¥300 million (£1.8m/€2.2m) to Two One Racing.

At the head of the fillies' division was another from Northern Farm, the daughter of Daiwa Major (Jpn) and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf runner-up Coasted (Tizway), who was offered as lot 58 and brought a top bid of ¥210 million (£1.3m/€1.5m) from Fujita Susumu.

Frankel (GB) has already been represented by three Grade I winners in Japan and his sole yearling in the catalogue (lot 23) was out of the Irish 1,000 Guineas winner Jet Setting (Ire) (Fast Company {Ire}). The mare was previously one of the stars of the Goffs London Sale when selling for £1.3 million to China Horse Club in 2016, and her colt fetched a bid of ¥155 million (£948,000/€1.1m) from American Turf.

The sales action continues in Hokkaido on Tuesday with the concluding foal session which includes a half-brother to Monday's session topper by Epiphaneia (lot 367).

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Notable US-Bred and -Sired Runners in Japan: May 15, 2022

In this continuing series, we take a look ahead at US-bred and/or conceived runners entered for the upcoming weekend at the tracks on the Japan Racing Association circuit, with a focus on pedigree and/or performance in the sales ring. Here are the horses of interest for this Sunday running at Chukyo and Tokyo Racecourses. Featured on the 12-race program at headquarters is an intriguing renewal of the G1 Victoria Mile for female turfers, which has drawn the likes of fan-favorite Sodashi (Jpn) (Kurofune), G3 1351 Turf Sprint heroine Songline (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) and Daring Tact (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}), winner of the G1 Japanese 1000 Guineas and G1 Japanese Oaks in 2020:

Sunday, May 15, 2022
2nd-TOK, ¥9,900,000 ($77k), Maiden, 3yo, 1600m
NATURE THERAPY (JPN) (c, 3, Union Rags–My Happy Face, by Tiz Wonderful) is the first Japanese-bred produce for her dam, winner of the GIII Tempted S. and second in the GI Frizette S. in 2012 and placed in the GI CCA Oaks and GI Test S. the following season. Katsumi Yoshida acquired My Happy Face for $425K with this colt in utero at Keeneland November in 2018 and the Mar. 25 foal debuts in the colors of Yoshida's wife Kazumi, with top jockey Takeshi Yokoyama in the irons. B-Northern Farm

6th-CKO, ¥14,250,000 ($111k), Allowance, 3yo, 1200m
CLOS DE MESNIL (f, 3, Practical Joke–Valiant Emilia {Per}, by Pegasus Wind), the $750K topper at the 2021 OBS March sale, opened her account at first asking last November (see below, SC 7) and gets back onto what appears to be her preferred footing after finishing down the field in a six-furlong turf allowance when last seen Jan. 10. A daughter of Peru's champion older mare of 2014, Clos de Mesnil was bought back on a bid of $65K at KEENOV in 2019 and was a $120K KEESEP grad before lighting up the tote in Ocala. The filly's third dam produced GSW & G1SP Thundering Emilia (Thunder Gulch), the dam of 2021 GII Tampa Bay Derby hero Helium (Distorted Humor). B-Teneri Farm (KY)

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American-Bred Mares Feature Prominently in Satsuki Sho

As has been well-documented, Japanese interests have–over the course of many years–accumulated some of the best bloodstock from all corners of the globe, and as evidenced in Riyadh and Dubai in the last couple of months, the Japanese are breeding horses that can compete anywhere at any level.

Classics season in the island nation kicked off last weekend with the running of the G1 Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas), with the colts' equivalent–the G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas)–set for this weekend at Nakayama Racecourse. The 3-year-old offspring of some mares whose names will ring familiar dot the field of 18, with each of the four colts something of a winning chance.

Do Deuce (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) is a son of MGSW Dust and Diamonds (Vindication), who was purchased by Katsumi Yoshida for an even $1 million in foal to the late Pioneerof the Nile at Keeneland November in 2016, having been sold to Borges Torrealba Holdings for $900,000 at the same venue just days after her runner-up effort to Groupie Doll (Bowman's Band) in the 2012 GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint. A half-brother to MGSP Much Better (Pioneerof the Nile), Do Deuce capped an undefeated championship season in last years' G1 Asahi Hai Futurity and was the near-miss runner-up in the G2 Deep Impact Kinen on seasonal debut Mar. 6.

Danon Beluga (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) is the first foal from his dam Coasted (Tizway), winner of the P.G. Johnson S. and second in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf in 2016, who was knocked down to Yoshida for $1.3 million at the Fasig-Tipton November Sale in 2017. Just five months after his foaling date of Feb. 7, 2019, Danon Beluga was sent through the ring at the JRHA Select Foal Sale, hammering for $1.472 million, and is perfect in two tries, including a win at Group 2 level Feb. 13. Yuga Kawada, who was aboard the victorious Loves Only You (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in last year's GI Filly & Mare Turf, has the ride from gate one.

Yoshida was striking while the iron was hot at FTKNOV when acquiring then 8-year-old Palace Rumor (Royal Anthem) for $1.1 million in foal to Mineshaft a handful of months after the mare's produce of 2010, a Curlin colt named Palace Malice, took out the GI Belmont S. A half-brother to the MGSP stayer Iron Barows (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}), Justin Palace (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) also starred at the JRHA Sales, fetching nearly $1.8 million as a yearling in 2020. The dark bay colt won each of his first two starts over 10 furlongs and was last seen finishing runner-up in the G1 Hopeful S. over Sunday's course and distance when last seen Dec. 28.

The winner of the latter event was Killer Ability (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), a son of 2011 GI Hollywood Starlet S. heroine Killer Graces (Congaree), who realized $850,000 from Yoshida at FTKNOV back in 2012. The late January foal was capping a four-race preparation in the Hopeful, having won his maiden by seven lengths at second asking at the end of August before just missing in listed company in October. Killer Ability is the mount of the up-and-coming Takeshi Yokoyama, the regular rider of last year's Satsuki Sho winner, champion 3-year-old and Horse of the Year Efforia (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}).

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Brilliant Cut Leads All-Time Renewal Of Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Winter Mixed Sale

Vibrant trade continued Wednesday at the conclusion of the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Winter Mixed sale in Lexington. The sale's second session built on Tuesday's strong start, posting an all-time sale record gross and median. The average was the highest in sale history in a non-dispersal year, and the second highest overall.

Brilliant Cut (Hip 541), second in the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes at Santa Anita last time out, topped the session and the sale when sold for $750,000 to Katsumi Yoshida late in the day (video).

First-time consignor Highgate Sales, agent, offered the 4-year-old daughter of Speightstown as a racing/broodmare prospect. Twice a winner and multiple graded stakes placed, Brilliant Cut has earned $164,360 to date. She was campaigned through 2021 by owners Boom Racing, ERJ Racing, Dave Kenney, and William Strauss and trainer Doug O'Neill.

Excluding dispersals, Brilliant Cut is the second most expensive filly or mare in sale history, second only to Better Begin, who sold in foal to Northern Dancer for $900,000 at the 1984 Kentucky Winter Mixed sale. A trio of dispersal mares have sold for more in the intervening years, including: Grade 1 winner Pool Land (in foal to Smart Strike), sold for $900,000 in 2013; dual-Eclipse champion Roxy Gap (racing/broodmare prospect), sold for $850,000 in 2013; and French champion Tropicaro (FR) (in foal to Kris), sold for $825,000 in 1984.

“(There was) great activity on all types of horses and really all levels of horses,” said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning. “February has clearly established itself as a meaningful sale on the calendar that people can and should (point) horses to in the future. The ones that brought horses that were really of some quality were richly rewarded over the last two days.”

For much of the session, first-hour offering Lady Edith (Hip 350) held the session lead after bringing $370,000 from Meah/Lloyd Bloodstock, agent for Abbondanza/Omar Aldabbagh (video).

The 4-year-old Street Boss filly was offered as a racing/broodmare prospect by Hermitage Farm, agent for The Estate of J. David Richardson et al. A winner at two and three, Lady Edith opened her 4-year-old season with a win in the Wishing Well Stakes at Turfway Park on Jan. 29. To date, she has earned $208,982. She was campaigned through 2021 by owner/breeders Richardson (Estate of) and Sandra New and trainer Thomas Drury Jr.

The session and sale's most expensive broodmare came in the form of Lucky Draw (Hip 369), in foal to Gun Runner, who drew a winning bid of $330,000 from Gracie Bloodstock, agent (video).

Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent, consigned the 7-year-old daughter of Lookin At Lucky. Lucky Draw's first foal is You Look Cold, by Frosted, who won two times in four starts last year at two, including the Finest City Stakes.

The second-highest priced horse of the sale, Grade 2 winner Bodhicitta (GB), sold for $450,000 during the opening session. The sale's top short yearlings – a $260,000 City of Light colt and a $225,000 Gun Runner filly – also sold yesterday (read more).

“I think we'll continue to have a very vibrant market,” added Browning. “It's healthy, it's transactional, it's trading, but it's not ridiculous… We've had some overall growth and we've had some improvement overall in the marketplace and it does feel sustainable.”

Over the two days, 431 horses changed hands for $17,245,500, a record gross for the Kentucky Winter Mixed sale and a 37.9 percent increase over last year's gross of $12,506,700. The median was $16,000, which tied 2014 for a sale record, and represented a 60 percent increase over the $10,000 median in 2021. The average was the second highest in sale history at $40,013, up 36 percent over $29,428 last year. Forty-eight horses sold for $100,000 or more, up from 23 sold at or beyond that price in 2021. The RNA rate was 11.5 percent, third lowest in sale history and the lowest since the record was set in 1992.

Full results are available online.

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