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A colt by the late Duramente proves most expensive as figures rise
A colt by the late Duramente (King Kamehameha), who died last August, was the most expensive lots sold during Tuesday's JRHA Select Foal Sale when bought by Red Horse for 320,000,000 yen (US$2,370,371).
Sold as Lot 392 by Shunsuke Yoshida, the colt is the second foal out of the Grade 2 winning Street Sense (Street Cry) mare Champagne Anyone.
Since the loss of Deep Impact (Sunday Silence) and King Kamehameha (Kingmambo) in 2019, there has been a period of change in the stallion market Bricks And Mortar (Giant's Causeway)is a possible candidate to become a leading sire with a foal from the second crop of the sire selling for 310,000,000yen (US$2,296,297). The colt, who was the second most expensive lot to sell during Tuesday's session, was bought by Tetsuhide Kunimoto and is out of the stakes placed Deep Impact mare Awake.
"I visited Northern Farm for several times in a last few months and find this colt, out of Awake, kept improving. That is what I like about him", Tetsuhide Kuminito said of the Northern Racing-consigned colt.
"To be frank, I do not know who is 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 horse. This colt lets me have a dream."
Another popular stallion during Tuesday's sale was Epiphaneia (Symboli Kris S), who has sent three champions from his first three crops. 16 foals by Epiphaneia were offered on Tuesday and 15 of them were sold for 1,666,500,000yen at an average of 111,100,000yen,
One of those popular lots was Lot 353, a filly out of Grade 1 winner She's a Tiger (Tale Of The Cat), US Champion Juvenile Filly in 2013, who was bought by Nicks Co.Ltd for 280,000,000yen (US$2,074,075).
"I studied her pedigree and am convinced she should have inherited a lot of speed", Hiroyasu Takeuchi, racing manager to Nick Co.Ltd, said.
"She is very valuable as future broodmare as well and I believe she is worth paying this amount of money. I thought we might have to pay 300 million yen to buy her and am happy with the price."
A total of 236 foals were offered during Tuesday's session of 2022 JRHA Select Sale and 225 sold for 12,892,500,000yen, an 18.0 per cent increase on the 2021 figure. The average was 57,300,000yen (US$424,444), up 11.7 per cent, and the clearance rate increased from 92.6 per cent in 2021 to 95.3 per cent in 2022. The gross, average price, and clearance are new record at foal session of JRHA Select Sale.
During two-days session of 2022 JRHA Select Sale, 447 of the 469 lots offered were sold for 25,762,500,000yen, up 14.2 per cent from 2021. The average was 57,634,228yen, (US$426,920), a 12.2 per cent increase from last year.
"It was record breaking market here last year and I did not expect to beat it this year", Teruya Yoshida, active chairman of Japan Racing Horse Association, comments at the conclusion of sale.
"Market was very strong from the top end through bottom end, and I am very impressed with the dept of buyers. High demand for young horses was kept though two days and clearance rate, 95.3%, is unbelievable.
"I am very happy to see so many people are interested in enjoying ownership of racehorses and very glad to witness they are very keen to make big investment on bloodstock market,
"Quality of mares we have in Japan is very high and quality of young horses offered here yesterday and today was very high as well. And Japanese-bred horses are running very well in international races at USA and Mid East, and I understand it helps to boost this market.
"I believe Japanese runners will keep running well at international stage and hope the market next year is as strong as this year."
