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Hokkaido Summer Sale: Japan's Largest Yearling Sale

15 August, 2017

Every year during the latter half of August, Hokkaido Sale in Shizunai hosts the Hokkaido Summer Sale, Japan's largest Thoroughbred yearling auction with often over 1300 Yearlings are offered every year.
In 2012, a bay son of Screen Hero(JPN) passed through the ring, selling for ¥1,575,000($20,023). He was eventually sold again as a two-year-old in training at the Hokkaido Training Sale the following May for ¥10,500,000($103,663). The colt, later named Maurice(JPN), went on to become one of Japan's brightest stars of the turf earning ¥1,074,351,782($9,185,634) and winning six Group 1 races in Japan and Hong Kong over distances between a 1600m and 2000m. Despite his humble beginnings he became the 2015 JRA Horse of the Year and is now a hot new stallion shuttling between Japan and Australia.
While there won't be any of Maurice's progeny till 2019, there are plenty of promising first crop, successful freshman, and proven stallions available this year, covering all surfaces and distances. More than any other sale on the calendar, this is a true buyer's market with prices affordable to all.
Some of the more notable first crop stallions have many lots spread out over the five-day sale. Belshazzar(JPN), a son of King Kamehameha, and winner of the G1 Japan Cup Dirt over 1800m has 40 lots in the sale. It should be noted that he also campaigned well over turf, winning the Listed Hopeful Stakes over 2000m at two, which is now a G1. He was second and third to the mighty Orfevre in the G2 Spring Stakes(1800m) and G1 Japanese Derby(2400m). Wins from 1600m to 2100m over dirt and turf makes him one of the most diverse first crop sires this year.
The only son of living legend Galileo at stud in Japan, Cape Blanco(IRE), a five time G1 winner in his own right has 20 lots in the sale. The other import debuting yearlings in Japan this year is Dunkirk(USA), a son of the late Unbridled's Song, with 23 lots. He was Kentucky's leading freshman sire by earnings, average earnings, stakes winners, and stakes wins in 2013 during his brief tenure at stud in the United States.
Just a Way(JPN) was the 2014 Longines World Best Racehorse, and his first crop has been quite popular in sales earlier this season, with all 21 previous lots having sold generously in the ring. The son of top sire Heart's Cry and three time G1 winner has 11 lots.
During his tumultuous term as a stallion in Japan, Kentucky Derby winner War Emblem(USA), still managed to produce two G1 winners, a JRA Two-Year-Old Champion, and produced 81 winners from 111 runners. His only son at stud is Civil War(JPN), who is represented by 10 lots this year.
Sakura Bakushin O(JPN) was not only a JRA Champion Sprinter but also a top sire of speed for years in Japan. He went 15 straight years with a group winner and now Grand Prix Boss(JPN), 2010's JRA Champion Two-Year Old, and two time G1 winner over a mile seeks to carry on his father's legacy. In the Hokkaido Selection Sale his four offspring sold for an average of ¥17,334,000($154,768) and one was the third most expensive lot. He has 25 lots in the Hokkaido Summer Sale.
Other first crop sires in the sale are multiple G3 winning sprinter Pas de Trois(JPN) by the popular Swept Overboard(USA) with 11 lots. The blue blooded and multiple G2 winning stayer To the Glory(JPN) by King Kamehameha has 27 lots. G1 winner Tosen Jordan(JPN), who was successful at distances between 1800m and 2500m on turf, has 22 lots.
The Freshman and Sophomore sires in Japan also have a lot to offer any potential buyer. Lord Kanaloa(JPN)'s first crop has been making waves on both the track and the sales ring all summer. As the current Leading Freshman Sire, his eight lots in the Hokkaido Summer Sale should prove popular. Another son of King Kamehameha who is also debuting this year, 2009's JRA Champion Two-Year-Old Rose Kingdom(JPN) has 17 lots to choose from.
Japanese Derby winner Eishin Flash(JPN) and Henny Hughes(USA), a sire of two G1 winners in Japan already, and Novellist(IRE) are all right behind Lord Kanaloa(JPN) in the Freshman Sire Rankings. Eishin Flash(JPN) has shown to be a sire of precocious and speedy two-year-olds on turf, while Henny Hughes(USA) has shown to be as equally capable on both turf and dirt. Novellist(IRE), a four time G1 winner in four different countries, has also proven to cross well with Japanese bloodlines. They have 28, 22, and seven lots respectively.
Sophomore Deep Brillante(JPN) was one of Japan's Leading Sire Deep Impact's first sons to stud and has proven thus far to be up to the task. He had his first group winner earlier in the summer is securely on the Leading Two-Year-Old Sire's Top 10 rankings. There are 19 lots available this summer.
Other sophomore stallions of note: Blue-blooded Rulership(JPN) has had 35 winners this year and has 11 lots. Kentucky Derby winner I'll Have Another(USA) has had 19 winners and has 14 lots in the sale. A son of the late Brian's Time(USA) that seem set to carry on his sire's line is Furioso(JPN), has eight winners this year on both turf and dirt. He was a seven-time NAR Champion, four-time NAR Horse of the Year, and six time G1 winner in the NAR, but his progeny has shown success on both turf and dirt in the JRA, much like his sire. He has 15 lots in the sale. Smart Falcon(JPN) is by Gold Allure(JPN), another late great stallion, and has carried on his sire's proclivity to dirt. He is second on the NAR's Leading Sire list so far this year but has 13 winners in the JRA as well. He has 17 lots in the Hokkaido Summer Sale.
The wealth of young blood in the sale can only be matched by the number of proven sire lines available this summer. Since Maurice(JPN)'s success, the offspring of Screen Hero(JPN) have been very popular at the sales due to his versatility. Maurice(JPN) was a wildly successful miler and ten-furlong horse, while Gold Actor(JPN) has proven to be a top stayer, specializing at 2500m. Screen Hero(JPN) has 11 lots in the sale.
A yearly provider of top milers, Kurofune(USA), is always a safe bet when looking for a winner. He was a G1 winner on both turf and dirt, and his progeny has performed well on both. His fillies have been particularly impressive, with five of his seven G1 winners being fillies. His age hasn't affected his ability to produce quality stock, with 2017 NHK Mile winner Aerolithe(JPN) being his most recent top-class success. He has 11 lots in the sale, with four being fillies.
JRA Champion Sprinter Kinshasa no Kiseki(AUS) is having a banner year, with Cassius winning this year's G3 Hakodate Nisai Stakes and his four other two-year-old winners putting him in second place on the Two-Year-Old Sire Rankings. His fourth crop has done well for him, despite it being his smallest. He produces lovely types and is always popular with trainers. He has 32 lots in the sale.
Johannesburg(USA) was a top juvenile producer abroad early in his career with Scat Daddy(USA) being his best progeny and a top producer himself before his untimely death. Johannesburg(USA) is the leading sire of juveniles this year in Japan by winners in the JRA, two more than leader Daiwa Major(JPN) and runner up Kinshasa no Kiseki(AUS). His offspring's precocity makes him a popular sire among those who want to race early and has 12 in the sale. Fellow imported stallion Bago(FR) had back to back two-year-old debut winners in the JRA on August 6th and has seven lots.
Japan Cup winner Admire Moon(JPN) has done well with sprint progeny during his tenure at stud, with his son Seiun Kosei(JPN) winning the G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen this spring. He has 20 lots. With 15 lots, perennial favorite Swept Overboard(USA) produces precocious sprinter types on both turf and dirt and earned his first G1 winner with Red Falx last fall in the Sprinters Stakes.
Dubai World Cup winner Victoire Pisa(JPN) was 2015 Leading First Crop Sire and from that group produced his first G1 and classic winner, Jeweler(JPN). He will be represented by 15 lots. Black Tide(JPN) is the full brother to JRA Champion Deep Impact, and despite not getting the numbers or the quality of mare as his brother, he has still managed to produce a fine number of racehorses. His best by far is five time G1 winner and 2016 JRA Horse of the Year Kitasan Black. He has had two juvenile group winners to date as well. With winners anywhere from a mile to 3200m, there will be a lot of options in his 23 lots available this summer. Gold Allure(JPN) was one of Japan's best dirt stallions. Days after his passing Gold Dream(JPN) claimed the G1 February Stakes. This will be his second to last full crop offered, and there are 15 to choose from in the Hokkaido Summer Sale.
Another unique highlight of the Hokkaido Summer Sale is the offering of RNA'd yearlings from the JRHA Select Sale and the Hokkaido Selection Sale at the end of the regular catalog. This supplementary catalog is added a few weeks after the regular catalog is released.
It is important to note for any potential buyer from abroad that the JBBA offers a bonus program for Japanese-bred winners in foreign countries purchased at these sales. Please contact the JBBA's office for further details on this program in your country.
Please contact our representatives if you are interested in purchasing at the 2017 Hokkaido Summer Sale or to inquire about the Japan-bred winner bonus program:
Satomi Oka (Ms)
Satomi Oka Bloodstock Pty Ltd
E-mail : satomi@bloodstock.jp
Tel : +61 414 414 450

Hokkaido Summer Sale Details:
 ●Sale type: Yearlings
 ●Venue: Hokkaido Sales Complex (Shizunai, Hokkaido)
 ●Dates: August 21 (Mon) to 25 (Fri)
       Daily Pre-sale inspections: From 8:00am
       Daily Sale: 11:30am ~
 ●Number of cataloged lots: 1307
 ●Online catalog available at: http://www.hba.or.jp/english/index.html

Exchange Rates
Aug 2012: ¥78.66/US$1
May 2013: ¥101.29/US$1
Dec 2016: ¥116.96/US$1
Jul 2017: ¥112/US$1