23 July, 2019
2019 Hokkaido Selection Sale Review
The latest renewal of the Hokkaido Selection Sale had a significant rebound from a more subdued 2018 sale bringing in ¥3,103,272,000(US$28,757,964) for 197 lots sold, seeing a 32.15% increase in gross this year and a strong 83.5% clearance rate. With a more robust catalog than last year as well, everything seemed to fall into place to get the Hokkaido Selection Sale back in gear as Hidaka's premier yearling sale. The increase in gross and lots coincides to the graduates recent success on the track with 2017 graduate Shigeru Pink Dia(JPN) (¥17,280,000(US$160,133)) having finished second in the 2019 G1 Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas), 2016 graduates Meisho Tekkon(JPN) (¥17,280,000(US$160,133)) and Arctos(JPN) (¥20,520,000(US$190,158)) winning the 2019 G2 Nikkei Sho and 2019 G3 Procyon Stakes and other quality graded stakes performances in late 2018 and early 2019 that helped draw in more buyers this summer.
While the median, ¥13,500,000(US$125,104) continued to decline, the average, ¥15,752,649(US$145,979) held steady only experiencing a -0.05% decrease from last year. The highest-priced lot in the 2019 renewal was Hip 167 was a Pyro(USA) colt out of Ocean Fleet(JPN) who went to Tomoya Ozasa for ¥38,880,000(US$360,300). The highest-priced filly of the sale was Hip 154, by Maurice(JPN) our of Moonlight Bay(JPN), purchased by Shigeru Morinaka for ¥30,240,000(US$280,233). Mr. Morinaka also purchased classic contender Shigeru Pink Dia(JPN) back in 2017. There was a tie for second highest-priced yearling of the sale, Hip 139 a colt by Lord Kanaloa(JPN) out of Real Venus(JPN) and Hip 145 a Heart's Cry(JPN) colt out of Lexlenos(IRE) both hammering down at ¥38,340,000(US$355,296). Toho Bussan Co. Ltd took home the Lord Kanaloa(JPN), while Hokkaido Sale staple purchaser Shigeru Morinaka went home with the Heart's Cry(JPN). Both sires have had a stellar few years on the track both domestically and internationally.
Maurice(JPN)'s first crop brought in the highest gross of any sire at the sale, accumulating ¥256,500,000 (US$2,376,980) for thirteen sold of seventeen lots offered. He averaged ¥19,730,769(US$182,844). Lord Kanaloa(JPN) might have beaten him if it were not for the fact most of his stock has been traded privately since his rise to prominence as a sire, with only nine lots in the sale. Eight of them sold to gross ¥204,120,000(US$1,891,576) and averaged ¥25,515,000(US$236,447). Ultimately it was a good sale for young stallions with Duramente(JPN)'s first crop being the third highest-grossing sire of the sale bringing in ¥193,536,000(US$1,793,494) and averaging ¥16,128,000 (US$149,457) for 12 lots sold, while Leontes(JPN) the 2015 Champion Two-year-old half-brother to G1 Japan Cup winner Epiphaneia(JPN) and G1 Satsuki Sho winner Saturnalia(JPN), was the sixth highest-grossing sire of the sale, after ten lots grossed ¥144,936,000(US$1,343,119) and averaged ¥14,493,600(US$134,311). Harbinger(GB), Rulership(JPN), Henny Hughes(USA), Dunkirk(USA), Daiwa Major(JPN), and South Vigorous(USA) round out the top ten grossing sires of the sale.
2018 Keeneland January Sale graduate Laxfield Road(USA) was bought and send to Japan in foal to Air Force Blue(USA), her 2018 colt Hip 124 was purchased by North Hills Co. Ltd. for ¥32,940,000(US$305,254).
The next Hokkaido Sale will be the Summer Sale, held from August 19th through the 22nd at the Shizunai Sales Complex in Hokkaido.
US$1 = ¥107.91
Please contact our representative below for further details:
Satomi Oka (Ms)
Satomi Oka Bloodstock Pty Ltd
E-mail : satomi@bloodstock.jp
Tel : +61 414 414 450