07 August, 2019
This August is the annual renewal of the Hokkaido Summer Sale, Japan's longest yearling sale on the calendar, on August 19th through 22nd. While usually a week-long event, this year the sale has been shortened to just four days to make room for a new addition to the sales calendar, the September Sale which will be held on September 17th and 18th. 1270 yearlings have been cataloged for the Summer Sale next month by 142 different stallions.
Over the four days, many of the country's best stallions will be represented in the ring at the Shizunai Sales pavilion, but there are some making headlines recently. Potential buyers of yearlings in the summer months always examine that year's freshman sires second crop as they move through the ring. These freshman sires have been having their first crop running for roughly two months now in the JRA and a little longer in the NAR. Those with early positive results usually translate into robust sales for the second crop in the ring that year. The reigning supreme of the freshman class at the moment is G1 Japanese Derby winner Kizuna(JPN), who just captured his first graded stakes with Bien Fait(JPN) in the G3 Hakodate Nisai Stakes. All of his four winners have been in the JRA, and after two years of great word of mouth on his offspring's physical appearances, they have taken it to the next level on the racetrack. Kizuna(JPN) has 18 lots in the sale.
The freshman sire with the most wins, however, has been two-time G1 winner Real Impact(JPN) with eight winners between JRA and NAR runners. He has 18 lots in the sale which will be in high demand as the young sire's star continues to rise. G1 Japan Cup winner Epiphaneia(JPN) is currently third on the freshman sire leader board and has 13 lots in the sale. Record-setting miler World Ace(JPN) is fourth on the leaderboard with six individual winners, and he has 14 lots in the sale. Fifth on the leaderboard import Majestic Warrior(USA) already has a quality resume in Japan's racing records with Multiple G1 winner Best Warrior(USA) before he was imported into Japan, but as his first full crop of Japanese-bred offspring are hitting the track in a big way with seven winners to date between the JRA and NAR. He has 18 lots in the sale. Blue Blooded To the World(JPN) has seven winners in Japan to date with nine wins between them and has ten lots in the sale. Import Eskendereya(USA) who has sired two G1 winners back in his native United States has already had three winners in Japan and has 12 lots in the sale. G1 winner Curren Black Hill(JPN) by top sire Daiwa Major(JPN) and six-time G1 winner Gold Ship(JPN) are also starting to have winners in Japan and have 17 and nine lots in the sale respectively.
There are a lot of new stallions on the market this year as well, including some big names from the past few years on the track. With the retirement of King Kamehameha(JPN), his sons will be front and center in the bloodstock market going forward. Ten-time G1 winner on dirt Hokko Tarumae(JPN), two-time G1 winner on turf Lovely Day(JPN) have 24 and 40 lots representing them in the Summer Sale. The Champion two-year-old and half brother to multiple G1 winners Epiphaneia(JPN) and Saturnalia(JPN), Leontes(JPN) has 35 lots in the sale. Derby hero Duramente(JPN) might be one that buyers at previous sales have been looking at the most, was one of the more impressive racehorses of his generation. As a close relation to Rulership(JPN), the two time G1 winning Duramente(JPN) could make waves this summer with 14 lots in the sale.
Deep Impact(JPN) offspring don't make it to public auction that often in Japan but as his sons begin to flood the breeding shed there are two new sons making their yearling sales debut this year, dual G1 winner A Shin Hikari(JPN) with five lots and G1 winning miler Mikki Isle(JPN) with 12 lots. Maurice(JPN) by Screen Hero(JPN) started out as a cheap yearling in the Summer Sale before going on to win six G1 races in Japan and Hong Kong. His first crop was very popular in the Selection Sale in July, and he has eight lots in the Summer Sale this year.
There are four foreign bred first crop sires that have a lot of clout behind them in the sale. Asia Express(USA) was foreign-born, but he raced in Japan and was Champion Two-Year-Old on turf and also won a graded stakes on dirt. As one of the first highly successful sons of Henny Hughes(USA) in Japan, and given his sire's other success in Japan on both surfaces, Asia Express(USA)'s 33 lots should be of high interest this August. Discreet Cat(USA) by Forestry(USA) is an elder statesman when it comes to the stallion game in Japan but coming with a solid US produce record and a respectable Japan import record; his first crop brings with it an interesting diversity to the Japanese breeding industry. He has 13 lots in the sale. Multiple G1 winner Makfi(GB) by Dubawi(IRE) impressed breeders upon his arrival to Japan and has been successful in France and Australia with earlier crops. He has 19 lots in the sale. Creator II(USA) won the G1 Belmont Stakes, a race that has produced many quality stallions in the United States. The spirited son of Tapit(USA) has 18 lots in the sale.
There are two foreign sires in the sale. G1 Prince of Wales winner Free Eagle(IRE) and G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest winner Garswood(GB) both have a lot each available in the sale.
Young and up and coming sires are always a central focus at sales, but some buyers prefer to look for stallions with a solid record they can take to the bank. G1 Japan Cup winner Admire Moon(JPN) had nine lots in the sale had he has been a top producer of sprinters over the past couple of years. Three-time G1 winner Victoire Pisa(JPN) had a G1 winner in his first crop and has many other promising offspring since he has 12 lots in the sale. Nine-time G1 winner Espoir City(USA) has been highly popular with breeders and buyers alike since the death of his sire Gold Allure(JPN). He has 22 lots in the sale. Five-time Daiwa Major(JPN) has been a very successful sire of G1 winners including Admire Mars(JPN), that are both precocious and longevity. He has 11 lots in the sale. South Vigorous(USA) and Sinister Minister(USA) have been two of the most successful and popular dirt stallions in Japan behind Gold Allure(JPN) and the versatile King Kamehameha(JPN). At the Summer and Autumn Sales, they are routinely some of the most sought after sire lines. They have 31 lots each in the sale. The death of G1 winner Swept Overboard(USA) was a significant blow to the Japanese breeding industry, but that hasn't affected the sale of his leftover offspring. The precocious offspring tend to bring their buyers a quick return on some of their investments and the 11 lots in this year's Summer Sale represent his final crop. Both Harbinger(GB) and Henny Hughes(USA) have been doing very well in the past few years, proving their importation into Japan was a great move. They have six and 15 lots, respectively. Dunkirk(USA) is still a relatively new sire in Japan, but his first few crops have impressed the industry. He has 14 lots in the sale. Just a Way(JPN) was leading freshman sire last year, and many of his offspring ran well at the highest levels this year, which might be why there were only four lots available for the sale this summer.
Please contact our representatives if you are interested in purchasing at the 2019 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: Yearling
●Venue: Hokkaido Sales Complex (Shizunai, Hokkaido)
●Dates: August 19 (Mon) to 22 (Thurs)
Pre-sale inspections: 8:00am~
Sale: 12:00pm ～
●Number of cataloged lots: 1270
●Online catalog available at: http://www.hba.or.jp/english/index.html