24 August, 2021
The 2021 renewal of the Hokkaido Selection Sale saw another record breaking year in sales results, showing yet again the resilience of the Japanese breeding market even during a global pandemic. 234 yearlings went through the ring on July 27th, and 202 of them sold, giving the sale their highest clearance rate ever. The sale grossed ¥4,015,770,000(US$36,507,000), a 11.9% rise from last year's gross, and an all-time record high since the sale was first launched in 2001. The average was ¥19,880,049(US$180,727), and the median was ¥17,600,000(US$160,000), showing an increase of 1.9% and 6.7% from last year. Both figures were historic record highs. Overall, the sale showed that the high end of the horse-trading market was remarkably healthy.
Epiphaneia(JPN) was the king of the Selection Sale with five of the top ten highest-priced yearlings. The two top-grossing were Epiphaneia(JPN) colts, Hip 154 that sold for ¥66,000,000(US$600,000) to Masaru Shimada, and Hip 130 that sold to Noboru Iyama for ¥59,400,000(US$540,000). He also had the highest-grossing filly, Hip 116, that sold for ¥46,200,000(US$420,000) to Tetsuji Yamamoto. Overall, Epiphaneia(JPN), who has had two classic winners from his first two crops, sold 13 of his 16 listed yearlings, grossing ¥438,900,000(US$3,990,000) with an average of ¥33,761,538(US$306,923).
Fourteen stallions grossed over a hundred million yen for their offerings. Henny Hughes(USA), who has been a very reliable stallion in Japan over both turf and dirt, grossed ¥274,450,000(US$2,495,000) from 11 sold, averaging ¥24,950,000(US$226,818). Freshman stallion Drefong(USA), who is still second in those rankings, grossed ¥215,600,000(US$1,960,000) from 8 lots with an average of ¥26,950,000(US$245,0000). Leontes(JPN), who is a G1 winning half brother to Epiphaneia(JPN) and a promising young sire in his own right, sold all of his eight lots grossing ¥172,150,000(US$1,565,000) with an average of ¥21,518,750(US$195,625). Harbinger(GB) continues to be a popular stallion, selling well all across the board in Japan for the past several years as his runners continue to prove themselves, sold eight lots grossing ¥169,400,000(US$1,540,000) and averaged ¥21,175,000(US$192,500).
Duramente(JPN) was leading freshman sire last year, and though he has been slightly overshadowed by the successes of the likes of Kizuna(JPN) and Epiphaneia(JPN) who debuted the year before him, his progeny continued to be popular, selling all six lots for a gross of ¥168,300,000(US$1,530,000) and averaging ¥28,050,000(US$255,000). Lord Kanaloa(JPN) busted onto the scene with several top performers early on; this has kept his profile and prices high; his six sold lots grossed ¥165,550,000(US$1,505,000) and averaged ¥27,591,666(US$250,833). Maurice(JPN) has been running well in two hemispheres and is proving to be a very promising young sire; he sold all nine of his lots, grossing ¥165,550,000(US$1,505,000) and averaged ¥18,394,444(US$167,222). Declaration of War(USA) debuts next year, but he was the highest-grossing first crop sire of the sale, selling nine lots for a gross of ¥149,600,000(US$1,360,000) and an average of ¥16,622,222(US$151,111). Just a Way(JPN) has been so popular with the Hidaka breeders that he was relocated to a stallion farm in the area; he sold eight lots that grossed ¥130,350,000(US$1,185,000) and averaged ¥16,293,750(US$148,125).
Mind Your Biscuits(USA) was the second highest grossing first crop stallion at the Selection Sale selling all eight of his yearlings for a gross of ¥128,700,000(US$1,170,000) and an average of ¥16,087,500(US$146,250). Kizuna(JPN) has been one of the best sons of the late great Deep Impact(JPN) at stud and sold all of his eight yearlings for a gross of ¥113,300,000(US$1,030,000) and an average of ¥14,162,500(US$128,750). Heart's Cry(JPN), a leading stallion who has recently been pensioned, sold four yearlings for a gross of ¥102,850,000(US$935,000) with an average of ¥25,712,500(US$233,750). Rulership(JPN) has been one of the more reliable producers of winners without getting a superstar, but his value as a sire has never been diminished, and the six yearlings purchased at the sale grossed ¥102,300,000(US$930,000) with an average of ¥17,050,000(US$155,000).
Hip 154, an Epiphaneia(JPN) colt out of Three Arrow(JPN) sold for ¥66,000,000
US$1 = ¥110
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Satomi Oka (Ms)
Satomi Oka Bloodstock Pty Ltd
E-mail : satomi@bloodstock.jp
Tel : +61 414 414 450