Account for top three lots on Tuesday at JRHA Select Sale
Colts by Heart’s Cry (Sunday Silence) accounted for the top three lots to sell during Tuesday’s Foal Session of the JRHA Select Sale.
The most expensive of these was Lot 365 who was bought by Yoshihisa Ozasa for Y380,000,000 (approximately A$5,061,600). Sold by Northern Farm, who sold the seven most expensive lots on Tuesday, the youngster is out of Ballerina Stakes (Gr 1, 7f) winner Hilda’s Passion (Canadian Frontier) who is herself the dam of dual US Grade 1 winner Yoshida, a graduate of this sale, who is a brother to this colt.
Yoshihisa Ozawa did not attend the sale but gave a statement through his racing manager, Morito Kajihara.
“I think he is an outstanding individual in today’s catalogue,” said Kajihara.
“I was bidding in earnest and am very happy to buy such a fantastic young horse. I hope he grows up well and will be in the field of major races in future.”
Danox Company, who bought Monday’s second top lot, went to Y270,000,000 (approximately A$3,596,400) to secure the Heart’s Cry colt out of She’s A Tiger (Tale Of The Cat). Offered as Lot 407, the colt’s dam won the Debutante Stakes (Gr 1, 7f) and was crowned Champion 2YO Filly in the US. She’s A Tiger is out of Sandra Smiles (Cahill Road) making her a half-sister to triple Grade 1 winner Smiling Tiger (Hold That Tiger) and multiple Listed winner Smiling Causeway (Giant’s Causeway).
“As there is no Deep Impact in the market any more, we would like to buy a very nice foal by Heart’s Cry today”, said Yoshiki Okada, racing manager to Masahiro Noda.
“Our team inspected all consignments from Northern Farm and made a short list of foals by Heat’s Cry. He is on the short list and Mr Noda selected this one from the list.
“The mare, She’s A Tiger, who is US Champion Juvenile filly, is a very good looking horse and the foal is also good looking, as like his mother. Price is more than expected, but Mr Noda did not want to stop bidding, as he would really like to buy him.”
The Deep Impact (Sunday Silence) colt out of Sheave (Mineshaft) topped Monday’s Yearling Session and her Heart’s Cry colt was the third most expensive lot to sell on Tuesday when Miwa Holding went to Y210,000,000 (approximately A$2,797,200) to secure the youngster.
Catalogued as Lot 383, the colt is a half-brother to Kentucky Oaks (Gr 1, 9f) winner Cathryn Sophia (Street Boss) and his second dam is Grade 2 winner Belterra (Unbridled).
With colts by Heart’s Cry accounting for the three top lots, the most expensive weanling not by the sire was a son of Lord Kanaloa who made Y200,000,000. Bought by Ryouichi Ootuka the colt is out of the Italian Group 1 winner Final Score (Dylan Thomas) who is herself a half-sister to dual Group 1 winner Sea Of Class (Sea The Stars) as well as fellow stakes winners Charity Line (Manduro), Cherry Collect (Oratior) and Wordless (Rock Of Gibraltar).
“This is the pick of day for me,” Ryoichi Otsuka said.
“He is from a very successful female line, which is full of black type, and it caught my fancy that he is Sunday Silence free, which would be a big advantage when he becomes a stallion. While the price is more than I thought, I did not want to miss him.”
Meanwhile, a filly from the first-crop of Triple Crown winner Justify (Scat Daddy) - who shuttles to Coolmore’s Hunter Valley base, was purchased by Takeshita Koichi for Y80,000,000 (approximately A$1,063,200).
Catalogued as Lot 397 and offered by Shimokobe Farm, the filly is out of two time-winning mare Not Now Carolyn (Tapit), who was purchased by Shimokobe Farm and Polo Green Stable for US$140,000 at the 2018 Keeneland November Breeding Sale.
Not Now Carolyn is herself out of Grade 1 winner Maryfield (Elusive Quality), making her a half-sister to Grade 2-placed Radio Silence (War Front).
Justify - who covered 149 mares in his first season in Australia - will stand his second season at the Jerrys Plains-based stud at a fee of $66,000 (inc GST) in 2020.
Overall on Tuesday, 203 foals were sold for Y8,334,000,000, a 14.8 per cent decline compared to the foal session in 2019. The average price of Y41,054,187 was an 18.6 per cent decrease from twelve months ago while the clearance rate of 90 per cent is unchanged from 2019. A total of 24 weanlings sold for over Y76,000,000 / A$1,000,000 on Tuesday.
Over the two days 432 lots were sold for Y18,762,000,000, down 8.5 per cent from 2019. The average price through two days of Y43,430,555 was down 11.9 per cent from 2019 whilst the clearance rate of 90 per cent was comparable to last year.
“I would like to express my sincere thanks to the owners and trainers for attending the sale under such a challenging period and for supporting the market,” Teruya Yoshida, owner of Shadai Farm and active chairman of JRHA, commented at the conclusion of the sale.
“The market is slightly slowing down today and I think the key factor is the absence of Deep Impact. For example, when Northern Dancer died, the top end of the bloodstock market in America declined, and the same thing happened here today.
“On the other hand, I believe the quality of mares we have in Japan is world class and quality of horses bred in Japan is world class as well. I think the buyers are confident to make a big investment on horses we offer.”
“We try to keep breeding quality horses and I hope it will keep an active horse market in Japan.”
