Deep Impact yearlings lead Japan sale

Yearlings by preeminent Japanese sire Deep Impact dominated the action at Monday’s Japan Racing Horse Association select yearling auction, numbering the four highest prices through the ring. The auction, held at Northern Horse Park on the island of Hokkaido, posted a 2 percent decline in gross compared with the 2013 renewal, but a 3 percent increase in average and an 8 percent rise in median.

The top-priced yearling of the sale was bought by British bloodstock agent David Redvers, on behalf of Sheikh Fahad al –Thani, for about $2.56 million (260,000,000 yen). Consigned by Northern Farm, the Japanese-bred dark bay or brown colt is out of English Group 1 winner and highweight Listen, by Sadler’s Wells. Listen is a full sister to Group 1 winner Sequoyah, dam of English and Irish classic winner Henrythenavigator, and is a half-sister to the unraced Lady Windermere, who is the second dam of 2013 Breeders’ Cup Turf winner Magician. Twelve yearlings by Shadai Stallion Station’s Deep Impact sold from 13 offered at the sale, totaling about $12.6 million.

The JRHA reported 215 yearlings sold on Monday for gross receipts of about $59.3 million (6,028,000,000 yen), with an average of about $276,000 (28,037,209 yen) and a median of about $197,000 (20 million yen).

The sale company will hold its select foal sale on Tuesday, which is highlighted by a foal from the first crop of champion Frankel, a filly out of the Foxhound mare Goodwood March; and the first foals publicly offered by 2012 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner I’ll Have Another.

For complete results, click here.