Japan: Deep Impact colt out of Sky Diva brings $3 million at Hokkaido sale

A Deep Impact colt out of Frizette winner Sky Diva sold for just over $3 million Tuesday to top the Japan Racing Horse Association’s select foal sale at Northern Park in Hokkaido.

Northern Farm sold the bay colt to Hajime Satomi for 250 million yen; the colt is Sky Diva’s first. Deep Impact foals brought five of the one-day auction’s six highest prices on a day that recorded increases in gross, average, and median. The foal session, which followed gains Monday at the select yearling sale, sold 158 foals for about $60,939,308, for an average price of about $385,692 and an approximate $251,623 median. Compared year to year in the local yen, gross rose 9 percent from last year’s session, when 161 foals sold. Average advanced by 11 percent, and median jumped 18 percent. The buyback rate also improved from 27 percent last year to 25 percent this year.