Japanese sale figures decline

The Japan Racing Horse Association's foal sale concluded Wednesday with no world records, but trade appeared good in the final result. Coming off a heated 2006 auction that produced a world-record $5.2 million for a filly foal of King Kamehameha, the two-day foal sale saw declines across the board, as expected.

Topped by a $2,429,150 Kurofune-My Katies colt on Tuesday, the foal sessions sold 240 horses sold for $67,145,749, down 7 percent from last year. The average price fell 15 percent to $279,774, and the $210,526 median was down 7 percent. But buy-backs also decreased. Last year, 27 percent of the foals offered failed to find a buyer, but that improved to 24 percent this year.

Construction executive Riichi Kondo bought the top horse, a half-brother to his racing star Admire Moon.