In a unique year where the Japanese yearling sale calendar has seen some reshuffling, the Hokkaido Summer Sale from Aug. 25 to 28 returned significant gains, especially across the first two days.
With a clearance rate of 77%, up from 71.8% last year, the sale overall saw healthy gains across the board. It set a new gross record of ¥5,721,870,000 ($53,901,091/£42,126,688/€45,495,755), a 15.9% increase from 2019. The average rose 22.7% to ¥6,935,600 ($65,334/£51,062/€55,146) while the median saw a 21.3% increase to ¥5,500,000 ($51,811/£40,492/€43,730), both records for this sale despite there being over 100 fewer horses offered than in 2019.
The sale topper came on day two of the sale when Hidaka Seaside Farm claimed Hip 828, a Heart's Cry (Jpn) colt out of Nanyo Tiara (Jpn), for ¥52,800,000 ($497,385/£388,734/€419,823). The highest-priced filly of the sale was also sold on day two: Hip 1180, by Epiphaneia (Jpn) out of Pebble Garden (Jpn), bought by Taihei Bokujo for ¥26,400,000 ($248,692/£194,367/€209,911). Thirty-six different lots sold for over ¥10,000,000 and seven sold for over ¥20,000,000.
Young stallions performed exceedingly well in the Summer Sale this year with 32 lots by Asia Express averaging ¥6,630,937 ($62,464/£48,819/€52,723). Copano Rickey (Jpn), represented by his first crop here, sold 30 lots that averaged ¥6,185,666 ($58,270/£45,541/€49,183). The first crop of Satono Aladdin (Jpn) also made waves with an average of ¥9,020,000 ($84,970/£66,408/€71,719). Duramente (Jpn) and Epiphaneia (Jpn), both with well-performing crops on the track already, sold 12 and 11 lots respectively. Duramente averaged ¥13,649,166 ($128,577/£100,490/€108,527) while Group 1 sire Epiphaneia averaged ¥14,850,000 ($139,889/£109,331/€118,075).
One of the stars of the established sire ranks was Sinister Minister. While anything but a young sire, the 17-year-old sold 27 lots averaging a very strong ¥10,413,333 ($98,095/£76,667/€82,798). Year after year, he has proven to be a reliable stallion producing good-looking yearlings and a solid stream of dirt winners.
It seems the COVID-19 pandemic has yet to impact the internal workings of the Japanese Thoroughbred industry to any severe extent, though every precaution possible was taken to conduct the sale safely for all those in attendance. The Hokkaido sale season will continue on Sept. 22 with the three-day Hokkaido September Sale in Shizunai.
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