JRHA Sale

HOKKAIDO, Japan - A different world. That is how it has felt at times in the build-up and during the JRHA Select Sale. The otherworldliness of this place can only be summed up by the fact that, when glancing up at the bid board to see a horse making ¥20 million [$123,000] or ¥30 million [$185,000], it's almost deemed as an anti-climax. Nothing worth getting excited about. In fact, during his opening gambit at a swanky pre-sale banquet at the Northern Horse Park, MC and Green Channel journalist Naohiro Goda...

HOKKAIDO, Japan - Domestic buyers put the chips down on Equinox as the first yearlings to hit the market by one the best racehorses of the modern era saw the Shadai Stallion Station rookie responsible for the most expensive horse sold on the opening day of the JRHA Select Sale at ¥420 million [$2,591,499].  The top lot status belonged to lot 110, a colt out of High Chaparral mare Youngstar consigned by Northern Farm, who ended the session as the leading vendor. It was Danox Co Ltd, which is the...

Shadai Farm's trusted barn manager Reijiro Azuma says that he is yet to see a son or daughter of Equinox who does not look like an athlete. Then there is Teruya Yoshida, the mastermind behind the entire Shadai operation, who says he expects Equinox to be bettered only by Kitasan Black on all metrics at the JRHA Select Sale.  For context, Yoshida hails Kitasan Black as the single best stallion that Japan can call upon right now, so you can say there is a serious weight of expectation behind Equinox...

Much of the attention at this year's JRHA Select Sale will be on the first yearlings by Equinox, a milestone moment that is sure to shape the market at the top end. However, there is also notable depth to the catalogue through a group of high-class European mares now based in Japan, many of whom are represented by their progeny across the foal and yearling sessions. Featuring Group winners, Classic performers and well-related racemares with strong international form, these mares continue to add a different dimension to the Japanese broodmare...