2024 Hokkaido Selection Sale Review
The first ever three-day Hokkaido Selection Sale kicked-off with its premium session on
Monday July 22nd at the Hokkaido Sales Complex. During the premium session, 127
yearlings were successfully sold for an average of ¥28,288,189 (US$188,588). It is thehighest average price of a sales day in the history of the Hokkaido Sales.
While day one of the auction was an overwhelming success, the remaining two daysrecorded more modest returns. Overall, 412 yearlings grossed for a total of¥7,917,360,000 (US$52,782,400) with an average of ¥19,216,893 (US$128,113) and amedian of ¥15,125,000 (US$100,833). The average was significantly down 16.2% froma year ago and the median dipped by 19.1%. The clearance rate for the sale dropped
to 85.1% from 91.9% in 2023.
The highest price of the sale was Lot 49, a colt by Kizuna (JPN) and was purchased by
Naohiro Sakaguchi for ¥110,000,000 (US$733,333) from Kasamatsu Bokujo. It is thesecond ever highest price of the Hokkaido Selection Sales. His dam, Stars Aligned(IRE),
was bred by J. S. Bolger and trained by Richard Hannon. The mare was acquired by JS
Company for 32,000 guineas at Tattersalls December in 2014. Although Stars Aligned(IRE) did not display much ability as a racehorse, her first foal, Teorema(JPN) became amultiple black-type winner, and her second foal is the Listed placed, Harmony
Magellan(JPN).
Kasamatsu Bokujo also sold the first foal out of Teorema(JPN) for¥85,800,000(US$572,000). Angel Racing (KK) purchased Lot 24, the colt by theunbeaten 2020 Japanese Triple Crown winner, Contrail (JPN). Four lots from the firstcrop of yearlings of the Champion racehorse were on offer and collectively sold for theaverage of ¥59,675,000 (US$397,833). Contrail (JPN) was the leading sire of the sale byaverage price.
From the exciting freshman sire of 2024, Saturnalia (JPN), sold 20 yearlings for a totalof ¥496,650,000 (US$3,311,000), the highest of the sale. Kitasan Black (JPN) followedwith 10 yearlings sold for a total of ¥446,600,000 (US$2,977,000).
A long-established Japanese breeder, Chiyoda Bokujo, sold 15 yearlings for a total of¥287,100,000 (US$1,914,000) and claimed the leading consignor title of the sale. Theirtop lot was Lot 93, a Leontes (JPN) colt sold for ¥39,600,000 (US$264,000). The colt isout of Kurofune (JPN) mare Count on It (JPN) who is a full-sister to a Group 1 winner,

Whale Capture (JPN). The first five generations of his pedigree are all bred by Chiyoda
Bokujo, established in 1945.
Another established breeder in Japan, Grand Bokujo sold four of the top 10 lots in thesale. Lot 107, Firenze Fire (USA) colt was their highest price offering, purchased for¥92,400,000 (US$616,000) by Masatsugu Takezono. The colt is the first foal out of S
Miracle (JPN) and from the first crop of Group 1 winner, Firenze Fire (USA). The
youngster’s granddam Sanbista (JPN), is a Group 1 winner who was also bred by GrandBokujo.
Masatsugu Takezono purchased eight yearlings for a total of ¥411,400,000(US$2,742,667) and was the leading buyer of the sale. The Japan Racing Association(JRA) strongly supported the sale by acquiring 28 yearlings, the largest number of thesale. The plan for those yearlings purchased by the JRA is to go through the breaking
and pre-training process at their own facilities, and then offered at the JRA Breeze-Up
Sale in 2025.
The boutique yearling sales in Japan have now been completed for 2024. The next
yearling sale is the six-day Hokkaido Summer Sale. Over 1,200 yearlings will be offered,
the Summer Sale is due to start on Monday August 19th.
US$1 = JP¥150

Lot 49, a Kizuna(JPN) colt out of Stars Aligned (IRE) sold for ¥110,000,000 (US$733,333).
*Written by Toshihiro Onikubo