Hokkaido Selection Sale Review
The 2021 renewal of the Hokkaido Selection Sale saw another record breaking year in sales
results, showing yet again the resilience of the Japanese breeding market even during a global
pandemic. 234 yearlings went through the ring on July 27th, and 202 of them sold, giving thesale their highest clearance rate ever. The sale grossed ¥4,015,770,000(US$36,507,000), a
11.9% rise from last year’s gross, and an all-time record high since the sale was firstlaunched in 2001. The average was ¥19,880,049(US$180,727), and the median was¥17,600,000(US$160,000), showing an increase of 1.9% and 6.7% from last year. Bothfigures were historic record highs. Overall, the sale showed that the high end of the horsetrading market was remarkably healthy.

Epiphaneia(JPN) was the king of the Selection Sale with five of the top ten highest-pricedyearlings. The two top-grossing were Epiphaneia(JPN) colts, Hip 154 that sold for¥66,000,000(US$600,000) to Masaru Shimada, and Hip 130 that sold to Noboru Iyama for¥59,400,000(US$540,000). He also had the highest-grossing filly, Hip 116, that sold for¥46,200,000(US$420,000) to Tetsuji Yamamoto. Overall, Epiphaneia(JPN), who has had twoclassic winners from his first two crops, sold 13 of his 16 listed yearlings, grossing¥438,900,000(US$3,990,000) with an average of ¥33,761,538(US$306,923).

Fourteen stallions grossed over a hundred million yen for their offerings. HennyHughes(USA), who has been a very reliable stallion in Japan over both turf and dirt, grossed¥274,450,000(US$2,495,000) from 11 sold, averaging ¥24,950,000(US$226,818). Freshmanstallion Drefong(USA), who is still second in those rankings, grossed¥215,600,000(US$1,960,000) from 8 lots with an average of ¥26,950,000(US$245,0000).
Leontes(JPN), who is a G1 winning half brother to Epiphaneia(JPN) and a promising young
sire in his own right, sold all of his eight lots grossing ¥172,150,000(US$1,565,000) with anaverage of ¥21,518,750(US$195,625). Harbinger(GB) continues to be a popular stallion,
selling well all across the board in Japan for the past several years as his runners continue toprove themselves, sold eight lots grossing ¥169,400,000(US$1,540,000) and averaged¥21,175,000(US$192,500).
Duramente(JPN) was leading freshman sire last year, and though he has been slightly
overshadowed by the successes of the likes of Kizuna(JPN) and Epiphaneia(JPN) who
debuted the year before him, his progeny continued to be popular, selling all six lots for agross of ¥168,300,000(US$1,530,000) and averaging ¥28,050,000(US$255,000). Lord
Kanaloa(JPN) busted onto the scene with several top performers early on; this has kept hisprofile and prices high; his six sold lots grossed ¥165,550,000(US$1,505,000) and averaged¥27,591,666(US$250,833). Maurice(JPN) has been running well in two hemispheres and isproving to be a very promising young sire; he sold all nine of his lots, grossing¥165,550,000(US$1,505,000) and averaged ¥18,394,444(US$167,222). Declaration ofWar(USA) debuts next year, but he was the highest-grossing first crop sire of the sale, sellingnine lots for a gross of ¥149,600,000(US$1,360,000) and an average of¥16,622,222(US$151,111). Just a Way(JPN) has been so popular with the Hidaka breedersthat he was relocated to a stallion farm in the area; he sold eight lots that grossed¥130,350,000(US$1,185,000) and averaged ¥16,293,750(US$148,125).

Mind Your Biscuits(USA) was the second highest grossing first crop stallion at the Selection
Sale selling all eight of his yearlings for a gross of ¥128,700,000(US$1,170,000) and an
average of ¥16,087,500(US$146,250). Kizuna(JPN) has been one of the best sons of the lategreat Deep Impact(JPN) at stud and sold all of his eight yearlings for a gross of¥113,300,000(US$1,030,000) and an average of ¥14,162,500(US$128,750). Heart’sCry(JPN), a leading stallion who has recently been pensioned, sold four yearlings for a grossof ¥102,850,000(US$935,000) with an average of ¥25,712,500(US$233,750).
Rulership(JPN) has been one of the more reliable producers of winners without getting asuperstar, but his value as a sire has never been diminished, and the six yearlings purchased
at the sale grossed ¥102,300,000(US$930,000) with an average of¥17,050,000(US$155,000).
US$1 = ¥110

Sale Topper Hip 154 (Epiphaneia(JPN) x Three Arrow (JPN)) sold for ¥66,000,000