Sheikh Fahad Digs Deep In Japan

SHEIKH FAHAD DIGS DEEP IN JAPAN 
Story and photos by Michele MacDonald 
Smiling and laughing with enthusiasm, Sheikh Fahad Al Thani grasped the halter of the colt by Deep Impact (Jpn) (Sunday Silence) that he had just bought for the princely sum of ¥260 million ($2,549,020) to crown the Japan Racing Horse Association Select Sale yearling session yesterday, and offered a compelling reason for his bold move. 
“He looks like a champion,” exclaimed Sheikh Fahad, who–at the youthful age of 25–eclipsed the record expenditure by a non-Japanese buyer at the premier auction of young bloodstock in Japan. “He was the nicest horse in the sale and he has a stallion's pedigree.” 
With many shoppers reportedly reserving their buying power for today's foal session, the yearling session finished with turnover down 2.2%. Of the 255 yearlings offered, 215 were reported sold for a clearance rate of 84.3% and gross of ¥6,028,000,000 ($59,098,030). In 2013, 226 horses were sold from 257 offered for gross of ¥6,160,700,000 and an 87.9% clearance rate. 
The average, however, increased by 1.3% from ¥25,038,333 to ¥28,040,000 ($274,902). The top of the market was also stronger, with the highest price of ¥260 million far exceeding last year's high of ¥180 million. While there were equal numbers of yearlings sold for ¥100 million or more–eight in both years–there were six that met the $1 million threshold this year compared to five in 2013. 

Listen Up… 
Sheikh Fahad turned back a bidding challenge from prominent Japanese owner Makoto Kaneko–who raced Deep Impact–for hip 53, who also was pursued by other wealthy Japanese owners including Takaya Shimakawa via telephone bidding. The colt's dam, English Group 1 winner Listen (Ire) (Sadler's Wells), is a full-sister to the dam of English and Irish Classic winner Henrythenavigator (Kingmambo) and to the granddam of GI Breeders' Cup Turf winner Magician (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). 
The colt will stay in Japan to race, Sheikh Fahad told a JRHA official after the purchase, which comes just on the heels of the sheikh receiving a coveted owner's license from the Japan Racing Association, which offers the world's most lucrative prize money program. 
“Sheikh Fahad likes to be number one,” said delighted breeder and consignor Katsumi Yoshida, owner of perennial JRHA sale leader Northern Farm, who had placed a ¥100 million ($984,417) reserve on the colt. “Of course, the colt's pedigree was very good and he is very balanced.” 
Yoshida acquired the dam of the colt privately from Coolmore. She foaled another colt by Deep Impact Mar. 9. 
In just his second year attending the JRHA sale, Sheikh Fahad erased some big names and numbers that had previously roosted on the top perches for foreign-based buyers. 
John Ferguson, bloodstock advisor to Sheikh Mohammed, had led all non-Japanese buyers after signing the ticket for a son of Sunday Silence (Halo) at ¥190 million in 2001, following his purchase of another Sunday Silence colt for ¥170 million in 1999. More recently, Australian Paul Fudge of Waratah Thoroughbreds had paid ¥145 million in 2012 for a Deep Impact full-sister to G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) winner Deep Brillante (Jpn). 
Sheikh Fahad, who won the G1 Melbourne Cup when he was only 22 with Dunaden (Fr) (Nicobar {GB}), said after purchasing the Deep Impact colt that he would like to increase his racing and breeding interests in Japan. “I think the racing here is fantastic,” he declared. “It has the best prize money with a great system of regulation, and the sales are excellent as well.” 
Young trainer Mitsumasa Nakauchida, previously an assistant to accomplished international trainer Katsuhiko Sumii, is training two juveniles Sheikh Fahad bought at the 2013 JRHA sale and he helped with the acquisition of the Deep Impact yearling colt. Sheikh Fahad's bloodstock advisor David Redvers arrived in Hokkaido just around the time the hammer fell on the purchase. 
Some of the top buyers in Japan, and from other areas, held back somewhat during the yearling session, preferring to reserve their yen for the foal portion of the sale, which is widely viewed as containing more quality individuals. Among those who did not buy yearlings but may try for foals is Ferguson, who was at the sale grounds for the first time in several years along with Darley Chief Operating Officer Olly Tait.

Making An Impact… 
Just as he has been ever since his first foals pranced onto the JRHA market in 2008, Deep Impact was the sale's major force. Both this year and in 2013, Deep Impact sired six of the eight yearlings to command price tags of at least $1 million. 
The second-highest price yesterday also surpassed last year's yearling session topper. Hajime Satomi, founder of entertainment equipment manufacturer Sammy Corp., paid ¥200 million (US$1,968,834) for hip 19, a Deep Impact colt out of GII Monmouth Breeders' Cup Oaks winner Magic Storm (Storm Cat) after he “fell in love” with the dark bay. 
About a month ago Satomi and his trainer, Yasutoshi Ikee, visited Northern Farm and the prominent owner was immediately struck by the colt's athletic look. 
“Mr. Satomi fell in love at first glance,” said Ikee, who assisted his father, Yasuo Ikee, in the training of Deep Impact to win Japan's Triple Crown. He followed up that feat by training 2011 Triple Crown winner Orfevre (Jpn) (Stay Gold {Jpn}). The senior Ikee now advises Satomi on his bloodstock portfolio. 
Satomi is very familiar with the colt's family, as he owns the 3-year-old full brother–multiple Group 3-placed Satono Aladdin (Jpn). 
“Considering his pedigree, I thought this was one for me,” Satomi said. “This colt is slightly smaller than Satono Aladdin, but his conformation is similar. Since he is smaller, I imagine he might be able to race earlier.” 
He added, “My hope for this one is not just to see him in the field of a Classic race, but to see him win a Classic.” 
Satomi, who fended off Riichi Kondo in a bidding duel, said the price was higher than he thought he would have to pay. 
The third highest-priced offering of the session was yet another Deep Impact colt, hip 110, whose dam, Loves Only Me (Storm Cat), is a half-sister to European champion juvenile filly Rumplestiltskin (Ire) (Danehill), and whose third dam is none other than international champion Miesque (Nureyev), producer of elite sire Kingmambo (Mr. Prospector). 
After failing to secure the top lot, Makoto Kaneko refused to be outbid on the bay, prevailing on a final nod at ¥180 million ($1,764,706). 
“I inspected almost all the horses in the catalog and I liked this one best,” Kaneko said. “I think he is a suitable individual for the 1 1/2 mile Classic distance, and I expect him to go that way.” 

American Girls to the Fore… 
While fillies typically are sold at lower prices than colts at the JRHA sale, two fillies did feature amongst the top 15 highest-priced yearlings, and both were by 
Deep Impact out of American Grade I winners and consigned by Northern Farm. Hip 78, a feminine bay who is the second foal from GI Ashland S. winner Lilacs and Lace (Flower Alley), drew ¥145 million (US$1,427,405) from Masazumi Bando of Bando Bokujo, one of the biggest breeding and training facilities of its kind in the Hidaka area of Hokkaido. Bando was bidding on behalf of an undisclosed client. 
“This client has been searching for a nice Deep Impact filly, so I looked at all the Deep Impact fillies in the catalog and I thought this was the best one,” said Bando. 
The other filly, hip 171, was produced by GI Clement L. Hirsch S. winner Ultra Blend (Richly Blended), and was acquired by Yutaka Uda for ¥68 million ($666,667). 
Buyers also displayed a strong fondness for siblings to Grade/Group 1 winners. Hip 68, a colt from the first crop of G1 Dubai World Cup winner Victoire Pisa (Jpn) (Neo Universe {Jpn}), sold for ¥135 million ($1,323,530) to Masahiro Noda, founder of a software services company and one of Japan's wealthiest individuals. Noda's wife, Mizuki, races the colt's half-brother, Group 1 winner Mikki Isle (Deep Impact {Jpn}). During the sale's opening ceremony, she was presented with a special gold medal commendation for having sent Mikki Isle out for his major wins. Akatsuki Yamatoya, the owner of Just a Way (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn})–a multiple Group 1 winner and currently the highest-rated horse in the world, also was honored during the ceremony. 
The other horse to sell for more than $1 million during the yearling session was Hip 100, a Deep Impact colt who is the first foal of multiple American Grade II winner Cozi Rosie (Pleasantly Perfect). The muscular bay drew a final bid of ¥105 million ($1,029,412) from entertainment mogul Yasushi Kubota's Scuderia. Kubota is best known as the producer of the youthful girls' singing group AKB48. 
Of the 13 Deep Impacts offered during the yearling session, ten were reported sold for a total of ¥1,272,800,000 ($12,478,431) and for an average price of about $1,039,869. Thus, the trade on Deep Impact yearlings accounted for 21.1% of the session's growth. 
Looking forward, Katsumi Yoshida said he was “very satisfied” with the results for the sale session overall and for Northern Farm in particular. “I have confidence in the market,” he said, predicting increased strength in trade for the concluding session of foals.

International Interest Increases… 
More than at any other time in the brief history of the JRHA Select Sale, which began in 1998, foreign-based owners, breeders and trainers are venturing into the deep waters of what has been a mysterious auction in an unfamiliar land. 
Lured by both the powerful international performances of Japanese-breds and the rich prize money in Japan, many of those that have ventured to the island of Hokkaido for the sale and to visit training and stud facilities will leave with new ideas about the potential and the possibilities. 
“Being here for the first time is certainly an eye-opening experience,” said German bloodstock agent Ronald Rauscher, who represented Dr. Christoph Berglar, the owner of Stonereath Farm in Paris, Kentucky, who bred and raced multiple Group 1 winner Novellist (Ire) (Monsun {Ger}), who is now at stud at Shadai Stallion Station. Rauscher said he was particularly impressed with the strength of the JRHA market and wished he “could take a little bit of it back to Europe.” 
Rauscher said consideration is being given about sending some of Berglar's mares to Japan to visit Novellist, who is just completing his first season at Shadai. 
Lexington-based bloodstock consultant Byron Rogers is another professional living outside Japan who is attending the sale. Rogers consulted with Australian owner Phil Sly and his trainer Robert Smerdon during the yearling session, and the team walked away with a filly from the first crop of Group 1-winning miler Danon Chantilly (Jpn) (Fuji Kiseki {Jpn} for the relative bargain price of ¥5 million ($49,020). 
“It's all good,” Rogers said, pointing to the filly's catalog page. Her dam, Gabana (Ire) (Polish Precedent), is a half-sister to G1 Epsom Derby winner Motivator (GB) (Montjeu {Ire}), the sire of top European filly Treve (Fr). Grade I winner and sire Wavering Monarch (Majestic Light) also is on the page. 
Sly's group let out a whoop that echoed in the sale pavilion at the Northern Horse Park after buying the filly, a feisty dark bay. 
Rogers said Sly would like to send about six mares to Japan to serve as the foundation for a breeding and racing program. Currently, he has Group 1 winner Mosheen (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus})–who he owns in partnership–in foal to Deep Impact (Jpn). 
After inspecting stallions at the Shadai Stallion Station, where he saw Deep Impact, Heart's Cry (Jpn) (Sunday Silence) and Daiwa Major (Jpn) (Sunday Silence), Rogers said they all possess the physical attributes to be successful in the U.S. 
Other international JRHA sale participants or observers include Chinese-Malaysian Dato Yap Kim San, who bought a Daiwa Major (Jpn) (Sunday Silence) colt for ¥40 million ($392,157) and a Kurofune (French Deputy) filly for ¥21 million ($205,883). Yap Kim San has campaigned Group 1 winner Sacred Falls (NZ) (O'Reilly {NZ}) in Australia and is involved with the China Horse Club as well as with racing in Singapore. 
Leading Japanese breeders have encouraged foreign-based owners to buy in Japan, and Katsumi Yoshida of Northern Farm is among those delighted with this year's activity. 
“I am very happy with the number of new buyers and with those from other countries,” Yoshida said. “Many are trying to buy, but it is not easy.”