The JRHA Select Sale saw more records being broken as a Kitasan Black colt sold for a staggering ¥590 million, which is approximately €3.34 million, making it the highest-priced yearling ever sold at the prestigious Japanese sale. The successful bidder was Rodeo Japan, an anonymous Japanese owner, who won the bidding war for lot 100, a colt with a strong European pedigree. The dam of the colt, Delphinia, was a multiple Group-1 placed mare by Galileo, trained by Aidan O'Brien. Delphinia's offspring have already shown promise in Japan, with one winning a race in Tokyo and another currently in training.
Kitasan Black, the colt's sire, remains a popular stallion at the Shadai Stallion Station, with one of his progeny, Equinox, gaining fame last year. The sale saw a total of 224 out of 233 horses being sold, with a remarkable trading volume of ¥14,497,000,000 (€83,148,849). The average price for a horse at the sale was ¥64,720,000 (€371,200), up from the previous year.
International bloodstock agent Alex Solis made his debut at the sale, purchasing five yearlings on behalf of owner Mike Repole, including offspring by Contrail and Drefong. Solis expressed optimism about the quality and potential of the horses purchased. The day also saw notable purchases by Japanese Derby-winning owner Masahiro Noda, who invested heavily in promising young horses.
The sale highlighted the growing interest and demand for Japanese-bred horses, with strong performances on the global racing stage contributing to the buoyant market. Overall, the success of the JRHA Select Sale showcased the high quality and appeal of Japanese bloodstock to both domestic and international buyers.