Deep Impact foals lead way at Japanese sale

Deep Impact foals

lead way at Japanese sale

Foals from the first crop of champion Deep Impact were in high demand at

Tuesday's first foal session of the Japan Racing Horse Association's Select Sale

on Hokkaido. All of the 18 foals by the young stallion to go through the ring

sold and he was represented by five of the top seven lots, including the session

topper, a son of Japanese champion juvenile filly Biwa Heidi (Caerleon).

Consigned by Northern Farm, the youngster was purchased for $2,056,074 by Takaya

Shimakawa.

"Many of my friends and advisors suggested that I buy this horse today,"

Shimakawa explained. "The price is more than I thought. I thought I would not go

further than -million, but something pushed me back."

Biwa Heidi is the dam of group winners Admire Japan (Sunday Silence) and

Admire Aura (Agnes Tachyon). Riichi Kondo was underbidder on the colt. Kondo,

who purchased the top-priced yearling at Monday's opening session of the sale,

did succeed in taking home a son of Deep Impact later in the session. Kondo went

to $1,168,224 to bring home a son of Split the Night (Tony Bin). The foal, the

third-highest priced lot on Tuesday, is a half-brother to multiple group winner

Admire Monarch (Dream Well [Fr]) and was consigned by Northern Farm.

John Ferguson, bidding on behalf of Darley Japan, purchased seven foals at

the session. While none were by the young sensation Deep Impact, four of the

youngsters were by Japan's leading sire Agnes Tachyon.

"I do not intend to avoid Deep Impact," Ferguson explained. "I understand he

is a great horse and a great stallion prospect, but Agnes Tachyon is a proven

sire. I am just more confident buying Agnes Tachyon than Deep Impact at this

stage."

Ferguson was responsible for the day's top-priced filly, going to $981,308 to

purchase a full sister to Japanese star filly Vodka (Tanino Gimlet) from the

consignment of Country Farm.

"I understand Vodka is one of the best fillies in training in the world,"

Ferguson said. "A full sister to Vodka will be very very valuable as a future

broodmare. I do not know yet where she is going to run, but she should be a

top-class horse at any place."

During Tuesday's session, the JRHA sold 124 foals for $41,789,719. The

average fell four percent from a year ago, to $337,013. The median was $271,028.

The third and final session of the sale was scheduled for Wednesday.