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SARGA.CO - The JRHA Select Sale 2026 once again showcased the strength of the Japanese thoroughbred market, with billions of yen changing hands over two days in Hokkaido. 

Leading the buyers' list were familiar faces alongside one newcomer, as CyberAgent president Susumu Fujita, Danox Co. Ltd., and ANIMA Racing emerged as the sale's three biggest spenders.

For the sixth consecutive year since his Select Sale debut, Susumu Fujita spent over ¥2 billion across the two-day auction, with this year totalling up to 12 horses. After purchasing six yearlings for ¥1.002 billion on the opening day, Fujita added another six during the foal session for ¥1.205 billion.

His purchases showed his preference for Japan's hottest sire lines, including three foals by Equinox, as well as offspring of Kitasan Black, Kizuna, and Suave Richard. 

Among his headline acquisitions was King's Harlequin 2026, an Equinox colt purchased for ¥200 million. Fujita revealed the colt held special significance after the success of Eriking, one of his previous Select Sale purchases.

"Since I won a graded race with Eriking, the top runner from the 2023 sale, I felt it was fitting that a good horse would lead off today's purchases," he said.

His most expensive purchase came later in the session, paying ¥300 million for Wavell Avenue 2026, a colt by Kitasan Black.

"I absolutely wanted him. Wavell Avenue has already produced quality foals, and her two-year-olds also look promising. I believe he'll be a very consistent racehorse."

Reflecting on the sale, Fujita acknowledged he had hoped to uncover more bargains but was overall satisfied with the quality of his purchases.

Rather than spreading its budget across numerous purchases, Danox Co. Ltd. concentrated its spending on just five blue-blooded youngsters, finishing second among all buyers with a total expenditure of ¥2.16 billion.

The standout purchase was Youngstar 2025, an Equinox offspring that topped the sale after Danox secured the colt for ¥420 million.

Perhaps the biggest talking point was the emergence of ANIMA Racing, a name with no previous history as a racehorse owner. Despite its unknown background, ANIMA Racing immediately ranked as the third-largest buyer, spending ¥1.41 billion. Its headline purchase was an Equinox colt out of Daring Tact, acquired for ¥330 million.

Many within the Japanese horse racing community have speculated that the entity could be connected to Masahiko Sugino of M's Racing, as both names appeared prominently during the auction and displayed similarly aggressive bidding strategies. Some fans have even suggested the separate identity could offer accounting or tax advantages, while others believe it may simply represent a new ownership brand.

However, these theories remain entirely speculative, and no official confirmation has been made regarding the ownership or purpose behind ANIMA Racing.

According to figures released by the Japan Racing Horse Association (JRHA), the remaining top buyers included Toshihiko Tabata (¥1.164 billion), Masato Kaneko Holdings (¥1.14 billion), Yosuke Imaoka (¥945 million), M's Racing (¥895 million), and Osamu Satomi (¥782 million).

As competition among owners intensifies, the 2026 Select Sale continues to highlight Japan’s breeding industry and the demand for top Japanese bloodlines - particularly those descending from Kitasan Black and his champion son Equinox - horses believed to be the country's next champions.