The Silk Road Journal · Buying · Japan
Japanese Racehorses for Sale: How Overseas Buyers Buy at the JRHA Select Sale and Beyond
Japan breeds some of the best racehorses on earth and keeps most of them. Most, not all. Here is where they are sold, what they made in 2026, and what an overseas buyer needs to know before the first bid.
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Facts are sourced at the end and were checked on 25 October 2026. No betting tips, nothing here is financial, tax or legal advice, and no horse in this article is for sale.
Most Japanese racehorses change hands at auction in Hokkaido, above all the JRHA Select Sale each July at Northern Horse Park. In 2026 (13-14 July), 478 of 509 horses sold for a record ¥33.484 billion; the average was about ¥70 million and the median ¥51 million (about US$325,000). Foals and yearlings are sold there; two-year-olds in training are sold at the Chiba sale in May (2026: record ¥2.09 billion, median ¥27 million). Overseas buyers can take part, but must register with the sale company first, pay in yen, and plan export and quarantine for the country where the horse will race.
Where are Japanese racehorses for sale?
Mostly at auction in Hokkaido, where most Japanese thoroughbreds are bred, plus a smaller private market.
| Sale | When | What is sold |
|---|---|---|
| JRHA Select Sale (Japan Racing Horse Association), Northern Horse Park, Hokkaido | July (2026: 13-14 July) | Yearlings (day 1) and foals (day 2) from Japan's leading farms |
| Chiba Thoroughbred Sale of 2-Year-Olds, Funabashi | May (2026: 22 May) | Two-year-olds in training, shown at a breeze |
| Other Hokkaido auctions | Summer to autumn | Yearlings at wider price ranges; check each sale company's calendar |
| Private sales | Any time | Horses in training, mares and fillies; through farms and agents |
We also show the JRHA Select Sale on our list of the sales we buy from.
How much did horses sell for at the JRHA Select Sale 2026?
A record total of ¥33.484 billion for 478 horses. The median, a better guide for normal buyers than the average, rose 8.5% to ¥51 million.
| JRHA Select Sale 2026 (whole sale) | Yen | Roughly |
|---|---|---|
| Sold / offered | 478 / 509 (93.9% cleared; 97% in 2025) | |
| Gross (record, +2.4%) | ¥33,484,000,000 | US$214 million |
| Average (-3%) | ¥70,050,209 | US$446,749 (about HK$3.50 million, S$570,945, ¥70.1 million, RM1.82 million) |
| Median (+8.5%) | ¥51,000,000 | US$325,255 (about HK$2.55 million, S$415,676, ¥51 million, RM1.33 million) |
| Top price, foal session | ¥410,000,000 | US$2.61 million |
| Chiba 2-year-old sale 2026: median | ¥27,000,000 (57 of 60 sold, record gross ¥2.09 billion) | US$172,194 |
Past prices are not a forecast, and sale reports convert yen at the rate of the day; ours use 25 October 2026 rates.
Currency lines are approximate, at mid-market rates on 25 October 2026 (1 US$ = about HK$7.84, S$1.28, ¥157, RM4.08). We quote our fee in US dollars, in writing.
The Silk Road Letter
Twice a month: the sales worth watching, one buying tip and one real market number (plus the odd catalogue joke). Free with it: our 2026-27 sale calendar (PDF) and a one-page guide to what a racehorse really costs. We email a link to confirm first. Unsubscribe in one click.
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Can an overseas buyer buy at a Japanese sale?
Yes, with preparation. Register with the sale company well before the sale, arrange payment in yen, and check the export and import rules for where the horse will go.
- Register early. Each sale company sets its own buyer registration, credit and deposit rules for overseas buyers; check official site and apply weeks ahead.
- Read the catalogue in two languages. Catalogues and conditions are in Japanese, with English for the bigger sales. An agent who reads both helps.
- Inspect and vet. Foals are sold beside their dams; yearlings and two-year-olds can be inspected at the sale. Use an independent vet and ask for the sale's vet information.
- Pay the sale company directly, in yen, by bank transfer. Your money never goes through us.
- Plan the export. A foal bought in July stays in Japan to be raised before it travels. Export health certificates, quarantine and the import rules of the destination (UAE, Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong, Australia, Europe) decide the timetable. See racehorse transport.
Already registered as an owner in Japan and looking the other way, at Europe? Read buying a European racehorse from Japan, or our Japan page.
Why do buyers from the Gulf and Asia look at Japanese horses?
Japanese-bred horses have won big races all over the world, and the best Japanese families are rarely sold abroad. The Select Sale is the main door into them.
The honest balance: Japan's best families are expensive, the sale is very competitive (in 2026 the top buyer alone spent more than ¥2 billion over the two days), and a foal bought in July is a long way from a race. For a buyer who wants to race soon, a horse in training bought privately, or a European horse from the December sales, is often a faster route. For a breeder building a family, Japan is worth the patience.
Can a Japanese-bred horse be sold to buyers in the Gulf or Asia?
Yes. Owners in Japan who want to sell a horse abroad can list it with us; we match it with buyers worldwide and say plainly what it is worth to them.
Read selling a racehorse to Gulf and Asian buyers for what those buyers ask for, and email us the horse's details. The seller pays our fee only if the horse sells, agreed in writing.
A plain word before you buy
We cannot promise a win, a rating, a permit or a price. Nobody honest can, and we never give betting tips. Owning a racehorse is a passion, not a way to make money. What we can promise is an honest view of your options, a careful worldwide search, independent vets, a written limit and plain reports by email. Licensed trainers train; we help you choose one and supervise the plan.
Ready to talk about a horse? Email us first.
Email us your budget, where you want to race and when. We reply within 24 hours. If it fits, we source the best horses from all over the world, check them with independent vets and negotiate to your written limit. Budgets from US$50,000.
Email info@silkroadbloodstock.com first, from anywhere in the world. Phone +971 52 311 2385 second. WhatsApp as backup.
5% fee (min US$5,000), agreed in writing. You pay the seller or sale company directly, by bank transfer; your money never goes through us. If we are ever paid by both sides, both are told in writing first.
Already own a horse, or want to sell one?
Selling a horse that could suit a buyer in Asia or the Gulf? We find the right buyer, worldwide, and the fee is paid only if it sells.
Related guides
- Hong Kong racing calendar 2026-27
- Hong Kong International Races 2026
- How to own a racehorse in Hong Kong
- Malaysia horse racing 2026-27
- Macau horse racing: what happened
- Hong Kong PP and PPG permits explained · Singapore owners after Kranji · Buying a European racehorse from Japan
The Silk Road Letter
Twice a month: the sales worth watching, one buying tip and one real market number (plus the odd catalogue joke). Free with it: our 2026-27 sale calendar (PDF) and a one-page guide to what a racehorse really costs. We email a link to confirm first. Unsubscribe in one click.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I buy a Japanese racehorse?
Mostly at auction in Hokkaido, especially the JRHA Select Sale each July at Northern Horse Park, where yearlings and foals are sold. Two-year-olds in training are sold at the Chiba Thoroughbred Sale in May. There is also a private market for horses in training and mares.
What were the JRHA Select Sale 2026 results?
On 13-14 July 2026, 478 of 509 horses sold for a record ¥33.484 billion, up 2.4%. The average was ¥70,050,209 (down 3%) and the median ¥51,000,000 (up 8.5%), with a 93.9% clearance rate, as reported by TrueNicks.
How much does a Japanese racehorse cost?
At the 2026 JRHA Select Sale the median was ¥51 million, about US$325,000 at October 2026 rates; at the 2026 Chiba two-year-old sale the median was ¥27 million, about US$172,000. Prices range widely, and past prices are not a forecast.
Can foreigners buy horses at the JRHA Select Sale?
Overseas buyers can take part, but they must register with the sale company before the sale and meet its credit and payment rules, in yen. Check the Japan Racing Horse Association's official site for the current conditions.
How much does Silk Road Bloodstock charge?
5% of the purchase price, minimum US$5,000, agreed in writing before we start. Budgets from US$50,000. You pay the sale company or seller directly; your money never goes through us.
Spotted an error? Email info@silkroadbloodstock.com and we will fix it within 48 hours.
Sources
Checked 25 October 2026. Rules, fees and dates are set by each racing authority and sale company and can change; always check the official site. Figures from news reports are as reported. Past prices are not a forecast.
- TrueNicks, July 2026: record gross for the JRHA Select Sale (509 offered, 478 sold, ¥33.484 billion, average ¥70,050,209, median ¥51,000,000, 93.9% clearance, top foal ¥410 million)
- TTR AusNZ, 15 July 2026: JRHA Select Sale 2026 report (13-14 July, Northern Horse Park)
- TrueNicks, May 2026: Chiba Thoroughbred Sale of 2-Year-Olds sets records (gross ¥2,090,900,000, average ¥36,682,456, median ¥27 million, 3 of 60 not sold)
- Japan Racing Horse Association (JRHA): official site (Select Sale, buyer registration)
- Japan Racing (JRA international site): racing and breeding in Japan