Neither U.S. Fans nor Breeders Can Complain

[skydy]

…when Japanese interests are willing to pay more for this horse (with this breeding) than are any U.S. interests. https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/245842/four-wheel-drive-sold-to-stand-in-japan

I must say that I am partial to More Than Ready as a Sire and as a Dam sire, and I think it would behoove us, in the U.S. to give him his due and to keep more of his get. Especially when looking at the AP cross, oh my what a great (and successful) try…JMHO No he didn’t shine last time out , but I think he’s a keeper. Just a hunch. I agree with the Japanese breeders.

More Than Ready, Dam Sire of Four Wheel Drive. https://www.bloodhorse.com/stallion-register/stallions/125714/more-than-ready

Sire of Four Wheel Drive, American Pharoah. https://www.bloodhorse.com/stallion-register/stallions/168986/american-pharoah

[LaurieB]

Japanese interests are willing (and able) to pay more for stallion prospects (also mares and yearlings) than most U.S. breeders because their purse structure is totally different than ours. A maiden win that would earn a U.S. owner 30k brings 150k in Japan. A mid-level allowance horse racing in Japan earns 500k a year. So it’s easier for owners there to put money back in the industry.

IMO, the U.S. breeding industry doesn’t really need another stallion that only had 4 starts lifetime. We already have plenty of those.

[Where_sMyWhite]

While I like American Pharoah, how many of his get are on the ground and are current or future stallions?

Until he proves himself as a knockout sire (think Curlin, Tapit, Info Mischief ATM) keeping, as LaurieB said, a 4 start stallion is probably not going to be as attractive to a US breeder.

I don’t know enough about broodmare sire stats to know where he compares with looking at Four Wheel Drive’s pedigree.

[snaffle1987]

I actually really liked Four Wheel Drive and I am pretty sad to see that one go overseas; despite him being by a relatively juvenile stallion who is still in the early days of his stud career. Neat pedigree; solid race results from a limited career. Structurally very nice horse. Good luck to his Japanese connections

[Where_sMyWhite]

@snaffle1987

solid race results from a limited career.

Yeah, if you don’t mind 3 wins as a juvenile, one as a G2 and one as a G3 back in 2019 and only one race, an allowance, in May, 2020, where he finished 7th and not raced again.

He was from AP’s first crop so limited information so far on what kind of sire AP will turn out to be.

[skydy]

@LaurieB

Japanese interests are willing (and able) to pay more for stallion prospects (also mares and yearlings) than most U.S. breeders because their purse structure is totally different than ours. A maiden win that would earn a U.S. owner 30k brings 150k in Japan. A mid-level allowance horse racing in Japan earns 500k a year. So it’s easier for owners there to put money back in the industry.

IMO, the U.S. breeding industry doesn’t really need another stallion that only had 4 starts lifetime. We already have plenty of those.

That’s interesting. I didn’t know that the purse structure was so different from the U.S.

[Texarkana]

Japanese purses are so inflated as compared to North America, Europe, and Australia that we wouldn’t even consider them in stallion rankings and lifetime earnings for the longest time. Now they apply them to worldwide rankings, but they use a formula to correct for the inflation.

[skydy]

Is there any explanation of why this is so? Is it simply that they are willing to put more incentive into their racing programs ?

I know that before Covid they had remarkable attendance at their tracks and of course big time wagering.

[Texarkana]

I don’t know but I think there is just more overall interest in funding racing.

[Mara]

Curious how the purse structure compares to the average costs of owning a racehorse in Japan.

[skydy]

That’s an interesting question. Has anyone here spent enough time in Japan to know the answer?

[Texarkana]

Full disclosure: what I know about JRA can fit in a thimble. But…

According to JRA, the average monthly cost is about 600,000 yen which is $5,741.

Source:

JRA Owner Registration｜Japan Racing Association｜Horse Racing in Japan

That’s a bit higher than the average in the US, which I believe is around $4,000. But… the US has incredibly different racing structure. We have things like county fairs and veritable gyp tracks where parimutuel wagering is occurring on horses running for purses smaller than the payout at Tuesday night bingo. They aren’t collecting the same day money as say, Del Mar. It’s a much broader spectrum here.

JRA also subsidizes training centers where all horses must live. I just learned the also subsidize a portion of the vet bills in addition to all of the shipping costs.

[skydy]

Interesting. So the difference can’t really be explained by the cost of training and racing. I wonder if breeding and care before training is more expensive?

It does seem like there is more support for racing all around in Japan. They do have an incredible fan base that shows up at the track.

[Texarkana]

What do we have to do to get this here?!?

Blockquote What is racehorse injury consolation payment? This is a payment made to the owner of a racehorse registered with the JRA when an accident occurs within JRA facilities. The types of accidents for which consolation payments are made and the amounts of the consolation payments, ranging from the death of a horse during a racing accident to a temporary inability to enter races due to illness, are set out in provisions determined by the JRA Owners’ Mutual Association.
In addition, the JRA Owners’ Mutual Association is also involved in operations related to subsidizing the cost of clinical examinations and shoeing.
For further details, please contact one of the following via your Liaison Officer.

[RHdobes563]

Deleted (MY mistake.)