Mr. An Zhiqiang is one of the biggest Chinese buyers of American-bred horses, and he has returned to the Keeneland September Yearling Sale this year in search of horses to race on the sand and all-weather surfaces in China.
An is the chairman of the Hohhot Equestrian Association and chairman of Inner Mongolia Mengjun Horse Industry. He has been involved in the horse racing industry for more than a decade.
An and friend Mr. Li Wen said they are in Lexington looking to add approximately 15 horses for themselves and other clients interested in American horses.
Li writes about horse racing in China for the Thoroughbred Daily News, Racing Post, and his own website. Li graduated from a Godolphin-sponsored internship and learned about horse racing and breeding in Newmarket in the United Kingdom. He is also a race caller for the Chinese Equestrian Association, China Horse Industry Association, and An’s races in Hohhot, Wuhan Jockey Club. Hohhot is the only city in China with four racecourses, including Mengjun Racecourse, home base of An.
An has a lot of American-bred Thoroughbreds in his stable, including a purchase from last year’s September Sale, Wu Di Zhan Shen, a colt by War of Will out of the mare Golden Finale. He is undefeated in two starts at Huhtala Racecourse in Hohhot. The colt was one of 12 purchases made last year at the September Sale by An which totaled $594,000.
“(Mr. An) said before he came to Keeneland, he’s been purchasing Thoroughbreds from England, France, Australia, and New Zealand. The reason Keeneland attracts him is because the quality and quantity of the Thoroughbreds here,” said Li. “Another reason is that American Thoroughbreds run on dirt, and China is run on sand/all weather, so he thinks it is better that the horses run on a similar surface,”
An is looking to promote horse racing in China, and bring the horses he buys at Keeneland to mainland China. He has had success in the past and said the horses adapt well to the sand/all-weather track in China rather quickly. Lexington (38 degrees north latitude) is about the same latitude as Hohhot (40 degrees north latitude), An’s base in China. He said there is no sharp climate difference.
He’s been buying yearlings from Keeneland for the past six years, and has one purchase from this year’s Keeneland September Sale thus far. Under the name West Coast Equine, he signed the ticket for Hip 936, a $150,000 colt by first-crop yearling sire Yaupon , from the Sequel New York consignment, agent for Chester and Mary Broman.
The colt is a product of the Bromans’ strong breeding operation in New York, and out of their mare Promise Me Silver . She won the Eight Belles Stakes (G3) in 2015, and is the dam of two winners.
“Hip 936 is sired by Yaupon, a new stallion, and we really like the stallion, and we have a lot of potential buys from that stallion,” said Li, translating for An.
“He likes the conformation of Hip 936, as well as his great temper, which is very suitable for training. He also heard from other professionals that they like the horse too (Yaupon),” said Li. “He said it was tough race to win the bid, and he has every confidence in the horse’s future.”
An noted the vast difference in the horse industry in China and in the United States, stating that for one, betting is strictly forbidden in mainland China. An said there are new ways to explore and develop the racing industry in China.
“We learn from what Dubai is doing. There is no betting in Dubai, but Dubai is supporting different resources there, like tourism, manufacturing, international finance, and it also increases the workforce, and that is his idea, that he can learn from Dubai,” said Li.
