thank-you for selecting your two sanke's to initiate the conversation. Maybe the fact you can't post the pictures is a Karma thing to make more people go to Mat's website..
I can see how you would look at the pattern of # 2 and not see what is there. Your other selection is a very safe "bet" as you can see the beni and white pattern and have a pretty safe idea where the black will develop. It is a nice koi and will make someone very happy.
But let's look at #2, the beni is not as orange and opaque, the black is not really up and the white is different than the other one. It;s rather an ugly duckling would you say? But the beauty of this koi is that in a few short years you will understand what quality is all about.
To the japanese this koi is easily recognized for the pattern it will display as adult. We westerners look at the beni as the pattern the black as the highlight and the white as the solid
background. the japanese look at a koi like this and see the red and black as a balanced pattern set on a white platform. As we look at #2 we see red on the koi's right side with a ginormous void of white. But a strong saddle black will fill it and complete the balance. This and the white shoulders and jaunty head cap classically offset on the fishes head will make this koi so much more memorable in pattern. BUT that's not what this koi is all about. Study the look of all three colors and remember what they look like because this fish reeks of quality
and the older it gets the more you'll be able to see it.
I think a person color blind might have a better understanding of the balance of a pattern uninhibited by color.