The HBA Training Sale of 2-year-olds took place May 24, with an American-bred filly by Runhappy taking top honors after selling for ¥42 million (US$330,120) to the prominent owner Shigeru Morinaka.
The filly out of Distinguishable was bred in Kentucky by Kathryn Nikkel, Old Dominion, and Sanford Robertson, and imported to Japan last year. Offered as Hip 131 by Etretat Farm, she clocked the co-fastest time over one furlong, going in :10.7 during the under tack show conducted May 23 on the dirt track at Sapporo Racecourse.
Morinaka is the owner of five graded-stakes winners at JRA, including Shigeru Pink Ruby, winner of last season’s Hochi Hai Fillies’ Revue (G2). The dam (Distinguishable), is a half sister to 2006 Monmouth Breeders' Cup Oaks (G3) victress Mo Cuishle.
Northern Farm went to ¥23 million (US$180,780) for Hip 139, a filly by Drefong out of Nice Qualia, to be the second-highest price of the session. Consigned by Yamagiwa, the filly matched Hip 131 in clocking one furlong in :10.7 at the under tack show.
A solid market was seen as 96 of the 134 juveniles on offer sold for gross receipts of ¥699,400,000 (US$5,497,284) during the single day of selling. It showed an 18.1% increase over 2021. An average price of ¥7,285,417 (US$57,263) and a median of ¥5,900,000 (US$46,374), had an increase of 2.1% and 1.7%, respectively. The clearance rate at 71.6% bettered the 2021 result (66.9%).
