Runhappy Filly Brings $300,000 at New York-Bred Sale
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Photo: Fasig-Tipton Photos
The Runhappy filly consigned as Hip 380 in the ring at Fasig-Tipton
It was a red-letter day for Fasig-Tipton president Boyd Browning Jr. during the Aug. 11 opening session of the Fasig-Tipton New York-Bred Yearlings Sale.
Not only did the executive oversee the sale, but he and partners sold a bay filly from the first crop of champion sprinter Runhappy for $300,000.
Purchased by Oracle Bloodstock, agent for Reeves Racing, R. A. Hills, and Corms, the filly is out of the stakes-placed Curlin mare Charismata, and was bred by Billy Terrell and Browning and was offered by Gainesway as Hip 380 on behalf of Browning and partners.
"We loved her from the start and we love the incentive program for the New York breds," Reeves said. "She's a gorgeous filly and we're excited. We had a feeling she would be in high demand. The incentives for New York breds ... we wish we had something like that in the state of Georgia. If we ever get horse racing in Georgia that's what we would do. We liked Runhappy a lot and personally, I love what he did from a marketing standpoint because I'm an advertising person."
The filly is from the extended female family of Irish group 3 winner Honoria, who also placed second in the Moyglare Stud Stakes (G1). Honoria produced Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) winner Composer and stakes winner Colonial Power.
"She went through what we thought she'd bring initially but she was vetted about 10 times here by everybody at the sale," said Brian Graves of Gainesway. "I guess she brought what she was worth. She was an excellent-moving filly, really light on her feet and really well-balanced.
"I think some of the marketing efforts with that stallion and the bonuses offered for the first maiden special winners at Saratoga and Del Mar are helping. I saw a lot of weanlings by Runhappy that I liked in November and it seems like they've been popular yearlings. He looks like a nice horse and he's been stamping his offspring."
According to a June 6 release from the New York Racing Association, a $100,000 bonus will be paid to any offspring of champion sprinter Runhappy who wins an unrestricted maiden race during the summer meet at Saratoga Race Course in 2020.
The bonus will be paid by Jim McIngvale, whose colors Runhappy carried while winning seven of 10 career starts from 2014-16, including a record-setting score in the NYRA.com King's Bishop Stakes (G1) for 3-year-olds during his championship season in 2015.
McIngvale also entered into a two-year agreement with Del Mar, during which the California track has renamed its opening and closing day stakes races. The Oceanside Stakes will become the Runhappy Oceanside Stakes and the Del Mar Futurity (G1) will be named the Runhappy Del Mar Futurity. McIngvale has also agreed to enhance the winner's purse of any open maiden special weight race at Del Mar won by progeny of Runhappy by $100,000.