Hanshin Juvenile Fillies matches Collector Item vs. Sound Rihanna

The November stakes winners Collector Item and Sound Rihanna are the leading contenders for Sunday’s Grade 1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies in Japan, the nation’s top race for 2-year-old fillies.

Run over about a mile on turf and worth approximately $1.68 million, the Juvenile Fillies is considered the division’s championship race.

Both Collector Item and Sound Rihanna approach the race in top form.

Collector Item won the Artemis Stakes over about a mile on turf in a stakes-record 1:33.80 at Tokyo Racecourse on Nov. 3. She won by a half-length over Ayusan, a late runner who is part of the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies field.

In October, Collector Item was fourth against males in the Grade 2 Nisai Stakes at Kyoto Racecourse.

The speedy Sound Rihanna has won 2 of 4 starts. By the American-bred stallion Came Home, Sound Rihanna won the Fantasy Stakes over about seven furlongs at Kyoto by three lengths on Nov. 10 for her first stakes win.

Collector Item is by Heart’s Cry, who has two promising maiden winners in the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies field – Otsu and Red Cecilia.

The Hanshin Juvenile Fillies will have a maximum field of 18 starters.