Karaka Million Series Now Bigger & Better

New Zealand Bloodstock’s Karaka Million Race Series is set to get bigger and better with the addition of a new race and an increase in prizemoney.

In addition to the existing $1,000,000 Karaka Million 2YO feature, yearlings entering the Series at the 2014 Karaka Sales will be eligible for a richer $250,000 Karaka 3YO Mile – an increase of $150,000 – plus, a new third race, the $100,000 Karaka Stayers Cup.

Ruud Awakening winning the 2013 Karaka Million at Ellerslie.

The new Karaka Stayers Cup is set to be an open 2200m event with prizemoney of $100,000 up for grabs.

This race will be added to the racecard from this January and until 2018 will be open to all Karaka Yearling Sale graduates whether they have ever been entered in the Karaka Million or not. From 2018, this race will be restricted to Karaka Million Series eligible horses, with this year’s yearlings then five-year-olds.

 “It has always been our ambition from day 1 to grow the Series at every chance we get, and one obvious target has been to provide more opportunity for the huge selection of quality middle-distance and staying prospects bred here in NZ that go through the Karaka Sales,” explained NZB Co-Managing Director Petrea Vela.

“These two enhancements aim to cater to that and increase the appeal of the Series to a broader range of participants, setting us up for an even bigger and better showcase of New Zealand talent at the Twilight Meeting in January.

“There is a little bonus in there for the next few seasons for all yearlings that have gone through the National Yearling Sales while this year’s crop makes its way through the grades, and it’s a combination of the efforts of many parties that we’re able to get that race off the ground early and have owners starting to benefit right away.

“We are thrilled to be in a position, with our event partner Auckland Racing Club, to be able to take the Karaka Million event to the next level and provide a great show for owners, trainers, breeders and buyers alike.”

Any horse that was offered (passed or sold) at the Karaka Premier, Select, Carnival or Festival Sales will be eligible to compete in the Karaka Stayers Cup in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017.

All owners and trainers should be aware that all their current Karaka graduates will be eligible for the Karaka Stayers Cup in January 2014 and, with $100,000 in winnings on offer, it is a race that presents itself as a rewarding option for their stayers.

Adding to the attraction of the Karaka Million Race Series will be a prizemoney increase in the Karaka 3YO Mile from $100,000 to $250,000 in 2016.

Set to be run once again as a Restricted Listed event over a mile, the race promises to be the fifth richest three-year-old contest in New Zealand.

Yearlings nominated at the 2014 National Yearling Sale Series will be the first horses to compete for the enriched $250,000 Karaka 3YO Mile in 2016.

The $1 million Karaka Million race will continue to be the highlight of the race night, with the 1200m Restricted Listed event set to attract the very best Karaka two-year-old graduates in 2014. The final field will continue to be determined by prizemoney earned prior to the event.

Buyers at Karaka 2014 will get extra bang for their buck with the nomination fee to enter yearling purchases in the Karaka Million Series remaining at the current level of NZ$1750 plus GST.

The new race series structure opens doors for all types of horses to be entered in the Karaka Million Series. With the added prizemoney to the Karaka 3YO Mile and the inclusion of the Karaka Stayers Cup, horses that do not show precocious attributes fit for the Karaka Million 2YO event will have lucrative races to target later in their racing careers.

The Karaka Million Twilight Race Meeting held at Auckland Racing Club’s Ellerslie Racecourse on the Sunday 26 January 2014 will encompass a six-race card with racing set to kick off around 5pm on the eve of the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale Series at Karaka.

Quick Facts:

 For further information about the Karaka Million Race Series please visit www.nzb.co.nz or contact Marketing Assistant Bevan Smith (bevan.smith@nzb.co.nz).