Karaka's Black Mamba makes US$1.5m at Keeneland
12 November 2009
Black Mamba, a NZ$120,000 yearling graduate of the 2005 Karaka Premier Sale, fetched US$1,500,000 at Fasig Tipton's Kentucky Selected Fall Mixed Sale yesterday.
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Purchased at Karaka by leading New Zealand trainer Murray Baker, Black Mamba (Black Minnaloushe x Sneetch, by Grosvenor) found her way to the United States in 2007 where she was under the care of trainer John Sadler in Southern California.
The winner in seven of thirty starts in the USA, Black Mamba earned just shy of US$1,000,000 with victory in the 2008 Group 1 John C Mabee Handicap (1800m), along with two Group 2 wins, and three Group 1 placings in the Oak Tree Yellow Ribbon Stakes.
These credentials, plus the fact her dam is Group 3 winner Sneetch (Grosvenor) and her half-sister Gussy Godiva is the dam of Group 1 AJC Derby winner Roman Emperor, made the six-year-old mare an attractive international racing and breeding proposition.
In the end it was Australian buyer, Tony Bott of Evergreen Farm, who purchased the US Grade 1 winning New Zealand-bred mare for US$1,500,000 for Hong Kong-based client, Mr. PK Siu.
Black Mamba will now head towards a start in the Group 1 Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Vase (2400m) on December 9, after which she will return to Australia to join the star broodmare band of Evergreen Farm, located just outside of Sydney.
She joins 2007 New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Princess Coup (Encosta De Lago) as another high profile purchase by Bott on behalf of Evergreen earlier this year.
Black Mamba's sire, Black Minnaloushe, who had an outstanding weekend as the sire of Group 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint victor Dancing in Silks, is represented by six lots at next Tuesday's (17 November) Karaka Ready to Run Sale.
These include the $1,000,000 Karaka Million eligible Lot 187 from Regal Farm, a gelding out of winning Volksraad mare Blanc De Chine who hails from the Slight Chance (Centaine) family. Click here to see his breeze-up.
Another highlight in Australasia's elite breeze-up sale is Lyndhurst Farm's Lot 75, a gelding by Hussonet from the same family as Black Mamba. Click here for his breeze-up.