Karman Line (NZ) Secures Stakes Win

Two years after picking up a placing in one of New Zealand’s richest races, highly talented Karaka graduate Karman Line (NZ) (Myboycharlie) claimed a well-deserved first stakes win in Saturday’s $100,000 Group Three Rotorua ITM Stakes (1400m).

Karman Line was a $14,000 purchase from the 2019 Karaka May Sale, then went through the ring again during Book 2 of Karaka 2020 and was bought by Wexford Stables for $67,500. Her 18-start career has produced three wins, six placings and $215,100 in stakes.

Karman Line showed real talent from the very start, winning on debut at Te Aroha in November 2021 and finishing third in the $1m Karaka Million 3YO Classic (1600m) in the fourth race of her career two months later. She was beaten by only a neck and a length and a half that day by Pin Me Up (NZ) (Pins) and Tutukaka (NZ) (Tavistock).

After mixed fortunes through the following two years, Karman Line has shown promising signs in recent starts with a win in the $50,000 Lisa Chittick Plate (1400m) at Matamata, a strong-finishing eighth in the Group One New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) and a last-start second in a photo finish at Te Rapa.

Saturday produced the black-type win that Matamata trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott had been looking for. Karman Line was ridden patiently by Masa Hashizume, who took up a position in the back half of the field before securing a dream run three run off the rail in the straight.

Karman Line burst through to take a clear lead, then dug deep when challenged by multiple Group One winner La Crique (NZ) (Vadamos). That pair moved four lengths clear of the rest of the field, fighting out a thrilling finish that Karman Line won by a head.

“La Crique has had every chance to pick her up and she has pinned her ears back and fought her off,” Scott said.

“This mare has really hit a sweet spot this time in. She has had other campaigns where she never held her condition, but she has really muscled up now and her best racing is still in front of her.

“She is a really talented mare who has shown glimpses from time to time, and it’s fantastic for a loyal bunch of owners who have shown great patience.”