Katie Lee Continues Karaka Million Form
9 November 2009
The form of the 2009 Karaka Million was further franked by the gutsy display of Katie Lee when winning the $1,000,000 Group 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) in Christchurch on Saturday.
The neatly put together filly absorbed two significant bumps in the home stretch before finding her feet and acceleration to run past long-time race leader, Military Move (Volksraad), who had kicked clear and looked every bit the winner before the dashing grey swooped.
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| �Katie Lee is the fifth Group 1 winner for her succesful young sire Pins (pictured at Waikato Stud) |
Katie Lee (Pins x Miss Jessie Jay, by Spectacularphantom), now the winner of New Zealand's richest classic, was among the favourites for New Zealand's richest two-year-old contest earlier this year, the $1,000,000 Karaka Million, after victory in the Group 3 ARC Eclipse Stakes.
The hotly contested juvenile race which is only available to nominated Karaka National Yearling Sale graduates is proving to be a hot-bed for producing Group 1 class gallopers.
Of the fourteen 2009 contestants, three are now Group 1 winners (Katie Lee, Kaaptan, and The Heckler), with The Heckler being crowned Champion 2YO, while sixth place-getter Mexican Rose is unbeaten in her five Singapore starts with her win in the Singapore Group 3 Juvenile Championship ensuring her Champion Singapore Juvenile status.
Bred by Hallmark Stud, Katie Lee is from the wonderfully recent Miss Distinction family which includes the likes Group winners Gee I Jane (Group 1 BTC Cup and Group 1 Telegraph Handicap), San Bernadino (Group 3 Stewards Handicap), and Katie Lee's very own Group 3 winning dam, Miss Jessie Jay.
Trained by Graeme Rogerson, for leading New Zealand breeders Sir Patrick and Lady Justine Hogan, Katie Lee now has $730,000 in stake earnings from four victories.
Cambridge Stud's Sir Patrick Hogan purchased Katie Lee out of the Karaka Premier Sale for $340,000 in 2008. She is expected to provide further excitement when she backs up into Group 1 New Zealand Bloodstock 1000 Guineas this Saturday against her own sex.
Katie Lee is the seventh Group 1 winner for New Zealand Bloodstock this season. Click here for the full list.
Katie Lee's leading sire Pins is represented by eight colts and geldings at next Tuesday's Ready to Run Sale of Two Year Olds (17 November). These include:
Lot 147 - Chestnut Gelding - Pins x Winds of Conquest (Quest for Fame) - Phoenix Park
- This gelding is a half-brother to five winners including dual Group 3 winner Coup Bloomsbury (Centaine), Group 3 placed Like The Wind (Deputy Governor), and America's Cup (Kaapstad).
- In a recent pedigree update this gelding's half-sister O'Tobefamous (Zabeel) has won a further two races in Melbourne since the catalogue went to print.
- Click here for breeze-up video.
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Ready to Runners Booming
With just over a week until Karaka's Ready to Run Sale, past graduates of the Sale have been making loud noises for the calibre of athlete the sale has on offer.
Shaune Ritchie's Military Move (Volksraad x All Night Party, by Just a Dancer) shouted loudest on Saturday with a mammoth effort to almost lead the entire way in the $1,000,000 Group 1 NZ 2000 Guineas.
Caught right on the line in just his fourth start, the son of Volksraad clearly enjoyed the firmer footing and looks a major player in the classic ranks this season.
He was purchased under a year ago at the 2008 Karaka Ready to Run Sale by Almond Lee for $110,000 from Amity Lodge, with the gelding now raced by Mr Steven Kit Sing Lo.
The Karaka breeze-up� Sale was also responsible for six winners in Hong Kong and Singapore over the weekend.
Last year's second top priced colt, St Didar (Keeper x Jazzmatazz, by Citidancer), scored by half a length on debut at Sha Tin on Saturday night.
A Chris McAnulty purchase for $300,000 from Phoenix Park, St Didar finished strongly over 1000m to defeat older horse Native Kid (Success Express) for his trainer David Ferraris and owner Richard Hui Chung Yee.
Also from the 2008 Sale, but racing in Singapore, is Doremi La (Kashani x Rising High, by Jetball) who won over 1200m at Kranji over the weekend.
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| �Mohd Yusof's Ready to Run Graduate Doremi La |
Doremi La took his earnings to $75,000 after his second victory for trainer Mohd Yusof and owners Lee Le Paris Stable.
Purchased less than 12 months ago for just $21,000 by Soon Hock Lee from Sarah Wallis, Doremi La is a prime example of the value buying available in New Zealand having now won more than three times his cost.
Other Karaka Ready to Run winning graduates over the weekend include:
| Horse | Breeding | Sale, Price | Vendor | Buyer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perfect Match (SIN) | Align x Lucy's Choice | RTR, $50,000 | Cairnmuir Farm | Dean Wiles |
| A-Power (SIN) | Lion Heart x Flapper | RTR, Passed In | Lyndhurst Farm | Not Applicable |
| High Key (SIN) | His Royal Highness x Canny Deal | RTR, $54,000 | Kilgravin Lodge | Mick Dittman |
| Super Gentleman (HK) | Untouchable x Choke | RTR, $40,000 | Anzac lodge | Michael Wallace Bloodstock |
New Zealand Bloodstock's one-day Ready to Run Sale will take place on Tuesday next week (17 November).