Keepa Cruisin Makes Play for NZB Filly Series Lead
26 January 2008
Today's decisive win by Keepa Cruisin (Keeper x Just Cruising by Broad Reach) in the Group 3 Sharp Desert Gold Stakes (1600m) has turned this year's New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series into a true duel of the Keepers.
Shooting up to second spot with 17 points, Keepa Cruisin now sits just one point behind fellow Keeper filly, Insouciant (Keeper x Loudenne by Palace Music).
Trained by Stephen McKee, Keepa Cruisin produced a sterling performance, winning by one-and-a-quarter lengths under the urgings of Leith Innes.
The result continues her ascent from the shadow of her six time Gr.1 winning half-sister, Seachange (Cape Cross), adding further Group spoils to a career record that includes a Gr.1 win in the Levin Classic (1600m) at Otaki and a Gr.1 second behind Insouciant in the Group 1 NZB 1000 Guineas.
Keepa Cruisin has achieved three race victories and seven career placings for her owner/breeder Dick Karreman of The Oaks Stud, and is also distinguished as being one of her sire's five stakes-winners to date.
During his racing career Keeper won two Group races, the Group 1 SAJC Goodwood Handicap (1200m) and the Group 3 VATC Victoria Handicap (1400m) with five other wins and three seconds from 16 starts. He is represented by 37 yearlings over the Sales Series in the coming week (Premier Sale: 28 & 29 January, Select Sale: 30 January - 1 February, Festival Sale: 3 & 4 February).
Boosting her point tally to sit in fifth place in the Series was today's second place-getter Kaatoon (Kaapstad x Toonsie by Affirmed), while Bella Valentina (Pins x Roaring Meg by Centaine) features for the first time with one-point-five points for her third.
Today's race was the seventh in the ten race Series for which the Group 1 Gillies Group New Zealand Oaks will provide the finale on 18 March at Trentham. The next race in the Series is the Group 2 Cambridge Stud Sir Tristram Fillies Classic (2000m) on 9 February at Te Rapa.