Race Is On To Karaka Million

Smart two-year-old Maritimo (NZ) (Pins) staked an early season claim for the $1m Karaka Million when she remained unbeaten after a victory in the Listed $50,000 Sweet Orange @ Highview Wellesley Stakes (1000m) at Trentham on Saturday.

Maritimo (NZ) dashes to success in the Listed Wellesley Stakes. Photo courtesy of Race Images PN.

Maritimo is currently at the top of the order of entry for the Karaka Million and her earnings of $37,500 will see her safely qualify for New Zealand’s richest race on 25 January 2015.

“She’ll go out for a spell now and then she’ll be aimed at the Karaka Million,” commented co-trainer Debbie Rogerson.

Trained by Graeme & Debbie Rogerson, Maritimo was a debut winner at Ruakaka last month and was once again too slick for her rivals on Saturday, winning by an impressive 4.5 lengths.

Rider Johnathon Parkes quickly found the front on Maritimo and that is where the daughter of Pins would stay over the 1000m dash.

Sprinting off the front, Maritimo showed a strong turn-of-foot as she left her rivals in her wake over the last 200m with Platinum Express (NZ) (Showcasing) finishing second and Battle Plan (NZ) (Battle Paint) in third, both horses earning valuable stakes towards a Karaka Million start as well.

“She’s normally a really quiet filly, but she did get stirred up,” said Rogerson. “She is very professional out of the barriers and she’s a very good filly.”

Graeme Rogerson shares in the ownership of Maritimo with Wealleans Bloodstock Partnership, whose colours she races in, and J T Brown, T I Bawden, R R Ratcliffe & S Plant.

Bred by Waikato Stud, Maritimo is out of Group 3 placed mare Miracle Miss (O’Reilly), a daughter of stakes winning two-year-old Mandate (Sound Reason). Miracle Miss is a sister to dual stakes winning two-year-old Dating (O’Reilly), also a Group 3 winning three-year-old.

Rogerson Bloodstock purchased Maritimo for $200,000 at the 2014 Karaka Premier Sale from Waikato Stud.

Another Karaka Million contender was unveiled at Ellerslie on Saturday with Windborne (NZ) (Darci Brahma) winning the $20,000 The Edge 2YO (880m). The Jason Bridgman filly sits second on the Karaka Million order of entry behind Maritimo.

Later in the day at Trentham, Group 1 winner Puccini (NZ) (Encosta de Lago) returned to the winner’s circle in the Group 3 $70,000 TBS Thompson Handicap (1600m).

Last year’s Group 1 NZ Derby winner, Puccini carried the top-weight of 59kgs to a narrow short head victory on Saturday – the Karaka graduate’s seventh victory that took his earnings past $800,000.

To view the order of entry of the Karaka Million, click here.