Tennessee in Box Seat for the Karaka Million

Karaka graduate Tennessee (NZ) (Per Incanto) has a firm grip on the Karaka Million Order of Entry as she remained unbeaten in the Listed $50,000 Linwood Park Wellesley Stakes (1000m) at Trentham yesterday.

Tennessee (NZ) races to victory in the Listed Linwood Park Wellesley Stakes. Photo courtesy of Race Images Palmerston North.

Making the trip from trainers Stephen McKee and Eddie Chippendale’s Ardmore base, this was Tennessee’s first tilt at a black-type race following her winning debut last start at Ruakaka six weeks ago.

With two wins from two starts, this propels the daughter of Per Incanto to the top of the leaderboard for the $1 million Karaka Million – New Zealand’s richest race – with combined earnings of $39,060.

“She can have a couple of weeks off now and when she comes back she can have a run in something like the Eclipse Stakes before the Karaka Million,” commented McKee. “She was a little bit on the toe saddling her up so there is more improvement to come from her.”

Starting from the inside barrier of 1 for stable jockey Sam Spratt, Tennessee ran to the early lead despite narrowly missing the start. Leading all the way, she had Dontpokethetiger (Beneteau) range up to challenge, but Tennessee dug deep to win by three-quarters-of-a-length over Dontpokethetiger and in third place was Fortaleza (NZ) (Darci Brahma).

“She’s a natural and that seems a trait of the Per Incantos, they all coming out running,” added McKee. “She’s a very, very fast filly with quite a big stride.”

Purchased by Trevor McKee at New Zealand Bloodstock’s 2015 Festival Sale for $15,000 from Mapperley Stud, the two-year-old filly is now raced by TA Green, Trevor McKee ONZM, Sir Colin Meads and Pinehaven Racing.

Bred by Mapperley Stud’s Simms Davison, the daughter of Per Incanto is out of winning O’Reilly mare Bella Carolina. Tennessee’s second dam is a half-sister to Group 1 winning Dress Circle (Zabeel) and is a full-sister to stakes placegetter Flying Flight (Centaine).

Also to win a two-year-old race yesterday for McKee and Chippendale was Karaka graduate Xiong Feng (NZ) (Iffraaj), making his racing debut at Ellerslie. Winning the $17,500 Love Realty Limited 2YO over 880m has placed the son of Iffraaj third on the leaderboard for the Karaka Million with earnings of $10,435.

Second on the leaderboard is What Choux Want (NZ) (Jimmy Choux), increasing her prizemoney to $14,435 yesterday after being runner-up at Riccarton in the $17,500 NZB Ready to Run Sale Two-Year-Old over 800m.

To view the Order of Entry for the Karaka Million, click here.