Too Sweet (NZ) Too Swift in Eclipse Stakes

New Zealand’s first feature race of 2025 delivered a perfect start to the year for NZB, with a clean sweep for Karaka graduates and a full-sister to the winner catalogued for Karaka 2025.

The $225,000 Group Two Skycity Eclipse Stakes (1200m), a prestigious race for two-year-olds at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day, was won in impressive all-the-way style by Too Sweet (NZ) (Satono Aladdin). She was bought by Chris Rutten for $50,000 from Phoenix Park’s Book 2 draft at Karaka 2022, and she has earned $164,400 from a three-start career that has produced two wins and a placing.

Eclipse Stakes runner-up La Dorada (NZ) (Super Seth) was a $190,000 purchase from Book 1 of Karaka 2024 and has returned $64,625 from just two starts. The third-placed Almakeitgood (NZ) (Ardrossan) cost $90,000 in Book 1 of Karaka 2024 and has so far banked $41,610 from a four-race career.

Too Sweet is the latest success story for Rutten’s Karaka purchases, joining the likes of Karaka Million 2YO (1200m) winner Vespa (NZ) (Elusive City) and Karaka Million 3YO (1600m) hero Scott Base (NZ) (Dalghar), along with Karaka Million placegetters Wolverine (NZ) (Tivaci), Yourdeel (NZ) (Dundeel), Touche (NZ) (Thorn Park), Kingsman (NZ) (Darci Brahma) and Avonallo (NZ) (Belardo).

The Roydon Bergerson-trained Too Sweet was a smart winner on debut at Trentham on October 27, then returned to the same venue for a second placing on December 7.

She went to a new level at Ellerslie, showing brilliant early speed to take the lead after jumping from the outside gate. Rider Michael McNab was able to dictate terms from there, giving his mount some easier sectionals coming down the side of the track.

Too Sweet quickened again in the straight and kicked away from the talented field, dashing to victory by a length and a half.

“The plan was to ride her quiet from a wide gate, because it looked like there would be good speed,” McNab said. “After I’d gone a few strides, I thought I might as well be the one who takes it up, and it worked out really well.

“She was a little aggressive and quite fresh, but she found a good kick and that gives you confidence for what’s ahead. She can race from behind or from the front, so she can do it all.”

Bergerson is now aiming Too Sweet at the $1m TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) on January 25, having saddled Wolverine (NZ) (Tivaci) for a second placing in the lucrative juvenile feature in 2022.

“I think she’s as good as Wolverine,” the Awapuni trainer. “She has a great turn of foot and probably has a better brain. She won pretty well today and is a good horse.

“Michael took the initiative. Our plan was to drop in behind them, but she flew the gate and that was it.”

Too Sweet is part-owned by Bergerson’s son Sam, who trains in partnership with Mark Walker at Te Akau Racing.

“There is nothing better in racing than winning a race for your son, the leading trainer in New Zealand,” Roydon Bergerson said. “Sam can take over now. We’ll leave her at Te Akau, where she’ll go out on the water walker for a week, and then we’ll bring her back here in three weeks.”

Brighthill Farm will offer Too Sweet’s full-sister at Karaka 2025. The Satono Aladdin filly will go through the ring as Lot 855.

Vendor	Phoenix Park
Purchaser	Chris Rutten Bloodstock (BAFNZ) (Wellington)
Breeding	Satono Aladdin – Sparkling Rose
Sale	Lot 977, Karaka 2024 Book 2, $50,000
Bred by	E E & W L Mountfort