Unrivalled Karaka Graduates Take World Stage by Storm

New Zealand Bloodstock sales are a proven source of elite thoroughbred talent, with Karaka graduates consistently demonstrating their strength, stamina and Group One-winning abilities on the world stage. 

New Zealand-bred and sold horses continue to headline major racing events, proving tough competition for their international opponents. Featured below is a seasonal review of NZB’s sensational graduate success.

NZB’s 2020-21 Group One honour roll lists an outstanding calibre of top-class performers who have taken their racing jurisdictions by storm, including the likes of Explosive Jack (NZ), Golden Sixty, Melody Belle (NZ), Mo’unga (NZ) and Probabeel (NZ) just to name a few.

Graduate Highlights

• In the last six seasons, NZB graduates have claimed 141 G1 wins and 832 stakes wins.
• Karaka graduates took out an incredible 100% of all six Australian Derby races in Australia last season.  
• Karaka graduates have claimed six of the last seven runnings of the G1 Hong Kong Sprint, with Sky Field (Deep Field) taking out the 2021 edition of the coveted race. 
• NZB graduates claimed four consecutive Hong Kong Derbys with Sky Darci (NZ) victorious in the 2021 edition, cementing Karaka as the number one source of winners.
• Last season alone, NZB graduates were victorious in 32 G1 races and 108 stakes races.

Australia

• New Zealand-bred horses won 24% of all Australian G1 races this season while making up just 7% of the racing population.
• Kiwi-bred horses claimed 100% of all G1 Derby races in Australia this season.
• On average, NZ-bred horses earned 56% more than Australian-breds during the 2020-21 season in Australia.
• The strong and persistent Kolding (NZ) cost just NZ$170,000 and has since won A$6.3 million, almost 40 times his purchase price at Karaka.

Hong Kong

• 42% of all G1 winners in Hong Kong in the last three seasons were sourced at Karaka. 
• In the entire history of the Hong Kong Derby, NZ horses have been the number one source of winners.
• In the last five seasons, NZB Graduates have claimed 35% of all feature races during Hong Kong's International Raceday, more than any other sales company in the world.
• Graduates of NZB sales claimed six out of nine trophies at Hong Kong’s 2020-21 Champion Awards, with superstar Golden Sixty leading the charge claiming Horse of the Year, Champion Middle-Distance Horse, Champion Miler and Most Popular Horse.

New Zealand

• Five consecutive G1 New Zealand Oaks have been claimed by NZB grads with Amarelinha (NZ) taking out the 2021 edition.
• Karaka Million hero Aegon (NZ) cost NZ$150,000 and has since won NZ$1.1 million – over seven times his purchase price at Karaka.
• Karaka Million 2YO winner On The Bubbles was a NZ$90,000 purchase and has already won over NZ$700,000 – more than eight times his Karaka yearling sale purchase price.
• NZB graduates have won seven of the last eight G1 NZ 2000 Guineas.

Singapore

• During the 2020 season, NZ-bred and sold horses claimed 41% of all stakes races in Singapore.
• A source of speed, Karaka graduates have dominated the Golden Horseshoe, claiming six of the last eight editions.
• 50% of all stakes races in Singapore from 2016 - 2020 have been won by NZ-bred or sold horses.
• Superstar racehorse The Inferno has claimed eight of his nine career starts, earning SGP$906,000 in prizemoney from a NZ$140,000 purchase price at Karaka.

The value found in NZB’s National Yearling Sales Series catalogue is a testament to the quality of New Zealand-reared horses, who are born and raised in the country’s temperate climate and nutrient-rich pastures, while being expertly prepared by kiwi horsemen and women.

The date may be different, but when buyers and consignors converge on Karaka for the 96th annual New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sales Series in March, the stars of the show will be the same stellar selection of yearlings that New Zealand is famous for.

View the Karaka 2022 catalogues online here.

NZB Sale Calendar

Karaka 2022: 7 – 12 March at Karaka
Karaka Million Twilight meeting: 22 January at Ellerslie Racecourse