Group 2 Travis S., Te Rapa
Race Summary:
Supera (NZ) (Savabeel) added a second Group victory to her resume in good style on Saturday.
Michael Coleman was aboard the mare in the 2000 metre contest and he settled her near the back of the field with only three horses beat. Nicoletta (NZ) (Savabeel) set the pace in the strung out field but the winner was willing to bide her time.
It wasn’t until Nicoletta was challenged inside the final 600 metres that Supera started to pick off horses from the outside of the field, only a few lengths behind the leader at 400 metres. Supera found another gear inside the final 200 metres to take over the lead and win comfortably over Jessiegee (NZ) (Alamosa {NZ}), who was flying up the rail but no threat to the winner.
Our Abbadean (Lookin At Lucky {USA}) was able to snatch third from Nicoletta in the closing stages of the race as the pacesetter started to face.
Pedigree Notes:
Supera is the second Group winner for her unraced dam Sopra Tutto (NZ) (Van Nistelrooy {USA}), who is from Melbourne Cup winner Ethereal (NZ) (Rhythm).
This family has Group 1 form under each of Supera’s first four dams with the mare herself Group 1 placed, her third dam Group 1 placed and her fourth dam the granddam of champion Darci Brahma (NZ) (Danehill {USA}), whose dam was also a Group 1 winner.
Sopra Tutto has an unnamed 2-year-old Atlante filly, a yearling filly by Makfi (GB) who sold for NZ$180,000 at Karaka this year and after missing last year was sent to Snitzel on an early covering in 2018.
Group 3 Cambridge Breeders' S., Te Rapa
Race Summary:
Speedy Meady (NZ) (Swiss Ace) and Vigor Winner (Declaration of War {USA}) made the judge put in a hard day’s work in the final stakes race of the day in New Zealand when dead heating at Te Rapa.
Both horses were in mid-pack of the tight field and had much work to do in the straight with neither looking like they would get to the leader with 200 metres left to go.
That all changed with 150 metres to go as Speedy Meady burst through a hole between the leaders and the wide out Vigor Winner. Vigor Winner who looked like he’d settle for third switched into another gear when he saw that runner and made up the half-length Speedy Meady put on him to make it impossible for the judge to separate them.
Santa Catarina (NZ) (Savabeel) was only a head behind the winners in third with Sheezallmine (Super Easy {NZ}) settling for fourth.
Pedigree Notes:
Speedy Meady is from the Elusive City (USA) mare Lucy In Disguise whose two named foals have won with Speedy Meady’s year older full sister placed at two.
Lucy In Disguise is a half-sister to a Listed winner and has multiple stakes horses under her first four dams but she is the only mare in the family during that time to produce a stakes winner. Speedy Meady has an unnamed 2-year-old full sister, the youngest live foal from his dam.
Vigor Winner is the second foal from Savont (Exceed And Excel), a half-sister to Group 3 placed Swords Drawn (Camelot {GB}). The mare’s second dam is Group 2 winner Palia (Last Tycoon {Ire}), who produced Group 1 winner and sire Onemorenomore (Red Ransom {USA}) among her four stakes horses.
One more generation back is Group 1 winner and sire Casino Prince (Flying Spur) among seven stakes winners under Savont’s third dam.
The mare produced an Iffraaj (GB) filly in 2017 that sold for $150,000 at the Inglis Classic Yearling sale this year, a 2018 Sweynesse filly, and she went back to Iffraaj for a 2019 foal.
Group 2 Victory S., Eagle Farm
Race Summary:
I Am Excited (Snitzel) caused a minor boilover, gunning down dual The Everest champ Redzel (Snitzel) to win the Victory S.
It was a perfect ride from Blake Shinn, who timed his run to perfection, after Redzel went for home 300m mark and kicked at least two lengths clear, only for I Am Excited to get out and chase the star sprinter.
Redzel felt the pinch late and Shinn drove through I Am Excited on the inside to win by 0.75l, with Jonker (Spirit of Boom) finishing on well for third, albeit a length and half further back.
I Am Excited has now won four stakes races for David Pfieffer, six races all up, and over $740,000 in prizemoney.
Pedigree Notes:
I Am Excited is a daughter of the General Nediym mare Lady Beckworth, who has also produced the G3 Frances Tressady winner Flippant (Hinchinbrook).
The stand-out in the family is the four-time Group 1 winner Atlantic Jewel (Fastnet Rock) while her half-sister Commanding Jewel (Commands) won the G1 Thousand Guineas.
Lady Beckworth has also produced the promising 2-year-old Jonah (Hinchinbrook), has a weanling I Am Invincible colt and visited Russian Revolution last spring.
Group 3 Gunsynd Classic, Eagle Farm
Race Summary:
Race favourite Gem Song (Your Song) didn’t let his backers down here when recording his fifth victory in nine starts.
Breaking well, Gem Song settled right behind the leaders when three wide with Blake Shinn aboard. Gem Song dropped back to fourth a few lengths off the leaders mid-race with Shinn sitting chilly on his mount. With 400 metres left, Gem Song still had those added lengths to make up but Shinn just had to give him a few nudges to take over in the closing stages.
He gave the colt a few reminder taps in the final 50 metres to keep his attention on the task but they were too good for the rest of the field when winning by over two lengths. Starkers (Love Conquers All) was in second and Belle Roc (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle {Ire}) came out ahead in a three way photo for third.
Pedigree Notes:
The Your Song colt is a half-brother to The Omega Man (Northern Meteor), who is a stakes winner in Singapore. They are two of five foals from Group 2 winner Beautiful Gem (Peintre Celebre {USA}), who has produced all winners from three to race.
She is a half-sister to three-time winner It’s Spring Again (Last Tycoon {Ire}), the dam of three stakes horses with a further three stakes horses credited to another half-sister. Beautiful Gem is the best runner for her dam and has proven to be the best daughter as well with her duo of stakes winners.
Her youngest live foal is a 2-year-old Smart Missile filly named Miss Gem in training with Michael Costa who has trialed but not yet run in a race.
Listed Dalrello S., Eagle Farm
Race Summary:
Jagged Edge (Better Than Ready) had to battle it out but in the end he earned a stakes victory in only his second start to stay undefeated.
The 2-year-old gelding was willing to let the leaders battle it out in front of him, sitting a few lengths off the pace a few paths off the fence. He moved closer at the top of the straight before making his move just before the 350 metre mark to take over the lead with about 100 metres left to run.
He had a battle on his hands all the way to the line with a three-way photo for the win. It took a bob of the head to get the victory over Deep Sea (Deep Field) with Oh Five Glory (Unencumbered) just slightly behind the two for third.
It was a first-season sires’ quinella with Better Than Ready beating Deep Field with the pair currently sitting 1-2 in the Leading First-Season Sire earnings by winners in the same positions (Deep Field is tied with Rubick in second at 10 winners each as of this race).
Pedigree Notes:
Only minutes after his sire More Than Ready (USA) produced a 2-year-old stakes winner in South Australia, Better Than Ready did as well to register his third stakes winner.
From the three-time winner Weekend Surprise (Rubiton), Jagged Edge is a half-brother to Group 3 winner Dan Baroness (Statue Of Liberty {USA}) and 8 other winners for a 100 percent winner to runner rate from their dam. Weekend Surprise’s own dam is a half-sister to Group 1 winner Pride Of Rancho (NZ) (Rancho Ruler) with nine other stakes winners under Weekend Surprise’s third dam.
The mare produced Spirit of Boom colts in back-to-back years after Jagged Edge with her yearling selling for $220,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast March Yearling Sale earlier this year.
Group 3 Breeders' S., Morphettville
Race Summary:
Kooweerup (More Than Ready {USA}) stayed undefeated in two starts and gave her Group 1 winning dam a first stakes winner here.
Kooweerup was content to take up her spot at the rear of the field in last place while the others worked out their positions ahead of her. As they swung into the straight, Kooweerup took her position widest of all around the turn and it was clear sailing from there.
She took full advantage of her clear running room to take over the lead in the final 100 metres. It was an easy victory for the filly, who spent the final strides pulling away to win by nearly two lengths over Memphis Rock (Fastnet Rock) with She Shao Fly (Epaulette) a little over a quarter length behind in third.
Pedigree Notes:
A $650,000 Magic Millions purchase by Yu Long Investments, Kooweerup is from the Group 1 winner Allez Wonder (Redoute’s Choice), who is a half-sister to Pretty Pins (NZ) (Pins) with another half-sister producing Group 1 winner Tivaci (High Chaparral {Ire}).
Allez Wonder’s Group 2 winning dam Luna Tudor (Military Plume {NZ}) is a half-sister to the dam of Listed winners Amphritite (Statoblest {Ire}) and Holy Blade (I Am Invincible).
Allez Wonder has produced four winners from four to race with Kooweerup her first stakes winner. The mare is also the dam of a yearling full-brother to Kooweerup, who was passed in for $85,000 at Magic Millions this year. She had a Tavistock filly in 2018 and returned to More Than Ready in his final season standing in Australia last year.
Group 3 Chairman's S., Morphettville
Race Summary:
Declarationofheart (Declaration Of War {USA}) broke through for his first black-type success and put forward his case as a serious contender for the upcoming G1 SA Derby with a strong come-from-behind win in the G3 Chairman's S.
Jockey Clayton Douglas faced a wall of horses in front of him heading into the straight, but patiently picked his way through the field to surge home on the inside of Star Missile (Smart Missile) and win by 1.1l. Classic Weiwei (Shamus Award) was third.
Declarationofheart was placed in last month's G2 Alistair Clark S before finishing a creditable eighth in the G1 AJC Derby last start.
Dropping back in class, he started a short-priced favourite but looked anything but that when Douglas found himself buried between horses at a key moment of the race. However, he found the space and had the class to recover and put his name up in lights as a genuine contender for the SA Derby.
Pedigree Notes:
Trainer Anthony Freedman bought Declarationofheart, who is from the first crop of Declaration of War, at the NZB Premier Yearling Sales for $130,000 in 2017.
He is out of Cardiac (Encosta De Lago), a two-time winner herself and a half-sister to G1 VRC Oaks winner Arapaho Miss (Danehill Dancer {USA}), who produced the 2017 Listed Andrew Ramsden S winner De Little Engine (Encosta De Lago).
Since Declarationofheart, Cardiac has had a Smart Missile filly called Cupid's Bow, an unnamed Charm Spirit (Ire) yearling filly and a colt by Reliable Man (GB) before going to Not A Single Doubt last season.
Listed City Of Adelaide Handicap, Morphettville
Race Summary:
Hussybay (Hussonet {USA}) was able to earn his first blacktype on Saturday when winning his first career stakes in his 27th career start.
The gelding split the field when taking a comfortable position on the rail a few lengths behind the leader. The chestnut ran into trouble in the straight when he had to find running room but the situation was resolved with 150 metres left to go when Jamie Kah sent the gelding through a hole next to the leading Flying Krupt (Krupt).
Hussybay was able to get his nose in front of Flying Krupt to give Jamie Kah her third win of the first six races on the card. Arkham Knight (Reaan) rounded out the top three when finishing a length and a half behind the leading pair.
Pedigree Notes:
A $55,000 Magic Millions Adelaide yearling, Hussybay is one of three stakes horses for his dam Kuri Bay (USA) (Summer Squall {USA}), who is a half-sister to a U.S. Group 3 winner and two other listed winners as well.
Kuri Bay was a two-time winner herself, winning in both Australia and North America before producing five winners of 26 races with her first foal and Hussybay both winning 10 races each.
Hussybay is the youngest of her foals and the first stakes winners though her son Typhoon Fury (Hurricane Sky) was third in the Group 2 Todman.
Listed Nitschke S., Morphettville
Race Summary:
East Indiaman (Hinchinbrook) atoned for his last-start defeat by securing his first stakes success with an all-the way win in the Listed Nitchske S.
A daring ride by apprentice Raquel Clark saw the Tony McEvoy 3-year-old stave off a wall of late challengers and record the most significant win of his 11-start career.
He defeated the Lindsay Park trained Seberate (Sebring) by 0.8l, with 0.4l back to Ice Ghost (Bradbury's Luck) in third.
East Indiaman has now won three of his 11 starts and nearly $148,000 in prizemoney
Pedigree Notes:
A $190,000 weanling purchase, East Indiaman was passed in as a yearling by $180,000 and retained to race by Glentree Thoroughbreds.
He is one of five winners from the dam, Dashie Diva (Dash For Cash), but the first at stakes level. In fact he is the first black-type winner in three generations on his pedigree page, with his third dam, La Rosette (Ire) (Lomond), stakes placed and a half-sister to two stakes winners.
Dashie Diva has had two younger full brothers to East Indiaman, a 2-year-old colt and a yearling colt, and went to Rubick last spring.
