Timely Boosts for Karaka May Sale

Less than two weeks out from New Zealand Bloodstock’s 2018 Karaka May Sale, low-priced graduates from the broodmare section of previous Sales have experienced major black-type upgrades.

Trujillo (Saint Ballado) cost just $4,000 at the 2017 National Weanling, Broodmare and Mixed Bloodstock Sale, which has been renamed the Karaka May Sale from this year. Trujillo was bought by Canterbury’s Long Acres Stud to be mated with their resident stallion Remind (Deputy Minister).

On Wednesday at Awapuni, Trujillo’s five-year-old daughter Ruby Armani (NZ) (Makfi) collected a valuable victory in the $50,000 Listed Manawatu ITM Anzac 1550 (1550m). It was a first black-type win for Ruby Armani, who had finished second in the Listed Flying Handicap (1400m) at her previous start.

The win provided a major upgrade to the pedigree page of Trujillo, who is the dam of five winners from six foals to race. Ruby Armani’s older half-sister Our Tigress (Tiger Hill) was placed at Listed level in Melbourne and is now also the dam of two winners.

It was the second time in the last six years that Long Acres Stud’s Deborah Clark and Myles Gordon have struck gold with a Karaka broodmare purchase.

“It was a good little result for us, from a $4,000 purchase,” Clark said. “It’s actually the second time we’ve done that with the broodmare sale. A few years ago we paid $800 to buy the dam of Ferlax (NZ) (Pentire), and the following season he came out and won the Group 1 Australian Guineas. So we’ve had a bit of luck with the mares we’ve bought at that sale.”

Meanwhile, Cataari (NZ) (Manntari), the dam of last Saturday’s $100,000 Group 2 Championship Stakes (2100m) winner Azaboy (NZ) (Azamour), is another broodmare graduate of the Sale. She was purchased for just $6,000 in 2008.

The catalogue for this year’s May Sale, to be held on Monday 7 and Tuesday 8 May, features 144 broodmares. You can view the catalogue online, or request a copy from Faye Hunt at [email protected].

Boasting strong pedigree and/or racetrack credentials, the broodmares section includes mares who are in foal to stallions such as Iffraaj, Darci Brahma, Burgundy, Showcasing, Roc de Cambes, Per Incanto, Ocean Park, Power, Tavistock, Pentire and Reliable Man, plus exciting newcomers like Tivaci, Sacred Falls, Vadamos, Astern, Telperion, Charm Spirit, Belardo, Mongolian Khan, Tarzino, Preferment and Turn Me Loose.