Impressive Blacktype Win for Santa Catarina (NZ)

Savabeel filly Santa Catarina(NZ) was unable to reach her $80,000 reserve as a yearling at Karaka, but an impressive win in Saturday’s $50,000 Listed Waikato Equine Veterinary Centre Stakes (1100m) at Te Rapa confirmed her status as a valuable filly with a bright future.

Santa Catarina was bred by Lib Petagna’s JML Bloodstock Ltd, and was offered at the 2017 Premier Sale by Blandford Lodge – part-owned by Petagna.

When the filly went unsold at Karaka, she was retained by Petagna to race in his familiar apple green, blue and yellow colours, which have been worn to Group 1 victories by the likes of Karaka graduates Lucia Valentina(NZ) (Savabeel) and Sofia Rosa(NZ) (Makfi).

Trained by Stephen Marsh and ridden by Danielle Johnson, Santa Catarina got back in the field before unleashing a withering finish to catch fellow Karaka graduate Cavallo Veloce(NZ) (O’Reilly) right on the finish line.

“This is a race that we’ve been targeting, and we thought we had a right royal chance,” Marsh said. “She’s a smart filly and she won well.

“It’s great to get a Listed win for these colours – Lib Petagna and his manager Bruce Perry. She’s a lovely Savabeel filly who’s now a stakes winner. It’s our job to try to get black type for these fillies, and it’s job done for her.

“It’s all in front of her as a three-year-old next season.”

Santa Catarina has now had three starts for two wins, a second placing and $39,500 in prize-money.