Montana D J Leads NZB Standardbred Graduate Domination
8 March 2021
Montana D J (NZ) (Captaintreacherous) delivered a powerful performance as NZB Standardbred graduates dominated the first two-year-old Group One events of the season at Alexandra Park on Friday night.
Sitting parked for the entire race was not enough to stop the classy pacer from downing his arch-rival Classy Operator (NZ) (Bettor’s Delight) in the $87,000 Group One Breckon Farms Young Guns Cardigan Bay Stakes Final (1700m).
After filling the quinella in the final heat of the Young Guns Series, the pair again went head to head down the Alexandra Park straight, with Montana D J digging deep to win by a neck at the finish.
Driver Zachary Butcher was full of praise for Montana D J following his win and suggested in his post-race interview that there is plenty more to come from the classy two-year-old.
“This horse did it tough out parked and he just showed he was better than them.”
“He is actually getting better and better with each run and there is a lot more under the bonnet once he starts to learn racing.
“Here’s hoping going forward he has a very good career, I think it is looking very bright for him,” Butcher said.
Montana D J has the pedigree of a racetrack star, being by former top North American racehorse turned sire Captaintreacherous and out of seven-time Group One winning race mare One Dream (NZ) (Dream Away).
The standout colt was purchased by Queensland owner Dean Shannon’s Montana Park out of breeder Jill Smolenski’s draft at NZB Standardbred’s 2020 National Yearling Sale in Christchurch.
NZB Standardbred graduates made up six of the eight horses that contested the Group One Young Guns Final and they filled the first six placings.
Montana D J and Classy Operator were followed across the line by Casino Action (NZ) (Bettor’s Delight), who ran on strongly to take out the third placing.
Major Perry (NZ) (Art Major) made up a big slice of ground to run fourth ahead of fifth placed Mr Ibiza (NZ) (Sunshine Beach) and sixth placed I’m Your Huckleberry (NZ) (Art Major).
NZB Standardbred graduates were prominent right across the feature races on a huge night of harness racing at Alexandra Park on Friday 5 March.
Krug (NZ) (Bettor’s Delight), Luke John (NZ) (Mach Three) and American Dealer (NZ) (American Ideal) filled the trifecta in the $190,000 Group One Woodlands Stud Northern Derby (2700m).
In the $58,000 Crombie Lockwood Bloodstock Delightful Lady Classic (1700m) Dance Till Dawn (NZ) (Art Major) finished second and Chevrons Bypass (NZ) (Captaintreacherous) took third.
|
Vendor |
J. L. Smolenski |
|
Purchaser |
Montana Park |
|
Breeding |
Captaintreacherous – One Dream |
|
Sale |
2020 National Yearling Sale Christchurch, Lot 227, $175,000 |
|
Bred By |
J. L. Smolenski |