NZB Standardbred Yearlings Destined for Group One Success
29 January 2021
NZB Standardbred’s 2021 National Standardbred Yearling Sale held in Auckland and Christchurch gives buyers the best opportunity to ride the wave of success that graduates started across Australasia.
Products of NZB Standardbred’s inaugural 2019 National Yearling Sale began collating Group One titles and large purses soon after hitting racetracks on both sides of the Tasman.
Despite the interruptions of COVID-19 last year, the first class of NZB Standardbred’s National Yearling Sale have now stamped themselves as Australasian stars.
Krug the Perfect Pacer
Krug (NZ) (Bettor’s Delight) caught the attention of the harness racing world as soon as he made his sale ring debut.
The Cran Dalgety trained star has shown an electric turn of speed, a flawless gait and the temperament that defies his age since his racing debut in December of 2019.
In just his third start, the son of former racetrack star Champagne Princess (NZ) (Soky’s Atom) showed his strength of stamina by winning the $26,000 Group Three New Zealand Sapling Stakes (1609m) at Ashburton.
Krug then established himself as New Zealand’s star two-year-old after he produced a devastating burst of speed to win the $96,000 Group One Young Guns Cardigan Bay Stakes (1700m) at Alexandra Park.
Krug ended his two-year-old season by beating older horses in smart times at Addington before being crowned New Zealand Two-Year-Old of the Year at the industry’s Harness Racing Awards.
In the new season, Krug was soon back at Alexandra Park where he ran the narrowest of second placings behind American Dealer (NZ) (American Dealer) in the rescheduled $128,000 Group One Group One Two-Year-Old Sires Stakes Final (1700m) at Alexandra Park.
Just a week later at the same track, Krug was at his best bursting away from his rivals to win the $200,000 Listed NZB Standardbred Harness Million Two-Year-Old Colts & Geldings Final (2200m).
Krug has won nine of his 14 starts, bagged $253,420 in stakes and reached harness racing star status since being purchased by Cran Dalgety for $155,000 from the Smolenski Stables draft at the NZB Standardbred National Yearling Sales at Christchurch in 2019.
American Dealer the Bargain Buy
A smart and compact pacing machine with every racetrack weapon in his arsenal, American Dealer was the value purchase of the NZB Standardbred’s 2019 National Yearling Sale.
Secured for just $23,000, American Dealer won twice and placed once in just four starts during an interrupted two-year-old season for trainer Ray Green.
After beginning his three-year-old season in style, the colt downed Krug to win the rescheduled $128,000 Group One Two-Year-Old Sires Stakes Final (1700m) at Alexandra Park.
Ranked at the very top of New Zealand’s three-year-old table, American Dealer won the $42,000 Alabar Three-Year-Old Classic (2200m) at Alexandra Park before running third in the $200,000 Listed NZB Standardbred Harness Million Three-Year-Old Colts & Geldings Final (2200m) at the same track.
He has now won seven of his 16 racetrack appearances and banked $177,105 in prizemoney since he was purchased by Lincoln Farms Bloodstock for $23,000 out of White Stables’ draft.
It’s All About Faith’s Strength and Stamina
A strong and powerful pacer, It’s All About Faith (NZ) (Captaintreacherous) was Krug’s arch rival as the pair dominated New Zealand’s two-year-old ranks in the 2019-20 season.
The Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen trained colt downed Krug in his first start before running second to him in the $96,000 Group One Young Guns Cardigan Bay Stakes (1700m) at Alexandra Park and ending his two-year-old season with two wins and two seconds from just four starts.
More wins followed in his three-year-old season before It’s All About Faith went on to run third to fellow NZB Standardbred graduates American Dealer and Krug in the rescheduled $128,000 Group One Two-Year-Old Sires Stakes Final (1700m) at Alexandra Park.
After more battles with the classy pair before It’s All About Faith notched a deserved Group One victory in the $138,000 Group One Sires Stakes Final (1980m) at Addington on New Zealand Cup Day.
Its All About Faith has now won five races, placed six times and earned $171,104 in prizemoney since he was purchased by All Stars Racing for $130,000 from Breckon Farms draft at the 2019 NZB Standardbred National Yearling Sale in Auckland.
Always An Angel & Jett Star Western Australian Wonders
NZB Standardbred’s 2019 National Yearling Sale graduates first made their impact in Group One races located in Western Australia.
Always An Angel (NZ) (Art Major) notched the first Group One win for NZB Standardbred in emphatic and appropriate style.
The filly overcame the toughest of trips, racing three wide around the tight-turning Gloucester Park track while showing off her brilliant staying prowess to win the A$100,000 Two-Year-Old Fillies Diamond Classic (2130m).
The victory added to the pacer’s brilliant record of having won five of just six starts.
Always An Angel was third in her only other outing and has banked $A87,607 since being knocked down to her trainer Justin Prentice from the Highfields Bloodstock at NZB Standardbred’s National Yearling Sale at Karaka in 2019.
Jett Star (NZ) (Bettor’s Delight) again showcased the speed and stamina of National Yearling Sale graduates with his dominant win in the A$64,000 Group One Pearl Classic Final (2130m) at Gloucester Park.
Jet Starr has won five of just eight starts as well as banking $81,102 in stakes since he was purchased by Brent Mangos for $30,000 from Woodlands Stud’s draft at the 2019 National Yearling Sale at Karaka.
Buyers can purchase confidently with all yearlings available to inspect during on-farm parades. NZB Standardbred and New Zealand based-agents and trainers will be available to inspect on behalf of prior to the Sale and on the grounds at the Karaka Sales Centre and Canterbury Agricultural Park.
2021 National Standardbred Yearling Sale Calendar
- Auckland Parade at Karaka: Saturday 13 February 2021, 1PM (NZT)
- Auckland Sale of Pacers & Trotters: Sunday 14 February 2021, 12PM (NZT)
- Christchurch Parade & Sale of Trotters: Monday 15 February 2021, 1PM (NZT)
- Christchurch Sale of Pacers: Tuesday 16 & Wednesday 17 February 2021, 1PM (NZT)