Away from the bright lights of Book 1, the Book 2 session of NZB’s National Yearling Sales Series has a proud record of producing high-quality racehorses at much lower prices.
More than a dozen Group winners have come out of Book 2 since Karaka 2018, including no fewer than nine individual Group One winners. The prices paid for those nine Group One winners range from $32,500 to $90,000, with an average of just $62,917.
Group One Graduates
Sprint queen Roch ‘N’ Horse (NZ) (Per Incanto) was offered by her breeders Little Avondale Stud during Book 2 of Karaka 2018, where her reserve was only $40,000. She was passed in. Retained to race in Little Avondale’s green and gold colours, Roch ‘N’ Horse earned more than $3m with brilliant Group One victories in Flemington’s Group One Newmarket Handicap (1200m) and Champions Sprint (1200m). She also placed in the Group One Telegraph (1200m) and William Reid Stakes (1200m).
Ancroft Stud’s purchase of Legarto (NZ) (Proisir) for $90,000 has turned out to be one of the biggest bargains at Karaka in the last decade. The Karaka 2021 Book 2 graduate has so far earned $1.95m from just 15 starts, including a prestigious trans-Tasman Group One double as a three-year-old in the New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) and Australian Guineas (1600m). With her brilliant burst out of the pack in the Australian Guineas, she became the first New Zealand-trained winner of that famous Flemington race. As a four-year-old, Legarto added the Group One Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m) to her CV, along with strong-finishing seconds in the Group One New Zealand Stakes (2000m) and the inaugural $1m Elsdon Park Aotearoa Classic 4YO (1500m).
Hall of Fame horseman Graeme Rogerson paid $55,000 to buy Sharp ‘N’ Smart (NZ) (Redwood) from Book 2 of Karaka 2021. Sharp ‘N’ Smart went on to become one of that stable’s best horses of the 21st century and was crowned New Zealand Horse of the Year in 2023. He has had 25 starts for six wins, eight placings and more than $3.2m. He was a triple Group One winner as a three-year-old, taking out the Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) in Sydney and the Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m) and New Zealand Derby (2400m) on home soil.
A reserve of only $20,000 was put on Gypsy Goddess (NZ) (Tarzino) in Book 2 of Karaka 2020. She was passed in. She went on to win six of her 10 starts and over A$1.9m, including victories in the Group One Queensland Oaks (2200m) and Group Three Grand Prix Stakes (2100m). She also placed in the Group One Australian Oaks (2400m), Group One Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) and A$10m Golden Eagle (1500m).
Another passed in lot in Book 2 of Karaka 2020 was Dark Destroyer (NZ) (Proisir), whose reserve was $30,000. He has had 24 starts for five wins, three placings and $622,445 in stakes. He won the Group One Tarzino Trophy (1400m) at Hastings in the spring of 2022, along with Group Three victories on both sides of the Tasman.
Despite being a half-brother to Group One winner Ladies First (NZ) (Dylan Thomas), trainer Allan Sharrock had to pay only $60,000 to buy Ladies Man (NZ) (Zed) from Book 2 of Karaka 2019. That purchase has been rewarded with $921,656 in stakes from a 32-start career, including Group One wins in the Livamol Classic (2040m) and last month’s TAB Mufhasa Classic (1600m).
Pulchritudinous (NZ) (Wrote) was a $32,500 purchase by Chad Ormsby’s Riverrock Farm during Book 2 of Karaka 2022. She won last season’s Group One New Zealand Oaks (2400m) and Group Two Lowland Stakes (2000m), earning $389,205 before being sold across the Tasman to clients of the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable.
Group One Randwick Guineas (1600m) hero Lion’s Roar (NZ) has been a headline performer in the sadly short-lived career of highly successful Mapperley Stud sire Contributer. Lion’s Roar was a $65,000 purchase by Champion Thoroughbreds from Book 2 of Karaka 2019, and the durable gelding has so far earned A$2.39m.
One of the most breathtaking three-year-old performances anywhere in Australasia last season came from Warmonger (NZ) (War Decree), who blew his opposition off the track by 10 lengths in the Group One Queensland Derby (2400m) at Eagle Farm in June. He was a $75,000 purchase from Book 2 of Karaka 2022 and subsequently resold for $165,000 at the Ready to Run Sale. Warmonger has had 12 starts for three wins, three placings and A$1.08m, with his Queensland Derby heroics backed up by a second in the Group One South Australian Derby (2500m) and a fourth in this season’s Group One Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m).
Age-Group Standouts
One of the brightest talents among the current crop of two-year-olds in New Zealand is Too Sweet (NZ) (Satono Aladdin), who was a $50,000 purchase by Chris Rutten Bloodstock from Book 2 of Karaka 2024. The classy filly has had three starts for two wins and a second, including a brilliant victory in the Group Two Eclipse Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day. She has earned $164,400 in stakes so far.
Too Sweet is now a key contender for the $1m TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) at Ellerslie on January 25. Under its old name of the Select Sale, Book 2 has produced five previous winners of New Zealand’s richest two-year-old race.
- 2009: The Heckler (Lucky Owners). Bought for $70,000 from the 2008 Select Sale and earned $724,800 from a 20-start, four-win career.
- 2010: Sister Havana (NZ) (General Nediym). Cost $40,000 at the 2009 Select Sale and earned just under $550,000 in 17 starts.
- 2014: Vespa (NZ) (Elusive City). Bought for $34,000 from the 2013 Select Sale. He had 18 starts for seven wins, five placings and $916,213 in stakes. Now stands at Mapperley Stud and has sired 56 winners from 103 runners, with five individual stakes winners headed by Group One winner Puntura (NZ).
- 2015: Hardline (NZ) (Showcasing). Turned his $130,000 purchase price at the 2014 Select Sale into more than $600,000 from a 12-race career.
- 2016: Xiong Feng (NZ) (Iffraaj). Bought for $30,000 from the 2015 Select Sale and earned $583,835 from only eight starts before relocating to Singapore.
The $1m Karaka Million 3YO Classic (1600m), which is now the $1.5m TAB Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m), was won by Scott Base (NZ) (Dalghar) in 2018. He was a $70,000 purchase by Chris Rutten Bloodstock from the 2016 Select Sale and earned $736,750 from a 22-start, five-win career.
Black-Type Stars
Grinzinger Belle (NZ) (Shamexpress) was bought for only $32,000 from Book 2 of Karaka 2022. She has gone on to become a multiple black-type performer in Melbourne, headed by victories in the Group Two Let’s Elope Stakes (1400m), Group Three Vanity Stakes (1400m) and Group Three Ladies’ Day Vase (1400m). She has had 15 starts for four wins, five placings and A$618,655 in stakes – 20 times her purchase price.
Million-dollar earner Ayrton (NZ) (Iffraaj) was offered in Book 2 of Karaka 2019, where he failed to meet his $40,000 reserve. He has had 24 starts for eight wins and four placings, including two wins at Group Three level in Brisbane and Melbourne. He has also placed in the Group Two Blamey Stakes (1600m) and ran a close fifth against an elite field in the Group One CF Orr Stakes (1400m). His career earnings stand at A$1,052,725.
Karman Line (NZ) (Myboycharlie) was a $67,500 purchase by Wexford Stables from Book 2 of Karaka 2020. She has had 21 starts for three wins, six placings and $220,500. She placed in the Karaka Million 3YO Classic (1600m) in January 2022, and went on to win the Group Three Rotorua Stakes (1400m) last May.
Another notable recent black-type performer to come out of Book 2 is Jay Bee Gee (NZ) (Contributer), who was bought by Harry Bull for $26,000 at Karaka 2019. His 23-race career has produced seven wins, five placings and $240,960, including a Group Three double in this season’s Winter Cup (1600m) and Metric Mile (1600m).
Book 1 of Karaka 2025 runs from Sunday January 26 to Tuesday January 28 with selling starting at 10am each day. Book 2 will start at the later time of 12pm on Wednesday January 29 and concludes the following day on Thursday January 30 (10am start).
