Gifted juvenile snapped up in American deal

Brilliant three-year-old Naturally Gifted (Sweet Lou) has been sold to USA harness racing interests for a six-figure sum – but will continue to do his racing in Australia for the time being.

Naturally Gifted continues the affinity of exuberant eastern States owner Richard Poillucci with Down Under bloodstock and has been transferred to the Jack Trainor barn at Menangle.

“He’s a very nice colt. I think he will be okay and do a job for us,” Poillucci said.

“We’ve had him for a little while now and he’s likely to race at Menangle next week. I plan to leave him in Australia because there’s some suitable races coming up that are offering big stakemoney,” he said.

“Bloodstock agent John Curtin in New Zealand found this horse for us—he’s my broker and has been with us along the way. He’s not only a friend, but a big part of my team.”

Poillucci, from South Easton, Massachusetts, has strong connections to Australia and New Zealand, with expat Aussie, Sydney-born Tahnee Camilleri, in charge of his stable in the USA.

Naturally Gifted will be the only horse Poillucci is currently racing Down Under, although he raced the former Kiwi Duke of Cornwall (Sweet Lou) in Australia last season after COVID cancellations disrupted plans to export him to the USA.

Poillucci has raced a string of exceptional performers from Australia and New Zealand – Nike Franco NZ (McArdle), Keep Rockin AUS (Rock N Roll Heaven), Bettor Joy AUS (Bettors Delight) and Soho Burning Love AUS (Auckland Reactor), are among the hundreds of horses he’s owned since the 1980s.

“I tell people I got into harness racing after I hit my head when I was younger!” he joked.

“Shartin NZ (Tintin In America) was by far the best I’ve had.  She was a world champion and had 46 wins and won over $3M. When we retired her from racing, she was sold as a broodmare in late 2020.”

Naturally Gifted was previously owned by well-known NSW horseman Jake Stockton, who operates Wingate Farms, at Wagga Wagga.

He broke from tradition when he purchased the colt at the Nutrien Equine Standardbred Yearling Sale at Oaklands Junction in 2021.

“I think it was the first Nutrien sale to be held in Melbourne and I went there to look at 10 fillies that I’d marked out in the catalogue,” Stockton said.

“I didn’t really like any of them in the end, and then a colt that was led past me caught my eye,” he said.

“It’s rather funny because I can’t really ever remember buying a colt, but I quickly looked him up and I knew a bit about his family because I’d raced a half-sister to his mother. I was prepared to go to $30,000, but I didn’t expect to get him for that, so I was happy when he was knocked down to me.”

Stockton gave Naturally Gifted to his good mate and astute hobby trainer Wayne Dimech, of Berkshire Park, a suburb of Sydney, who took the pacer to six wins and nine placings from just 21 starts ($127,000).

“He’s certainly the best juvenile horse that I’ve ever raced,” Stockton said.

After qualifying as a two-year-old in January of last year at Penrith, Naturally Gifted made his race debut nearly a fortnight later at Menangle and ran a nice fifth, which was followed by a victory at Penrith (1.59-4).

In his first season of racing, the colt won a heat of the Gold Crown at Bathurst before a second placing in the $110,000 final behind Tardelli. Then came victories at Penrith and Goulburn as well as two placings.

A Victorian campaign under the care of Jess Tubbs, resulted in a third in the Tatlow G2 $50K at Melton and a similar placing in the Breeders Crown Silver Pace at Bendigo. After a short freshen-up, Dimech aimed Naturally Gifted at the NSW Derby and scored a boilover heat win at $81, then was beaten a head in the $200K final, taken out by Bettor Be The Best.

Naturally Gifted won a heat of the Gold Chalice at Bathurst in March, before a third in the final to Bainbridge (Captaintreacherous). In his most recent start, the gelding stepped out in open company in the $50K Renshaw Cup finishing a game third to Port Au Prince (Josh Gallagher).

“Plenty of people were saying we were mad running a three-year-old against the older horses, but we knew we’d draw the pole,” Stockton said.

“He got held up and with a bit of luck could have finished closer. After the cup he had a little over two weeks off and all along he’s had a freshen-up here and there.

“We were looking at a campaign in Queensland in the winter and I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s on the radar with the new owner and trainer.

“We’d also been approached by some for the slot races, so maybe that’s another option for them to consider.”

by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink