Emerging sires add depth to National Yearling Sales

Emerging and debutante sires have added to the outstanding depth of pedigrees that fill the 2024 National Yearling Sales catalogue.

Downbytheseaside (USA), Captain Crunch (USA) and Lazarus (NZ) return to the National Yearling Sales after each making a strong impact on previous sales with their early crops.

Bloodstock investors will get their first chance to buy yearlings by several first season sires at this year’s edition of the sale  including Bettor’s Wish (USA), Bold Eagle (FR), Capt Midnight (USA), Classic Connection (FR), Elite Stride (AUS), Propulsion (USA), Six Pack (USA),Tall Dark Stranger (USA), and Ultimate Sniper.

Downbytheseaside (USA)

With just two crops of racing age in Australasia, Downbytheseaside has already proven himself to be a sire of elite performers.

The stallion was a superstar racehorse who banked more than US$2,000,000 before shooting straight to the top of the two and three-year-old sires’ premierships in North America.

NZB Standardbred graduates Coastal Babe (NZ) (Downbytheseaside), Aardiebytheseaside  (NZ) (Downbytheseaside), Sinbad (NZ) (NZ) (Downbytheseaside) and Triple G (NZ) (Downbytheseaside) have each gone on to feature at the elite level after being sold in the NZB Standardbred sales ring.

Downbytheseaside’s excellent 2024 National Yearling Sales draft includes 17 yearlings to be sold at Karaka and 39 to be offered at Christchurch.

• Among the blueblood stock is Lot 158, a Downbytheseaside filly from the Group One winner Fight For Glory(NZ) (Art Major).
• Lot 44 is a Downbytheseaside filly from Lady Smack (NZ) (Bettor’s Delight), who has left the Group Two winner Ideal Agent (NZ) (American Ideal).
• Lot 161 is a Downbytheseaside colt from the family of superstar racemare Amore Vita (NZ) (Art Major).
• The Downbytheseaside half-sister to Group Two Southland Oaks winner Treacherous Gallwill be offered in Lot 172.

Tall Dark Stranger (USA)

Tall Dark Stranger has a magnificent pedigree that combines two of Australasia’s siring greats in Bettor’s Delight (USA) and Art Major (USA).

The stallion was a racetrack megastar, winning a line up of North American features while banking US$2,020,195 and taking a lifetime mark of 1:47.1.

Tall Dark Stranger’s eldest progeny in North America are yearlings, and they have sold for a very healthy average of more than US$80,000.

The exciting stallion’s first crop of Australasian yearlings will be offered for the first time at the National Yearling Sales this year.

One yearling will go under the hammer at Karaka with three more to be sold at Christchurch.

• Among his stellar draft is Lot 32, a Tall Dark Stranger three-quarter-brother to the multiple Group One winning stallion Gold Ace (NZ) (Bettor’s Delight).
• Lot 270 is a Tall Dark Stranger colt from the stakes winning mare Rocknroll Arden (NZ) (Rocknroll Hanover).
• Also from Arden Lodge’s draft, Lot 349 is a Tall Dark Stranger colt from the Group One winning mareArden’s Choice (NZ) (Panspacificflight).
• Tall Dark Stranger will also be represented by Lot 348, a half-sister to the stakes placed mare American Tart(NZ) (American Ideal).

Bold Eagle (FR)

Bold Eagle and his blueblood genetics from the super sire line of Ready Cash (FR) will debut at the National Yearling Sales in 2023.

Bold Eagle was a trotting megastar himself, with 46 wins and stakes earnings totalling a massive FR$7,574,230.

The racetrack star won multiple Group 1 and Group 2 events in France, Sweden and North America.

Bold Eagle has already made his mark as a sire in Europe, having established himself as a Group One winning sire while leaving an impressive line up of talent.

One Bold Eagle yearling will be offered at Karaka with five more yearlings to be sold at Christchurch.

• Among that select lineup is Lot 123, a Bold Eagle half-brother to the Group One New Zealand Trotting Oaks winner Con Grazia Love (NZ) (Love You).
• Lot 127 is a Bold Eagle colt closely related to the champion trotter Stent (NZ) (Dream Vacation)
• Lot 194 is a Bold Eagle half-brother to the outstanding Group One placegetter Cracker Hill (NZ) (Muscle Hill).
• Also by Bold Eagle, Lot 204 is a close relation of New Zealand’s richest ever trotting mare in One Over Kenny (NZ) (Sundon).

Lazarus (NZ)

Australasian bloodstock investors will need no introduction to one of the greatest Australasian racehorses of all time in Lazarus.

Lazarus won a staggering 15 Group One races in Australasia before competing at the highest level in North America and retiring with career earnings of $4,423,372.

The stallion has left a big line up of outstanding performers in North America including the US$500,000 earner Voukefalas (USA) (Lazarus).

The progeny of Lazarus have earned a staggering $US4,581,261 in prizemoney in North America.

The stallion left small numbers in his initial crops in Australasia and there have been outstanding performers among them.

Nathan Street (AUS) (Lazarus) has shown immense talent, winning at Group One level as a two-year-old.

Five Lazarus yearlings will be offered at Karaka this year with 12 to be offered at Christchurch.

• Among that quality line up is Lot 97, a Lazarus (NZ) half-brother to the multiple stakes-winning pacer Classie Brigade (NZ) (Bettor’s Delight).
• Lot 43 is a Lazarus half-brother to another smart type in the stakes placed youngsterLe Major (NZ) (Art Major).
• Lot 186 is a Lazarus colt from a half-sister to the multiple Group One winner turned sire Bit Of A Legend (NZ) (Bettor’s Delight).
• Lot 282 is a colt by Lazarus from the Group One winning mare Secret Potion (NZ) (Courage Under Fire).

Captain Crunch (USA)

Captain Crunch made a big splash when making his debut at the National Yearling Sales in 2023.

A son of the all-conquering sire Captaintreacherous (USA), Captain Crunch banked US$1,725,495 and took a lifetime mark of 1:47.4 on the track.

The former racetrack star’s stock was in constant demand, racking up an impressive aggregate of over $1,400,000.

The rookie sire will be back in force in 2024 with a stellar lineup of blueblood yearlings.

Five youngsters will be offered in the Karaka sales ring with a further 26 Captain Crunch yearlings to be offered at Christchurch.

• Among his bluebred progeny is Lot 105 – a Captain Crunch being a 3/4 to the unbeaten NZB Standardbred superstar filly Millwood Nike (NZ) (Captaintreacherous).
• Lot 162 is a Captain Crunch (USA) filly from a full sister to leading three-year-old Merlin (NZ) (Art Major) in Gemma Mac(NZ) (Art Major).
• Another close relation to the two-time Group One Derby winner Merlin will be offered in Lot 392, a colt fromCullens Bet (NZ) (Christian Cullen).
• Also represented by the sire is Lot 246 a colt from the brilliant racemare One Dream (NZ) (Dream Away).

Propulsion (USA)

Propulsion is a North American bred trotting star who made his mark at the elite level of the highly competitive European trotting scene.

The stallion is from a Hambletonian champion in Muscle Hill (USA) and from a Hambletonian Oaks winner in Danae (USA).

During his glittering career, Propulsion won several European features before retiring with a massive bankroll of SWE$34,000,000.

Three well-related yearlings by Propulsion will be offered in the Christchurch sales ring.

• Lot 151 is a by Propulsion from the outstanding racetrack performer and producer Solar Fire (NZ) (Yankee Reb).
• From the same family, Lot 155 is from a race-winning daughter of Solar Fire in Firenze (NZ) (Monarchy).
• Lot 261 is a Propulsion colt from the family of the former racetrack star Stent (NZ) (Dream Vacation).

New Zealand Bloodstock’s 2024 National Standardbred Yearling Sale is taking place this summer at Karaka on Sunday 18 February and in Christchurch on Tuesday 20 & Wednesday 21 February from 11 am (NZT) each day.

Online catalogues for Auckland can be found click here, and Christchurch click here.

All horses purchased at the Sale are eligible for the NZB Standardbred Harness Million Series, with approximately $1 million in prizemoney on offer for graduates of the Yearling Sale Series.

For general sale enquiries or more information, email standardbred@nzb.co.nz.

Selling Schedule

2024 Auckland Sale at the Karaka Sales Centre

• Day 1: Sunday 18 February, 11am (NZT): Lots 1 – 126

2024 Christchurch Sale at Canterbury Agricultural Park

• Day 1: Tuesday 20 February, 11am (NZT): Lots 127-260
• Day 2: Wednesday 21 February, 11am (NZT): Lots 261-393

From NZB Standardbred