NZ Breeders of the Year – John and Katrina Price

At the Harness Racing Awards night in Christchurch last Saturday night, Winton breeders John and Katrina Price were crowned 2025 New Zealand Breeders of the Year.

“It was a huge honour especially for the size of our operation compared to those well established big hitters. We felt very humbled,” Katrina said.

Republican Party is proving to be the flagship of the many winners they’ve bred – he’s who won four G1 races; the Dawson Harford New Zealand Messenger, the Roy Purdon Memorial, the Ascot Park Hotel Invercargill Cup and the Trillian Trust Auckland Trotting Cup.

Duchess Maria went through the season unbeaten winning four G3 races, while Ruby Roe had three wins including the G3 Wyndham Champagne Stakes.

“That won us the Breeders Award. You need those flag flyers. We’re very proud of that. Duchess has been off the track for a while so it was nice to revisit her success and it’s been an absolute thrill to follow Republican Party and seeing the joy he’s bringing to his connections.”

Katrina rates Republican Party’s win in the Auckland Cup as her highlight for last season.

“Just for the fact that it put an exclamation mark on his season. For him to do the double double – the Invercargill Cup – Auckland Cup two years in a row. It’s probably not going to be repeated too many times. It was special.”

Others bred by the couple which have won in New Zealand in the 2025 season were Penny Weight, Utah Jazz, Always B Royal, Beluga, Confederate, Chicago Sky and Utah Blaze.

The Prices also won the Two Year Old Trotting Filly of the Year with Duchess Maria while Republican Party won both the Five Year Old Entire or Gelding of the Year and the New Zealand Horse of the Year.

During the last five years the Prices have had a marvellous run at the Christchurch Yearling Sales, selling Republican Party ($210,000), Chicago Bear ($310,000), Erupt Stride ($320,000), Confederate ($240,000), Utah Blaze ($100,000), War Party ($240,000) and Tour Party ($150,000).

This year however they have no yearlings registered for in the Christchurch Sale.

“In a way it’s been a nice freshen up. We’ve managed to get ahead of ourselves. There are two fillies we wanted to retain for breeding, a gelding that we didn’t think would be commercial enough and an American foal that was born in May that’s classed as a yearling. They’ve all been broken in including the American guy. We feel like we’re up to date, so we’re heading up to the Karaka Sales. It’s taking the opportunity to do things we don’t normally get to do.”  

Always on the lookout for opportunities, John and Katrina have recently invested in three high end mares – Alexa’s Power (Somebeachsomewhere), For Us All (Bettor’s Delight) and Carla’s Pixel (Courage Under Fire).

Alexa’s Power won nineteen races in America, earning $762,000. Her wins included the Jugette in 1-51.2. She’s a sister to million-dollar mare Mac’s Jackpot. The dam of both fillies Michelle’s Power, won $1.2 million and was named O’Brien Three Year Old Pacing Filly of the Year in 2007.

For Us All a two win Bettor’s Delight mare, is out of Left For Me, the winner of ten and dam of $1.1 million earner For A Reason. Left For Me is also the dam of Lettucereason, the mother of Leap To Fame ($5.1 million) and Swayzee ($2.2 million).

Carlas Pixel won nineteen races including two G1 races – NSW Ladyship Mile and Victoria Ladyship Cup. She was named 2018 Australian Aged Pacing Mare of the Year. Her older brother Soho Tribeca (American Ideal) won $1.1 million.

“We were looking for some pedigrees that were a bit different. With Carlas Pixel and Alexa’s Power it was also what they’d done on the track at the absolute elite level. With For Us All, it’s the hottest family in Australasian with Leap To Fame and Swayzee. That was an opportunity we couldn’t go past. We just wanted to offer something fresh. When you walk down the aisle looking at the Price Bloodstock draft we want buyers to see a whole lot of different families. We’ve always liked to keep things diversified.”

The Prices have recently added a horse walker to their setup.

“We did have a truck shed but our son is no longer competing in showjumping so we didn’t need the truck anymore. It got sold and the shed got converted into a breeding barn. We’ve got a couple of mares in foal boxes and a crush for mares and foals.”

John and Katrina also train a small team and had a UDR of .3128 last season.

“John is particular loves the training. I guess it’s a way of keeping it financially sustainable. You see which ones may be sent off while keeping the odd one like Chicago Sky. She’s a nice filly that we like having around. The same with Stranger Things. We love racing fillies so the colts that we sell at the sales allow us to race fillies. We hope that model can be sustainable going forward.”

The highlight of Chicago Sky’s season was finishing third in the G1 New Zealand Oaks.

“She’s a lovely filly who’s not finished yet. She’s just one of those Bettor’s that’s been a bit lazy but the talent’s certainly there.”  

This season they have ten foals – five colts and five fillies on the ground.

They’re retaining three fillies by Captaintreacherous out of Democrat Party, Advance Party and For Us All.

Bound for the sales next year will be; a Confederate-Rockabilly colt, a Tactical Approach – The Ivy League colt, a Bettor’s Delight – Chicago Blues colt, a Bettor’s Delight – Amore Infida filly, a Captaintreacherous – Carlas Pixel colt and a Perfect Sting – Makarova filly.

The Prices have served twelve mares this spring. They are Democrat Party (Captaintreacherous) Advance Party (Captaintreacherous), Yankee Party (Captaintreacherous), Maria Tsarina (pending), Rockabilly Blues (Confederate), Alex’s Power (Bettor’s Delight), Amore Infida (Bettor’s Delight) and Donnamach (Perfect Sting).

Also The Ivy League (not in foal), For Us All (pending) and Chicago Blues (not in foal), Carlas Pixel (pending),

“I don’t think we want to get any bigger but you hope that you’re still refining and getting better,” Katrina said.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink