Outstanding lineup of freshman sires debut on 26 May

An outstanding lineup of freshman harness racing sires will make their debuts in the NZB Standardbred sale ring at the 2022 National Standardbred Weanling Sale, set to be hosted as a physical auction at the Karaka Sales Centre on 26 May.

Royally-bred first season stallions Captain Crunch (USA), Lather Up (USA), Pastor Stephen (USA) and Speeding Spur (NZ) are represented among the 114 weanlings catalogued to be sold on the eve of Alexandra Park’s Auckland Cup meeting.

Captain Crunch (USA)

Captain Crunch was in hot demand when his services were first offered to New Zealand breeders. But before heading to the Southern Hemisphere, Captain Crunch was a star on North American racetracks.

As a two-year-old, the stallion won a Breeders Crown Final before being crowned Champion USA Two Year Old Pacing Colt of the Year. At three years old, the star colt won a North America Cup while winning a mammoth $1,096,853 USD in stakes earnings and taking a scintillating 1:47.4 mile time.

Captain Crunch also has a pedigree to match his star status on the racetrack. The stallion is a son of Captaintreacherous (USA), a well-established sire of Group One performers in Australasia, whose stock has sold extremely well at previous NZB Standardbred sales.

Captain Crunch also boasts an outstanding maternal pedigree. His dam Sweet Paprika (USA) was a stakes winner at two and three years old, as well as being a half-sister to former racetrack star and super sire Sweet Lou ($3,478,894 USD), as well as Bettor Sweet ($2,782,353 USD).

The four weanlings presented by Alabar (NZ) at Karaka later this month are out of mares who made up the stallion’s sold-out Southern Hemisphere book.

• Lot 89 is a colt out of Presidential Ball mare Presidential Affair (NZ). He is a half-brother to two stakes winners, including Group One Western Australia Oaks winner Maczaffair (NZ) (Mach Three) and Group Three Western Australia Caduceus Club Classic winner Golden State(NZ) (Big Jim).
• Lot 92 is a filly out of Group Two-placed mare Princess Arts (Art Major). This lot is a half-sister to multiple Group Three-winning pacer Alta Wiseguy (NZ) (Mach Three).

Lather Up (USA)

Lather Up was a speedster on the track and buyers will need to be quick to snap up the first public offering of his stock in New Zealand.

Lather Up won a heat and the final of the North America Cup as a three-year-old amid his highly successful racing career. The star pacer then went on to equal the world record for a mile with a sensational 1:46 victory.

Lather Up finished his career with prizemoney earnings of $1,917,935 USD, before standing his first season in Australasia at Woodlands Stud.

Lather Up offers some of Australasia’s most proven genetics through his strong pedigree. The stallion is a son of Bettor’s Delight (USA) sire I’m Gorgeous (USA), out of Pocket Comb (NZ) who is a daughter of Champion New Zealand sire and broodmare sire In The Pocket (USA).

Woodlands Stud will offer eight Lather Up weanlings at the 2022 National Weanling Sale at Karaka.

• Lot 6, out of Art Major mare Ultimate Art (NZ), is a half-brother to Group Two Western Australia Diamond Classic 3YO winner Newsy (NZ) (Bettor’ Delight).
• Lot 113 is a colt out of Rearmachable (NZ) (Mach Three) and is a half-brother to Group One Western Australia Golden Slipper stakes-placed performer Bettor B Abeliever (NZ) (Bettor’s Delight).

Pastor Stephen (USA)

Despite his eldest stock in Australasia only of weanling age, Pastor Stephen’s genetics have already been a hit on New Zealand racetracks.

The stallion is a full brother to Father Patrick (USA), a sale-topping sire of the NZB Standardbred sale ring and prolific Group One producing stallion.

Like Father Patrick and his own sire Cantab Hall (USA), Pastor Stephen was crowned Champion USA Two Year Old Trotting Colt of the Year during his impressive race track career.

The stallion accumulated more than $1,400,000 USD in stakes before beginning his stud career in Europe. Pastor Stephen currently has 244 starters in the highly competitive Swedish trotting scene.

Woodlands Stud will offer two weanlings by the trotting sire at the 2022 National Standardbred Weanling Sale.

• Lot 50 is a filly out of Sundon mare Frances Ross (NZ), the dam of two winners from two foals to race. This Lot is closely related to Uncle Petrika (NZ) (Britewell), winner of the Group One Inter Dominion Trotters Grand Final and Group Three Vic Coulter Trotters Crown.

Speeding Spur (NZ)

Finally yet importantly, another Woodlands Stud stallion will make his debut in the NZB Standardbred sale ring at Karaka later this month.

New Zealand buyers will need no introduction to former Australasian racetrack star Speeding Spur. The highly anticipated stallion was a six-time Group One winner in New Zealand and Australia during his stellar racing career.

Speeding Spur showed speed and stamina of the highest quality, with the standout son of Pegasus Spur winning at every age group, from two-years-old right through to eight years old.

The trotter then took his talents to the Northern Hemisphere, where he won the $147,000 USD Crawford Farms Classic at Tioga Downs in a speedy 1.52.4 time.

Speeding Spur will be represented by nine weanlings at the 2022 National Weanling Sale.

• Lot 22 is a colt out of Sundon mare Amanda’s Gem (NZ) and is a half-brother to Group Three-winning trotter Rompers Monarchy (NZ) (Monarchy). The dam is a half-sister to Group One winner Romper Stomper (NZ) (Armbro Invasion).
• Lot 64 is a filly out of 10-time-winning and Group Two-placed mare Iwi Alex (NZ). This dam is by Sundon and is out of Elizabeth Bay (NZ) (Count Bay), winner of the Group Three Cambridge Trotting Stakes.

View the first season sire pedigrees here.

All weanlings purchased at the 2022 National Weanling Sale at Karaka are eligible to be nominated for NZB Standardbred’s lucrative Harness Million Sales Race Series. The Series consists of principal two-year-old and three-year-old races for colts and geldings, fillies and trotters individually, where NZB Standardbred graduates can contest for their share in a one million dollar prize pool.

Weanlings entered in the Sale will be available for inspections on-site at the Karaka Sales Centre, with NZB agents available to inspect on behalf of buyers.

Buyers wishing to physically attend the Sale and stay on-site and New Zealand Bloodstock’s newly established DoubleTree by Hilton Karaka hotel can book their accommodation here.

Phone and online bidding is another welcomed option for buyers who are unable to physically attend the Sale.

View the full 2022 National Standardbred Weanling Sale catalogue online here.

For more information about the Sale contact Bloodstock Representative Cam Bray by calling +64 21 737 199 or email Cam.Bray@nzb.co.nz.

Important Dates

• Woodlands Stud parade at Karaka: Wednesday 25 May, commencing 1:30PM (NZT)
• Alabar Farms parade at Karaka: Wednesday 25 May, commencing 3PM (NZT)
• 2022 National Standardbred Weanling Sale at Karaka: Thursday 26 May, commencing 12PM (NZT).
• Auckland Cup Meeting at Alexandra Park: Friday 27 May, 5:30PM (NZT)

by NZB Standardbred