Who will top Karaka Sale 2025 today?

Will a new record be set at the NZB Standardbred National Yearling Sales at Auckland today?

A total of 130 harness racing yearlings will go under the hammer at Karaka, starting at 1pm, before the Sales move to the second day at Christchurch next Tuesday.

North Island heavyweights Breckon Farms and Woodlands Stud have the biggest drafts today with 38 and 36 yearlings and among Woodlands’ offerings is Lot 70, a colt by Captaintreacherous out of the champion mare that was Adore Me.

He’s Adore Me’s first colt and her first foal to be offered publicly.

Clearly the colt is going to attract some big numbers. But how big?

Could it for instance eclipse the record $340,000 that was forked out for No More Dreaming, Don’t Stop Dreaming’s full brother in Christchurch last year?

Lot 70 is likely to be up for sale around 3.15 this afternoon.

Not that today is all about one yearling – far from it.

There are many others that have prompted a lot of talk including Lot 73, from Breckon Farms, a Captaintreacherous colt out of the multiple Group 1-winning Bettor Twist.

Anther buzz yearling is Lot 106, the second foal and first colt by Next Gen sire Face Time Bourbon in Australasia. Face Time Bourbon won 35 races and over $7m in stakes. This is the first time his progeny have been offered for sale at the Yearling Sales. The colt is from  Dance Craze (24 wins), a multiple Group 1 winning Muscle Hill daughter of La Coocaracha.

Karaka will see 22 Next Gen-eligible yearlings up for sale. Next Gen is HRNZ’s brand new ownership model. To see how Next Gen works click here for the Terms and Conditions

A further 48 Next Gen-eligible yearlings will be offered in Christchurch on Tuesday.

Coverage of the sales will be live streamed to NZB Standardbred’s website and Facebook page, as well as Freeview Channel 200 in New Zealand.

by Dave Di Somma, for Harness News Desk