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Star 3YOs Draw Side by Side for Karaka Million 3YO Classic

3 minute read

All eyes are on the showdown between Legarto (NZ) (Proisir) and Wild Night (NZ) (Vanbrugh) in Saturday's $1m Karaka Million 3YO Classic (1600m) at Pukekohe on Saturday, and the two star three-year-olds are set to jump from neighbouring gates. 

WILD NIGHT. Picture: Kristin Ledington

Between them, Legarto and Wild Night go into this match-up as the winners of 10 of their last 11 starts. Legarto's unbeaten record includes spectacular stakes wins in the Group One New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m), Group Two Eight Carat Classic (1600m) and Group Three Soliloquy Stakes (1400m). Wild Night was sixth on debut in August but has been unstoppable ever since, with five consecutive wins including the Group Two Sarten Memorial (1400m) and Listed Uncle Remus Stakes (1400m).

Legarto and Wild Night are the two horses that everyone will be watching at 7.28pm on Saturday evening, and they have drawn neighbouring gates, with Legarto in one and Wild Night right next to her in two.

But the chances don't end there in a field that ranks among the deepest and classiest in the history of the Karaka Million 3YO Classic.

Last year's Karaka Million 2YO (1200m) winner Dynastic (NZ) (Almanzor) has drawn gate three, while last-start Group Three Wellington Stakes (1600m) winner Devastate (NZ) (Vadamos) is beside him in gate four.

Prowess (NZ) (Proisir), who ran third in the Group One New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) before a brilliant victory in the Group Two Auckland Guineas (1600m), has drawn gate five.

Khafre (American Pharoah) and Three Ninety (NZ) (Per Incanto) have drawn six and seven, with last-start Eight Carat Classic placegetter Wessex (NZ) (Turn Me Loose) in gate eight.

New Zealand 2000 Guineas runner-up Desert Lightning (NZ) (Pride Of Dubai) will jump from gate nine, with multiple stakes placegetters The Intimidator (Toronado) and Channel Surfer (NZ) (Derryn) drawn 10 and 11 respectively.

Completing the star-studded line-up is Group Three winner Sacred Satono (NZ) (Satono Aladdin), who will jump from the outside gate in a field of 12.

$1m Karaka Million 3YO Classic Quick Facts

  • Barrier 6 has had the most wins for the 3YO, with a success rate of 30.77% and 4 wins.
  • The most expensive horse in the 3YO race is Dynastic who was purchased for $360,000. The cheapest horse in the 3YO race is Sacred Satono who was purchased for $34,000.
  • Kiwi sire Proisir has sired two runners in the 3YO race, Legarto and Prowess.
  • The vendor with the most runners in the 3YO race is Windsor Park Stud with Wild Night, Dynastic and Wessex.
  • O P Bosson has had five Karaka million wins. He had a four year winning streak until 2021, but won again in 2022.
  •  International jockeys who have won: Michael Rodd (AUS, 2009), Stathi Katsidis (Aus, 2010), Craig Williams (AUS, 2012 & 2013), Mark du Plessis (Zimbabwe, 2014).

The Karaka Million 3YO Classic is the final race on Saturday's six-race card at Pukekohe, with a start time of 7.28pm.

BARRIER ORDER HORSE BREEDING TRAINER SALE PRICE VENDOR BREEDER PURCHASER OWNER RATING SIBLINGS IN KARAKA 2023
2 1 Wild Night Vanbrugh x Supreme M W Walker Book 1 $50,000 Windsor Park Stud Windsor Park Stud Ltd DC Ellis Te Akau Love To Party Racing Partnership (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM) 79  
9 2 Desert Lightning Pride of Dubai x Isstoora P & D Williams Book 1 $150,000 Little Avondale Stud Mahoenui Partnership PJ & DM Williams Barneswood Farm Ltd for S C Green & G C Beemsterboer 77 B. C Half brother by Per Incanto Lot 258 (V: Little Avondale Stud)
12 3 Sacred Satono Satono Aladdin x Belle Joie B Wallace & G Cooksley Book 2 $34,000 Rich Hill Stud Archer Equine Investments Ltd Wallace T/breds D Boyes, K K Ko & C K I Soh 76  
3 4 Dynastic Almanzor x Meir M W Walker Book 1 $360,000 Windsor Park Stud J C & Mrs M A Thompson & Windsor Park Stud Ltd DC Ellis Te Akau 2021 Stallion Syndicate (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM) 74 B. C Half brother by Rageese Lot 343 (V: Windsor Park Stud)
4 5 Devastate Vadamos x Passion Cut Andrew Forsman Book 1 $160,000 Carlaw Park Sir Patrick & Lady Hogan Bruce Perry B/stock Jamieson Park Ltd, C W Albert, M L Brown, Gammin Syndicate, M Jamieson, A J Kelly, I J Macaulay, A R McDonald, R L Milne, J H & R A Papworth 71 B. C Half brother by Proisir Lot 415 (V: Jamieson Park)
10 6 The Intimidator Toronado x Ty Dash Andrew Forsman Book 1 $160,000 Inglewood Stud Mr D Barclay Stuart Hale & Co Alistair Sutherland, Barry Mathews, Mark Ryan, Darrin Collett & Tony Martin 71  
11 7 Channel Surfer Derryb x My Savona Graham Richardson & R Norvall Book 1 $50,000 Grangewilliam Stud J D Corcoran Richardson Racing Stables C Leishman, J Browne, N Lloyd, T Troughton, D & D Bell, S & D Hart, R Goddard, P Goddard, T & D Climo, S & P Copeland, G Richardson 67  
6 8 Khafre American Pharoah x La Dama R R Manning Book 1 $155,000 Phoenix Park T W Archer Trust RR Manning A B Coombe 63  
1 9 Legarto Proisir x Geordie Girl K & B Kelso Book 2 $90,000 Highline Thoroughbreds W E Jeffries Ancroft Stud Mrs C J & P H Brown, A C & Mrs M E Enting, W J Foster, Mrs B J & K S Kelso, A M & Mrs P J Kirton, G & M Maloy & E J Verheyen 84  
5 10 Prowess Proisir x Donna Marie R James & R Wellwood Book 1 $230,000 Hallmark Stud Hallmark Stud Ltd RA James / R Wellwood D & J Skipper, C Skipper, A Skipper & M Schlooz 79  
8 11 Wessex Turn Me Loose x Trepidation Andrew Forsman Book 1 $150,000 Windsor Park Stud Windsor Park Stud Ltd CW Kwok / Andrew Forsman Ben Kwok, R A Schick, Singapore Sling Syndicate & S J Till 69  
7 12 Three Ninety Per Incanto x Onesey S & E Clotworthy Book 2 $60,000 Little Avondale Stud Little Avondale Trust & Mrs K Percy Phill Cataldo B/stock T Lines, J Lines, C Lines, A Mitchell & E Clotworthy 63