Epic Clash in Karaka 3YO Million

Media Release - Wednesday January 20

ew Zealand Bloodstock’s live barrier draw conducted at the iconic Karaka Sales Centre has confirmed the final fields for the $1m Karaka Million 3YO Classic (1600m) to be held at Ellerslie this weekend. 

Following the draw, two of New Zealand’s brightest three-year-old talents are on a collision course in Saturday’s $1m dollar feature.

The two dominating favourites for the race are Aegon (NZ) (Sacred Falls) and Amarelinha (NZ) (Savabeel), who were both bred and offered by Waikato Stud through their Book 1 draft at Karaka 2019.

G1 NZ Guineas winner Aegon will run in the Karaka 3YO Million.

Connections of those runners will now eagerly await their chance to secure one of New Zealand’s most lucrative racing purse after Aegon drew an ideal barrier of four, while Amarelinha will start out slightly wider at barrier 11.

Aegon was bought for $150,000 by Andrew Forsman, who shares ownership with the Zame Family. Forsman also trains the gelding in partnership with Murray Baker at Cambridge.

Aegon is undefeated in three starts, including superb come-from-behind victories in the Group One New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) and the Group Two Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1600m).

Amarelinha was a $300,000 purchase by Te Akau Racing principal David Ellis and is trained by Jamie Richards – the same team that made history and won last year’s edition of this race, as well as the 2019 Karaka Million 2YO with superstar filly Probabeel (NZ) (Savabeel).

Amarelinha announced her a rival as a sensational filly in her own right with a scintillating last-start victory in the Group Two Eight Carat Classic (1600m) at Ellerslie on Boxing Day.

Advertisement

Amarelinha’s stablemate, the Jamie Richards-trained Perfect Scenario (NZ) (Iffraaj) drew barrier one earlier today. The gelding was a $165,000 Karaka 2019 Book 1 purchase by David Ellis from Woburn Farm’s draft.

Go Racing syndications have two runners in the 2021 Karaka Million 3YO Classic field, with Lord Ardmore (NZ) (Reliable Man) and Waimoku Falls (NZ) (Sacred Falls) both trained by previous Karaka Million victor Stephen McKee.

Overall, the Karaka Million 3YO Classic has drawn a quality field of 17 highly talented three-year-olds, with Zee Falls (NZ) (Sacred Falls), also a last-start stakes winner, drawing an inside barrier of three.

Karaka purchase prices for this year’s Karaka Million 3YO Classic field range from $12,000 for Gurtlyn (NZ) (Dalghar), who drew barrier nine, to $300,000 for likely race favourite Amarelinha. The average purchase price for this year’s field is $105,029.

The Karaka Million 3YO Classic will be run at 7:45pm on Saturday – the final race on an action-packed twilight race meeting at Ellerslie.

View the full Karaka Million 3YO Classic (1600m) field here.

View the replay of the live barrier draw here.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Mogumber Park hoists wet sail with Marine One
This time last year, the first foals by Mogumber Park stallion Marine One were widely regarded as some of the best types on the ground in Western Australia.
Sires With Winners - Friday October 3
Here is the full list of 61 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
McGaw Firms For Coolmore Stud Stakes After G2 Danehill Win
Considered an outside chance in betting markets, Emma-Lee and David Browne’s I Am Immortal gelding McGaw dented the reputation of a few leading Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes contenders with a fighting win in the $300,000 Gr2 VRC Danehill Stakes (1100m) at Flemington on Saturday.
Briasa Wins $1million G2 Premiere Stakes- Everest Next
Twin Hills Stud’s Smart Missile will have a runner in the $20million The Everest and his explosive grey sprinter Briasa will be going into the race in top form following an exciting win at Randwick on Saturday in  the $1million Group I ATC Premiere Stakes (1200m).
Sires With Winners - Sunday October 5
Here is the full list of 47 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Juvenile Trial Watch – Warwick Farm
We had three heats for 2YO’s run at Warwick Farm on Friday morning over 815m with winners by Farnan, Ole Kirk and Kia Ora Stud’s first season sire Captivant, while Stay Inside had an impressive trial winner at Murray Bridge.
Pedigree Watch – Juvenile Stakes-Winners
Three new season juvenile stakes races on Saturday produced a $1million yearling purchase that gave Golden Slipper winner Stay Inside the perfect start to his stud career, a pinhook winner turned stakes-winner and a colt foaled in Australia with a Kiwi pedigree.
War Machine Stakes Everest Claim - G2 Gilgai
David Hayes has a New Zealand-bred superstar heading into the A$20 million Gr.1 The Everest (1200m) in two weeks, where his sons Ben, Will and JD Hayes might line up against him with a Kiwi-bred Group One winner of their own.
Historic Day in Kalgoorlie - Old Meets the New
Kalgoorlie knows how to party, and on Cup day 2025 the party was big!
Captivant Colt Shines at Warwick Farm Trials
Captivant’s burgeoning reputation for producing precocious 2YOs took another leap forward at today’s Warwick Farm trials, with Courthezon powering to victory in Heat 10.