Karaka Million Heavy Hitters to Join Forces

Media Release - Friday January 22

The two leading figures of Karaka Million night, Te Akau and racing group Boys Get Paid, are set to join forces for the first time at Karaka this week.

The tangerine and blue silks of Te Akau have been a prominent feature at New Zealand’s richest race meeting, while the enthusiasm of Boys Get Paid members hasn’t been missed over the last few years.

Boys Get Paid’s Luke Kemeys. Photo: Trish Dunell

While Boys Get Paid are notorious for their six figure punting purse on Karaka Million night, group founder Luke Kemeys is ready to make the same investment in the following days at Karaka.

Kemeys, who has experienced success with Te Akau in the past through the deeds of Combat Queen and Awareness, has entrusted Te Akau Principal David Ellis with selecting his group a yearling to purchase at this year’s New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sales at Karaka.

“We’ve got a Supporters Membership in Boys Get Paid of about 350 people and David (Ellis) is going to buy a yearling at the sales for that membership group,” Kemeys said.

“The members will have first rights to shares in the horse, which will race in the Boys Get Paid colours and be trained by Jamie Richards at Matamata.

“It’s our first time buying a yearling from the sales and given our involvement at the Karaka Millions meetings over the past few years we imagine David will be trying to buy us a Karaka Millions prospect.

“The plan is to have David buy a horse to follow for the next year and beyond, as a group, and providing the interest is strong we may look to buy a couple of horses the following year at the sales and maybe introduce a wider group of owners.”

Last year Boys Get Paid was involved in a joint venture of pinhooking a Savabeel weanling colt that went on to sell for $270,000 as a yearling at Karaka.

“That was our first ever involvement with the sales, as such, in terms of buying and selling, and documenting the process, so that was exciting for the 60 people that were involved in that project,” Kemeys said.

“But we thought it was now time to come to the party and actually buy a horse to race and support the growth of the industry.

“Everyone is working at keeping racing on the right track and this is our way of showing faith in what people are doing to foster racing. It’s certainly a continual work in progress, but it seems to be in a really positive vein at the moment and we want to try and do our bit in the scheme of improving the industry.

“Te Akau has been huge supporters of us in growing our impact at the Karaka Million meetings. We had 1000 people following Awareness and Combat Queen for free, that Te Akau paid for in order to give us the experience. It gave everyone a taste and for many it was their first horse involvement.

Advertisement

“Some of those people are now in the Supporters Membership and will be racing the yearling that David purchases for us over the coming week.”

Kemeys said that he and 850 of the Boys Get Paid group will be in attendance on Saturday for the Karaka Million meeting at Ellerslie and he predicted they will have a betting pool of around $180,000.

Fellow Boys Get Paid founder Ben Masters will also be looking forward to experiencing another first this week, sharing in the ownership of $3.40 DoubleTree By Hilton Karaka Million 2YO (1200m) favourite Millefiori.

Masters selected her barrier of five for Saturday’s feature and he said he is looking forward to watching her compete in the rich feature.

“I told everyone that I wanted barrier five, and got five, it was unbelievable,” he said.

“If she’s anywhere near 100 percent, I think she’s a real chance. Danielle (Johnson, jockey) can do the job.

“It’s my first share in a horse, so I am pretty lucky. I’ve been around the (racing) traps for a couple of years and know how hard it is to get a horse to win a good race, or even a race.

“To be in the race with a horse that has won two from two is huge, especially being involved with Boys Get Paid and having been there for the last four years and seen Melody Belle, Avantage, Probabeel, and Cool Aza Beel win for Te Akau, to share in a live chance is pretty crazy and pretty surreal.”

Meanwhile, New Zealand All Whites international Jarrod Smith shares in the ownership of stablemate and race rival On The Bubbles.

“This will be the first time I’ve seen him race live on track, which is exciting, and not to mention it being a million-dollar race,” Smith said.

“Dad (Ian Smith) loves his racing and has been involved in a few horses over the years and my grandfather on my mother’s side was involved in a Derby winner and a Sydney Cup winner.

“Mum and Dad will be there, and both my brothers and their partners, and friends will be coming along, so we should have a good crew to cheer him home. We want to take advantage and enjoy the occasion.” – NZ Racing Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
Sires With Winners - Saturday July 5
Here is the full list of 112 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Sires With Winners - Sunday July 6
Here is the full list of 68 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Divine Prophet’s Fortunate Kiss Captures Elusive Black Type Win
With nine top five finishes in previous black type races, it was better late than never as 6yo Divine Prophet mare Fortunate Kiss charged along the inside to win the $300,000 Listed Glasshouse Handicap (1400m) at the Sunshine Coast on Saturday – her first black type victory.
Sword Poised to Strike
When the first crop yearlings by a young stallion are well received and go into the right stables that’s always a good sign and then a few months after that is when things start to get really interesting.
Group 1 Durban July Success For Son Of Australian Bred Gimmethegreenlight
Although not having previously sired a winner of South Africa’s greatest race, the Australian bred, South African-based sire Gimmethegreenlight (More Than Ready) added a 13th individual Group 1 winner to his record when the Dean Kannemeyer trained The Real Prince (SAF) added Saturday’s R5m Group 1 Hollywoodbets Durban July (2200m) to his record.
Sires With Winners - Thursday July 3
Here is the full list of 27 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
New Juvenile Stakes-Winner Wootton Bassett
A two year-old Wootton Bassett  colt bred to stay, Daytona made it two wins as many starts when scoring a dominant win in the Listed Pat Smullen Stakes (1m) at Naas in Ireland overnight.
Spring Goals Await Caloundra Cup Winner Half Yours
With spring staying features on their minds, Tony and Calvin McEvoy sent their improving stayer north to Queensland for Saturday’s $300,000 Listed Caloundra Cup (2400m) with instant success as the 4yo gelding Half Yours romped home by four and a half lengths.
Sweet Redemption for Stable Favourite Jimmy the Bear
Patrick and Michelle Payne enjoyed a red letter day at Flemington on Saturday with their rising star Buccleuch winning the Listed VRC Taj Rossi Series Final and then later in the day stable favourite Jimmy the Bear won the Listed VRC Winter Championship Series Final (1600m).
New Sprint Star for WA?
Oakland Park's veteran WA sire Sessions is rarely without a good horse to represent him, and the son of Lonhro now has his sixth stakes winner after exciting 3YO galloper Repossession spanked the older horses to win the Listed Beaufine Stakes at Pinjarra Park.