Karaka Graduate Sharp 'n' Smart Crowned NZ Horse of the Year

Media Release - Monday September 11

A Karaka graduate has been named New Zealand’s Horse of the Year for the ninth season in succession, with Sharp ‘N’ Smart (NZ) (Redwood) claiming the coveted title in Auckland on Sunday evening.

An elite three-year-old on both sides of the Tasman in the 2022-23 season, Sharp ‘N’ Smart has put his name alongside the New Zealand Bloodstock-sourced back-to-back winners Mongolian Khan (Holy Roman Emperor) in 2015 and 2016, Bonneval (NZ) (Makfi) in 2017 and 2018, Melody Belle (NZ) (Commands) in 2019 and 2020, and Probabeel (NZ) (Savabeel) in 2021 and 2022.

Sharp ‘N’ Smart won the Horse of the Year title in one of the tightest votes in recent memory, earning 24 votes to edge out the top-class sprinting mare Imperatriz (I Am Invincible), who received 22 votes.

Sharp 'n' Smart is the 2022/2023 NZ Horse of the Year.

Sharp ‘N’ Smart was bred by Westbury Stud owner Gerry Harvey and was offered in the Westbury draft in Book 2 of Karaka 2021, where Rogerson Bloodstock secured him for $55,000. He returned to Karaka later that year for the Ready to Run Sale, where he was passed in with a $90,000 reserve.

His extraordinary three-year-old season featured eight starts for five wins, two seconds, a fourth and more than $3m in prize-money.

Sharp ‘N’ Smart began with three straight wins in the spring, winning first-up at Ruakaka before heading to Sydney and adding the Group Three Gloaming Stakes (1600m) and the Group One Spring Champion Stakes (2000m). Just seven days after winning the Spring Champion, he backed up into the Group One Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington and finished a gallant second.

He continued to go from strength to strength through the summer months, placing in the Group One Thorndon Mile (1600m) before beating the older horses at weight-for-age in the Group One Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m) at Te Rapa. He then returned to his own age group and completed a treble of Group One successes for the season in the New Zealand Derby (2400m). A heavy track brought him unstuck in his final start of the season in the Group One Australian Derby (2400m) at Randwick, but he still ran a brave and close fourth.

Sharp ‘N’ Smart’s stellar season also earned him the accolade of Champion Three-Year-Old, beating out an exceptional crop that featured three other trans-Tasman Group One winners – Legarto (NZ) (Proisir), Prowess (NZ) (Proisir) and Pennyweka (NZ) (Satono Aladdin).

Sharp ‘N’ Smart is trained by Team Rogerson and is owned by Graeme Rogerson, Gerry Harvey, Merv and Meg Butterworth, Todd Bawden, Craig Leishman and Martin Waddy.

Advertisement

Sharp ‘N’ Smart’s two awards highlighted a big night for Karaka graduates, who came away with a total of five accolades.

Karaka Million winner Tokyo tycoon was the Champion 2YO.

Powerhouse syndicators Te Akau Racing won Champion Two-Year-Old honours for the seventh year in a row, this time with Tokyo Tycoon (NZ) (Satono Aladdin). Bought by David Ellis for $125,000 from Book 1 of Karaka 2022, the explosive young talent banked $648,025 in a four-win juvenile season that was headed by victories in the $1m Karaka Million 2YO (1200m) and the Group Three Matamata Slipper (1200m).

Prowess was a dominant winner of the Champion Middle Distance Horse (1601-2200m) category, earning 40 votes. She had three starts in that distance range for three super-impressive wins – the Group Two David & Karyn Ellis Fillies’ Classic (2000m) at Te Rapa, the Group One New Zealand Stakes (2050m) at weight-for-age at Pukekohe, and the Group One Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) in Sydney.

Also the winner of the $1m Karaka Million 3YO Classic (1600m), Prowess earned more than $1.3m in prize-money during her three-year-old campaign. She was a $230,000 purchase by trainers Roger James and Robert Wellwood from Book 1 of Karaka 2021.

The other award-winning Karaka graduate was Legarto, who took out the prestigious New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year title. The $90,000 Karaka 2021 Book 2 purchase was an unstoppable force in three-year-old fillies’ ranks in New Zealand, scoring superb wins in the Group Three Soliloquy Stakes (1400m), the Group One New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) and the Group Two Eight Carat Classic (1600m). She later crossed the Tasman and became the first New Zealand-trained winner of the Group One Australian Guineas (1600m). The Ken and Bev Kelso-trained Legarto earned over $1m in stakes during her all-conquering season.

A popular human winner on the night was NZB's very own Director of Business Development Mike Kneebone, who was awarded the NZTR Award for Outstanding Global Achievement on the night.

NZB Release

Advertisment
More Reading...
Unbeaten Filly a New Stakes-Winner for Ghaiyyath
Darley shuttler Ghaiyyath (IRE) is not returning to Australia this year after four seasons at Darley Victoria, but he was in the news overnight with a new stakes-winner after his unbeaten three year-old filly Al Uqda won the Listed Vichy Prix Madame Jean Couturie (2000m).
Karaka Graduates Shoot for Selangor’s Seven-Figure Prize
A quality cast of four-year-olds will clash in Malaysia’s richest race this weekend, with a significant NZB influence throughout the 16-horse field.
Sires With Winners - Thursday July 17
Here is the full list of 40 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
What Stallions Can Step Up in Hong Kong?
The Hong Kong racing season is over for another year, so a look at their sire tables by earnings and winners is always interesting and there is no surprise at the top with now pensioned Deep Field claiming his fourth consecutive champion sire title, but given he is now out of the picture the big question is what sires will replace him?
Gordon Hoping for Another Gavelhouse Bargain Success Story
Foxton trainer Suzy Gordon has enjoyed a good run of success in the tried horse market and has welcomed another well-performed newcomer to her stable.
Another Aussie Stakes-Winner for Lope de Vega
It’s just as well Australian owners are keen on bringing in imported tried horses to Australia or the $200,000 Listed Grafton Cup (2350m) on Thursday would have looked a very skinny event, but as it happened there was a promising young stayer on top in Don Diego de Vega (Fr).
Big Investment Begins Paying Off
A big investment by Rosemont Stud at the 2021 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale in purchasing Group III winning mare Khulaasa for $1.35million produced a dividend on Friday, but that’s just the beginning!
Farnan Filly Impresses at Kembla
Selected as a foundation sire for Kia Ora Stud, Golden Slipper winner Farnan has provided a dream start for the Hunter Valley farm with a slew of smart winners from his first crop this season including Commanding Belle, who became his 11th winner on Thursday.
Sires With Winners - Friday July 18
Here is the full list of 28 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
From Promising to Proven – Dracarys Breed to Race Incentive Bonus
A Group winning son of champion sire Snitzel that made $1million as a yearling at Magic Millions, Dracarys is a young Queensland based stallion with many positives and even more importantly he is also now the sire of a stakes-winner!