New Stakes-Winner for Famous Pencarrow Family

Media Release - Wednesday January 1

The famed Pencarrow Stud family tracing to grand matriarch Richebourg produced a new juvenile stakes-winner at Ellerslie on New Year's Day and Too Sweet has a full sister entered for Karaka Book 2.   

Central Districts filly Too Sweet lived up to punters expectations when she downed a handy field in the Gr.2 SKYCITY Eclipse Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie on New Year's Day.

Too Sweet winning the Gr.2 SKYCITY Eclipse Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie on New Year's Day.   Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images)

Brought north by trainer Roydon Bergerson after winning on debut at Trentham back in October and then finishing second at that venue in early December, the daughter of Rich Hill Stud stallion Satono Aladdin closed as the $3 Fixed Odds favourite for the first stakes race of the New Year after some inspired late support.

Rider Michael McNab took the initiative when the filly made a lightning beginning from her outside (9) barrier and dictated proceedings from another well backed runner in Sweet Ice.

Having her first start going in the clockwise direction, Too Sweet handled the tricky Ellerslie circuit with ease as she cornered beautifully and then kicked away from her rivals at the 300m. La Dorada, Toretto and Almakeitgood all closed gamely but Too Sweet proved too strong as she hit the finish line 1-1/2 lengths to the good of her rivals.

Bergerson was thrilled with the way his charge handled the Ellerslie track ahead of the $1 million TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) at the Auckland venue on 25 January, and he is excited for the syndicate who race her, which includes his son Sam (co-trainer of runner-up La Dorada) and her Karaka Yearling Sale purchaser Chris Rutten.

“There is nothing much better in racing than when you win a race for your son, the leading trainer in New Zealand,” Bergerson said.

“She won pretty well and is a good horse with a good brain on her.

“Michael took the initiative, as our plan was to drop in behind them, but she flew the gate and that was it.”

Bergerson confirmed that Too Sweet would follow in the footsteps of another top juvenile filly he trained in Wolverine, who won the same event in 2022 before finishing runner-up to Dynastic in the Karaka Million 2YO three weeks later.

“I think she is as good as Wolverine as she has a great turn of foot and probably has a better brain all around,” he said.

“Sam can take over now as we will leave her at Te Akau where she will go out on the water walker for a week and then bring her back here in three weeks.”

Advertisement

McNab admitted he threw the original game plan out the window when the filly jumped brilliantly at the start.

“The plan was to ride her quiet from a wide gate as there looked good speed (on paper),” he said.

“After I’d gone a few strides, I thought I might as well be the one who takes it up (pacemaking) and it worked out really well.

“She was a little aggressive and quite fresh, but she found a good kick and that gives you confidence for what’s ahead.

“She can race from behind, from the front, so she can do it all.”

TAB Bookmakers shortened her price dramatically for the Karaka Million 2YO immediately after the victory, and she now sits as the $4 Fixed Odds favourite ahead of La Dorada ($5.50) and Almakeitgood ($7).

Rutten paid $50,000 to purchase Too Sweet from Phoenix Park’s draft at Karaka last year, and he is no stranger to Karaka Millions success, having won the race with Vespa in 2014 and has collected minor placings with Touche (2013), Kingsman (2016), Yourdeel (2019), Avonallo (2021), and Wolverine (2022). He also had success with Scott Base in the Karaka Million 3YO (1600m) in 2018.

The ninth stakes-winner for Satono Aladdin (Jpn), Too Sweet is the first winner from unraced Bernardini (USA) mare Sparkling Rose, whose grand-dam Madame Echezeaux is a half-sister to multiple Group I winning champion sprinter and sire Darci Brahma as well as Group winning sire Burgundy. 

Her fourth dam is Group I SAJC Australasian Oaks winner Grand Echezaux, a three-quarter sister to the dam of Cups Queen Ethereal, so Too Sweet has a pedigree tracing back to the very best.

Brighthill Farm will offer the full sister to Too Sweet at Karaka Book 2 as Lot 855. 

- LOVERACING.NZ News Desk

Advertisment

Race Result - Skycity Eclipse Stakes Gr2 1200m

Ellerslie Track: Good(4) Time: 1:12.35
1
Too Sweet
- 2f Satono Aladdin (JPN) x Sparkling Rose (NZ) (Bernardini (USA))
Tnr: R J Bergerson Rdr: M J Mc Nab 55
NZB Karaka Book 2 $0
Seller: Brighthill Farm
Buyer:
2
1.5
La Dorada
- 2f Super Seth (AUS) x Gold Fever (NZ) (Savabeel (AUS))
Tnr: Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson Rdr: V A Colgan 55
3
1.7
Almakeitgood
- 2f Ardrossan (AUS) x Cortado (NZ) (Sepoy (AUS))
Tnr: S A Sharrock Rdr: C J Grylls 55
4
4
Toretto
- 2g Ardrossan (AUS) x Pwerfect (AUS) (Pentire (GB))
Tnr: Hollie Wynyard Rdr: R T Elliot 57
5
5.3
Vega For Luck
- 2c Lucky Vega (IRE) x Badea (NZ) (Darci Brahma (NZ))
Tnr: Ben & Ryan Foote Rdr: G Rooke 57
6
7.6
Sweet Ice
- 2g Frosted (USA) x Deliciano (NZ) (Darci Brahma (NZ))
Tnr: D G Greene Rdr: S C Spratt 57
7
8.6
Romanoff
- 2c Belardo (IRE) x Tsarina Belle (NZ) (Stravinsky (USA))
Tnr: Ms P Gerard Rdr: K A Myers 57
8
10.6
Roc 'N' Ready
- 2f El Roca (AUS) x Renediym (AUS) (General Nediym (AUS))
Tnr: R C Dennis Rdr: Joe Doyle 55
More Reading...
Sires With Winners - Thursday September 25
Here is the full list of 28 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Inglis Confirm Skybird for Everest Slot
Inglis is thrilled to confirm G1 winner Skybird (Exosphere) as our representative for the running of the $20m The Everest.
Horse Trading Stock Issues to Avoid
One of the key areas in thoroughbred taxation is accounting for trading stock and ensuring the tax closing value is properly ascertained. You’d be quite surprised of the enormous difference to the tax position of any racing player where trading stock problems occur.
Invincible Filly Snares $100,000 Inglis Bonus
The least expensive filly by champion sire I Am Invincible sold at Inglis Easter in 2024, Wear the Crown always looked to have been well bought at $260,000 by Seib/Racing / Champion Thoroughbreds and she set about repaying her purchase price at Goulburn on Thursday.
$1.2million for Mare in Foal to Frankel
There are four mares to be offered at Magic Millions National in foal to Juddmonte Farm’s champion sire Frankel and the first of them Grande Dame (GB) sold for $1.2million to James Bester Bloodstock/Morning Rise Stud.
Manhattan Rain Gold Rush in WA
Geisel Park won’t be the only WA breeder on board when the first locally-conceived 2yo crop of its Group 1 sire Manhattan Rain get mobile this season.
Golden Rose Colts – Sires of the Future
The $1million Group I ATC Golden Rose (1400m) this Saturday offers the winner far more than prizemoney and assuming it’s a colt he is given a golden ticket to a commercial stud career, so let’s take a look at this year’s contenders, who would you want on your stallion roster in 2026?
€1.9million Sale-Topping Colt Wins G3 Somerville Stakes
The Group III Somerville Stakes (7f) was run at Newmarket overnight with the Godolphin blue carried by exciting Night of Thunder colt Distant Storm, who they purchased for a sale-topping €1.9million at the Arqana May Breeze Up Sale earlier this year.
Aquis Welcome First foals for Young Gun Officiating
A fast Group winning sprinter by Breeders Cup Classic winner Blame, Officiating (USA) was carefully selected by Aquis Stallions following a global headhunting mission to secure an outcross stallion for Queensland and his first foals are arriving this spring.
Breeding to Win - 2025 Manikato Stakes
Racing at The Valley on Grand Final Eve in Melbourne - the southern capital doing what it does best, bringing people together in celebration of sporting greatness!