Breeding & Racing Magazine

Karaka Day-2: NZ$2.2m Stravinsky Colt

Te Akau Stables principal & syndicator David Ellis set the 2nd highest price ever for a yearling in New Zealand when he out-bid Keltern Stud's Sam Kelt & outlaid NZ$2.2 million for a Stravinsky colt (from Zabeel mare Grand Echezeaux) on Day-2 of the 3-session Premier section at yesterday's NZ Bloodstock National Yearling Sales at Karaka in Auckland. The colt (consigned by the Vela brothers' Pencarrow Stud) is a half-brother to Ellis's Gr1-winning boom 3YO colt (& last season's NZ champion juvenile) Darci Brahma (Danehill-Grand Echezeaux) who was a NZ$1.1 million yearling at the 2004 NZ Bloodstock Karaka Sale; Darci Brahma has subsequently notched 7 wins & a placing in 9 starts (including Australia's Gr1 T.J.Smith Classic in Brisbane last June, followed by both the NZ Gr2 Hawke's Bay Guineas & Gr2 Wellington Thoroughbred Breeders' Guineas in October, & then a 3.75-lengths blitz of his rivals in the Gr1 NZ 2000 Guineas in November) for over NZ$700,000 earnings. This is the 3rd foal from Grand Echezeaux, who won 4 races (including both the Gr1 SAJC Australasian Oaks & Gr3 Lakewood Stud Stakes) & is a half-sister to Hong Kong International Cup winner Romanee Conti (dam of Gr1 Caulfield-Melbourne Cups winner Ethereal).