b4breeding

This is the first is a series which gathers information that might be of interest to breeders regarding the 2014 Harness Jewels which is a day of 1 mile races bringing together many of the top 2, 3 and 4yo horses in New Zealand.

The Harness Jewels fields are age/sex races selected on the basis of stakes earned over the current season of racing in New Zealand. The fields don’t necessarily contain all the best race horses, as some will be spelling by this stage of the season, or been withdrawn if they are injured or out of form. However it does bring together many of the very top racehorses – and fields also include the most consistent, i.e. those that have regularly earned stakes (perhaps by winning or placing in several non-Group races or coming 3rd or 4th in Group races) rather than just the “stars”.

So making it into a Jewels field (regardless of the result of the race itself) is quite an achievement.

I consider these fields to be a good representation of quality racehorses.

• Mares are listed in order of their placings in the 4yo Diamond race (31 May 2014, Cambridge, New Zealand).
• Information focuses on the breeding and about the dam, but for time and space reasons I cannot get into a rating of the wider maternal family.
• As always, your comments and additional information (or corrections) are welcomed.

One thing it highlights is that good mares can come from a variety of dams and families – 2 of the dams of these mares raced but never won; 5 were unraced or qualified but not raced. Of the winning dams, apart from Scuse Me, they were mainly good races horses earning around the $40-50,000 mark rather than the very top fillies and mares who, in my observations, often struggle to leave foals as good as they were.

The age of the dam is her current age with her age at foal this 4yo mare in brackets after.

 

1 Adore Me (lifetime earnings as at 8 June 2014 $880,469)

Breeder: CJ Roberts

Breeding: Bettor’s Delight – Scuse Me – BG’s Bunny

Dam’s age: 20yo (16)

Dam’s race record: 25 starts, 8 wins, 8 places  $126,841

Dam’s breeding record: 12 foals of racing age. 11 NZ winners.

Dam last served in 2013 – Bettor’s Delight

 

2 Helena Jet (lifetime earnings as at 8 June 2014 $115,246)

Breeder: PJ Laboyrie

Breeding: Jereme’s Jet – Matai Marlene – Holmes Hanover

Dam’s age: 13yo (9)

Dam’s race record: 10 starts, no wins, no places

Dam’s breeding record: 4 foals of racing age, 2 NZ winners

Dam last served in 2013 – Rock N Roll Heaven

 

3  The Fascinator  (lifetime earnings as at 8 June 2014  $57,781 )

Breeder: Croon Bloodstock

Breeding: Bettor’s Delight – Impish – Falcon Seelster

Dam’s age: 17yo (13)

Dam’s race record: 26 starts, 6 wins, 6 places  $45,032

Dam’s breeding record: 8 foals of racing age, 5 NZ winners

Dam last served in 2013 – Well Said

 

4  Maloo  (lifetime earnings as at 8 June 2014  $48,432 )

Breeder: Mrs S A Stuart,R F Mitchell

Breeding: Bettor’s Delight – Monaro – In The Pocket

Dam’s age: 12yo (8)

Dam’s race record: 21 starts, 7 wins, 8 places  $43,770

Dam’s breeding record:                2 foals of racing age, 1 NZ winner

Dam last served in 2013 – Art Major

 

5  Whisper Jet  (lifetime earnings as at 8 June 2014  $69,476 )

Breeder: Mrs D C Cournane,N J Cournane

Breeding: Jereme’s Jet – Nitouche Franco – Soky’s Atom

Dam’s age: 13yo (9)

Dam’s race record: Qualified.

Dam’s breeding record: 5 foals of racing age, 3 NZ winners

Dam last served in 2013 – Mach Three

 

6  Chillysjustastrutter  (lifetime earnings as at 8 June 2014  $ 38,577 )

Breeder: N J Meredith,Mrs D E Meredith

Breeding: Sutter Hanover – Chilly Dawn – Deal Direct

Dam’s age: 14yo (10)

Dam’s race record: 20 starts, 1 win, 3 places  $7458

Dam’s breeding record: 2 foals of racing age, 1 NZ winner

Dam last served in 2013 – Shadow Play

 

7  Christy Breanna  (lifetime earnings as at 8 June 2014  $41,868 )

Breeder: Nevele R Stud

Breeding: Lis Mara – Holmes Dream – Holmes Hanover
Dam’s age: 23yo (19)

Dam’s race record: 7 starts, no wins, no places

Dam’s breeding record: 10 foals of racing age, 4 winners

Dam no longer being bred.

 

8  Onlyforyou  (lifetime earnings as at 8 June 2014  $365,459 )

Breeder: C H Barlow,Mrs T J Barlow

Breeding: Art Major – Destiny – Presidential Ball

Dam’s age: 9yo (5)

Dam’s race record: Unraced

Dam’s breeding record:  2 foals of racing age, 1 winner

Dam last served 2013 – Somebeachsomewhere

 

9  Tactful Lady (lifetime earnings as at 8 June 2014 $31,154)

Breeder: Mac Racing Ltd

Breeding: McArdle – Tact Filly – In The Pocket

Dam’s age: 11yo (7)

Dam’s race record: Qualified

Dam’s breeding record: 5 foals of racing age, 2 NZ winners

Dam last served 2013 – Betterthancheddar

 

10  Beckinsale  (lifetime earnings as at 8 June 2014  $59,514 )

Breeder: Astaire Standardbred Breeding Co. Ltd.

Breeding: Falcon Seelster – Ballroom Babe – Presidential Ball

Dam’s age: 12yo (8)

Dam’s race record: 42 starts, 7 wins, 13 places  $49,993

Dam’s breeding record: 3 foals of racing age, 2 winners

Dam last served 2013 – American Ideal

 

11  Russley Haste  (lifetime earnings as at 8 June 2014  $28,438 )

Breeder: A J Parker,Mrs P R A Parker

Breeding: Mach Three – Russley Fiction – Road Machine

Dam’s age: Died (9yo)

Dam’s race record: Qualified

Dam’s breeding record: 4 foals of racing age, 2 winners

 

12  Lauramegan  (lifetime earnings as at 8 June 2014  $47,368 )

Breeder: Mrs R L McKay,C L McKay

Breeding: Tinted Cloud – Sensitive Poplar – Holmes Hanover

Dam’s age: 17yo (13)

Dam’s race record: Unraced

Dam’s breeding record: 9 foals of racing age, 3 NZ winners

Dam last served 2013 – Changeover

 

13  River Polka  (lifetime earnings as at 8 June 2014  $94,047 )

Breeder: B Fleming

Breeding: American Ideal – Isle Of Inishfree – Royden Glen

Dam’s age: 25yo (21)

Dam’s race record: 24 starts, 3 wins, 5 places  $14,069

Dam’s breeding record: 9 foals of racing age, 8 winners

This was last foal from dam.