The NZ Breeders Stakes (NZ Standardbred Breeders Stakes) celebrates its fiftieth edition on 11 February 2022 during a Five Star Premier evening of harness racing at the NZ Metropolitan Trotting Club meeting at Addington Raceway in Christchurch, NZ. First run in May 1973 over one mile the inaugural Breeders Stakes was won by Royal Belmer.
The premier annual event for NZ’s leading fillies and mares holding Group One status and current prizemoney of $100,000 boasting an honours board containing many of New Zealand’s outstanding female pacers of the past five decades including leading drivers and trainers
For many years Alexandra Park, Auckland has hosted a sister edition namely the North Island Standardbred Breeders Stakes commenced in 1975.
It is interesting to note that the NZ Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes which is held annually by the Te Aroha Jockey Club commenced two years prior to the NZ Standardbred Breeders Stakes in 1971. The inaugural running for a stake of $9,000 at a time when open staying handicaps at tracks like Te Aroha were $3,000 and open sprints $2,000. The fiftieth edition of the Te Aroha club’s flagship race the NZ Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes was celebrated on Saturday 17 April 2021 at the Waikato RC’s meeting at Te Rapa following the abandonment of the Te Aroha meeting the previous weekend (not run in 2020 due to Covid 19).
The information provided below is a statistical feast of facts and figures regarding the Breeders Stakes with mention of many of the great winners of the race.
Background –
The NZ Breeders Stakes was first run at the Canterbury Park TC’s Winter meeting on Saturday 26 May 1973. The Canterbury Park club racing at Addington Raceway were the hosts for this event until the amalgamation of all three Addington club’s into the NZ Metropolitan Trotting Club (NZMTC) in the late nineteen nineties. The NZMTC becoming the host club for the first time in 1999.
It was after the establishment of the NZ Standardbred Breeders Association that racing opportunities specifically for fillies and mares expanded. It could be said that even greater opportunities are still required fifty years later. Tony Abell credits former Chairman and member of the NZ Standardbred Breeders Association Peter Binnie with having achieved the inception of the New Zealand Standardbred Breeders Stakes. Inaugurated and over time quickly becoming the benchmark race for top fillies and mares, however like all major races, many fine female pacers have not managed to win this race.
Considerable value is added to a mare’s offspring if having managed to win the NZ Breeders Stakes, the black type attained and normally fast winning time being added features. Studs are keen to get winning mares to their stallions and the mares close relations also benefit.
Inaugural Breeders Stakes
The field of ten were all invitees for the first running of the NZ Breeders Stakes unlike today’s current open event for fillies and mares. The 1973 edition consisted of seven mares and three fillies competing for the prize. Together with the stake money Mazda Motors NZ donated a portable TV valued at $250 to the winning connections.
With the race organised by the Canterbury Park Trotting Club and NZ Standardbred Breeders Association together with input from various stud masters, the spirit of cooperation between the three parties was a pleasing feature of the fixture. Ten stallion services were donated with a draw held the week before the race to allocate a sire to a starter :
Tempest Hanover – Young Trouble; Jersey Hanover – Loyal Drift; Tuft – Star Land; Nevele Romeo – Ar Miss; Brad Hanover – Royal Belmer; Bay Foyle or Estes Minbar – Barbara Del; Schell Hanover – Royal Cheval; Roydon Lodge (sire not nominated) – Golden Guest; Local Light – Approved; Lordship –Marie Gibbins
A good proportion of the country was represented by the ten starters –
North Island – Hawera Marie Gibbins (NI Oaks winner)
Canterbury/Christchurch – Ar Miss (1972 NZ Oaks), Royal Belmer
North Canterbury – Rangiora Royal Cheval
Mid Canterbury – Rakaia Loyal Drift (NZ Oaks); Tinwald Barbara Del; Orari – Young Trouble, Star Land; Highbank – Golden Guest
Southland – Approved
Royal Belmer provided an easy win for trainer/driver Jack Smolenski in the inaugural NZ Standardbred Breeders Stakes. This very good mare was raced by Dutch born Rangiora breeder/horseman Maurice Vermeulen and NZMTC committeeman John Osborne. An engineer by trade Vermeulen purchased the Thurber Frost/Lady Belfield filly with Christchurch clothing manufacturer John Osborne at the 1969 National Yearling Sales for $2,700. Royal Belmer was from the Purple Patch branch of the family of Papilla (N15) and at the conclusion of her five year old career when retired at the end of the 1972/3 season had recorded twelve victories and fourteen placings for her forty two starts, 1:59, 2, $29,375.
Royal Belmer was the fastest pacing mare in NZ history with a placed time of 1:58 4/5 behind Command Performer 1:58 3/5 in the 1972 Flying Mile at Cambridge in January 1973 (Manaroa third, Final Decision fourth). Also the winner of the NZ Championship – 3, Kaikoura Cup, Addington Hcp and Clarendon FFA during her illustrious career finishing fourth in Globe Bay’s 1972 NZ Cup victory.
The same owners together with Vermeulen’s wife Margaret also owned the smart second placed three year old filly Royal Cheval giving them the race’s inaugural quinella result. A six race winner including the Inter island Hcp at Hutt Park among her victories.
Canterbury Park Trotting Club Winter Meeting 26 May 1973 – result of –
The New Zealand Standardbred Breeders Stakes $5,000, Fillies and Mares Mobile Pace, One Mile. Winner $3,250; second $1,000; third $500; fourth $250.
1/1 John Osborne & Maurice Vermeulen’s b m 5 yrs ROYAL BELMER by Thurber Frost – Lady Belfield, tr/dr Jack Smolenski 1 (bracketed with Royal Cheval)
1/1 Mrs Margaret Osborne, Mrs Margaret & Maurice Vermeulen’s b f 3 yrs ROYAL CHEVAL by Good Time Eden – Stowaway, tr Maurice Vermeulen, dr Maurice Holmes 2
8/8 A M Thomson’s b m 7 yrs YOUNG TROUBLE by Young Charles – Trouble, tr Sam Henderson, dr Tony Henderson 3
(in finishing order) 2/4 Marie Gibbons, 7/7 Golden Guest, 9/9 Approved, 4/3 Ar Miss, 5/5 Loyal Drift, 3/2 Star Land, 6/6 Barbara Del
Time : 2:03.8; 2l, ½l, 2l; $1.85/$2.05, $2.05, $4.35; Quinella $16.55
Royal Belmer dictated the entire race easing down to win by two lengths from Royal Cheval in a time of 2:03 4/5 on a fast track and a fine evening.
NZ Breeders Stakes : Facts and Figures
The inaugural running took place during the 1972/73 season at Christchurch’s Addington Raceway (Saturday 26 May 1973) where it has continued to be run annually every season since. The exception being 1983 when two editions were held on 1 January and 30 December – the latter taking place of the 1984 edition.
Dates for the NZ Breeders have changed over the years although it now has a permanent slot as part of the Premier Summer carnival at Addington in February :
- May : 1973
- January : 1974; 1980 – 1983 (1); 1985 – 1999; 2003 – 2004; 2014
- April : 1975; 2016
- February : 1976 – 1979; 2002; 2005 – 2013; 2018 – 2021
- March : 2000 – 2001; 2015, 2017
- December : 1983 (2)
In the period from its initial running in 1973 through to 1998, the race was run under the auspices of the Canterbury Park Trotting Club. When held in December or January during this period it formed part of the club’s New Year’s meeting often being run in the evening of New Year’s Day. Coming under the NZMTC’s control, the race day was moved around between January, February and on the odd occasion March and April. It now forms part of the Summer Premier meeting in mid-February.
The NZ Breeders Stakes has been run with slight variations to its name over the years. Starting out in 1973 as the NZ Standardbred Breeders Stakes, it was shortened to NZ Breeders Stakes for 1986 and 1987 editions, reverting back to NZ Standardbred Breeders Stakes 1988 – 2005, changing to NZ Breeders Stakes 2006 – 2017, back again to NZ Standardbred Breeders Stakes 2018 – 2020 before settling on NZ Breeders Stakes in 2021.
Sponsorship of the NZ Breeders Stakes did not commence until the 1986 and 1987 editions was sponsored by Cardigan Bay Breeding Ltd, part of National Bloodstock Corporation whose association continued the following year 1988. Sponsorship did not resume until 1995 when Lion Breweries Christchurch based Canterbury Draught provided funding for the next six editions, 1995 – 2000. The remaining sponsor’s card reads : Caduceus Club of Canterbury 2001 – 2002; no sponsor 2003; Mach Three 2004 – 2005; PGG Wrightson 2006 – 2020; Leefield Station 2021; Fahey Fence Hire 2022.
The stake for the NZ Breeders Stakes has increased substantially since its first running. In 1973, the stake money paid out was $5,000 increasing significantly through to the current level of $100,000. A timeline of stake increases and decreases to the prize money available for the NZ Breeders Stakes is set out below :
1973 $5,000, increasing to reach $10,000 by 1976 before again increasing to $12,500 in 1978 and then $15,500 in 1980. 1981 began further rapid increases to $17,500, 1982 the stake reached $20,000 and by 1986 the stake level was $30,000, followed by $10,000 increases in 1987 to $40,000 and $50,000 in 1988. The stake increased to $55,000 in 1990, $67,000 in 1991, the first ever stake decrease to $66,000 in 1992 and $60,000 from 1993 – 1999.
Stakes were on the increase from 2000 to $75,000 while the $100,000 mark was first reached in the 2004 running while in 2010 the stake decreased to $80,000 returning to $100,000 in 2012 -2016. A reduction to $90,000 occurred in 2017 before returning to its current level of $100,000 in 2018.
Leading winning drivers : NZ Cup winningest driver Ricky May leads the field with six winning drives (Frangelico 1990, Lento 1996, Mainland Banner 2006, Its Ella 2007, Carabella 2012, Utmost Delight 2018). Richard Brosnan has four with other multiple winners are three time winning drivers Anthony Butt and Allan Beck while with two wins are Jack Carmichael and Jack Smolenski.
Trainers : It is hardly surprising that Richard Brosnan and Derek Jones feature as leading trainers of NZ Breeders Stakes thanks to the third time consecutive winning sequences of Bonnies Chance (1982, 1983 twice) and Blossom Lady (1991, 1992, 1993). A number of trainers have recorded two victories : Jack Smolenski (Royal Belmer 1973, Gina Rosa 1989); Colin De Filippi (Kyms Girl 2000, 2001); Allan Beck (Shortys Girl 2002, 2003); Robert Dunn (Mainland Banner 2006, Time To Fly 2008); Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen (Adore Me 2014, Dream About Me 2019).
Owners – the most successful are three time winning owners Mesdames Bonnie McGarry and Karen Grice (Bonnies Chance), Polly Syndicate, Mgr Ralph Kermode (Blossom Lady) and Charles Roberts (Adore Me, Utmost delight, Dream About Me) while two time winners are Maurice Vermeulen; HA MacPherson;, Alex McDonald and Lorraine Coutts; Wayne Francis; Graham Trist, Dave Miller and Bill Marra; Graham and Moira Bell; Paul and Mary Kenny.
Times/distances run in the NZ Breeders Stakes from behind the mobile barrier have varied due to distance changes over the years – over one mile the time was reduced from Royal Belmer’s 2:03.8 in 1973 (slowest) through to Blossom Lady’s first NZ Breeders Stakes victory in 1991 in a NZ mares record 1:56.0, the final running over one mile distance; over 2000m (1992 – 1998), Lento’s 2:25.3/1:56.8 in 1995 was the quickest; over 1950m (1999 – 2005) Shortys Girl second win in 2003 in 2:21.3/1:56.5 was speediest; over 2600m (2006 – current), last year’s 3:07.2/1:55.8 by Watch Me Now is the fastest while Its Ella’s 3:19.1 in 2007 on an easy is the slowest in this latest period.
Winning margins – the very first NZ Breeders Stakes resulted in a winning margin for Royal Belmer of two lengths. Over the past five decades, the maximum winning margin achieved has been Bonnies Chance’s ten lengths in her first success in 1982; Bettor Cover Lover won by 4½l in 2017; Blossom Lady’s third victory in 1993 was by 4¼l and Kiwi Ingenuity’s 4l win in 2009. The narrowest margin of a nose was recorded by Bionic Chance (1988), Tartan Lady (1999) and De Lovely (2011). Many close finishes of a half head, head, half neck and long neck have occurred over the years.
Two three time winners : Bonnies Chance 1982 and twice in 1983 as well as another NZ Cup winner in Blossom Lady 1991, 1992, 1993. Four two time winners : first Frangelico 1987, 1990; ; Lento 1995, 1996; Kyms Girl 2000, 2001; Shortys Girl 2002, 2003.
Winning ages : the sole three year old to win the NZ Breeders Stakes was Luisanabelle Midfrew in 2016, very few three year olds have attempted to win the race. A good number of four year olds have been victorious whilst among the older brigade both Frangelico in her second win in1990 and Blossom Lady in her third were aged eight with Bonnies Chance a seven year old at the time having her final start when victorious for the third time in 1983.
Betting : there have been half a dozen longer priced winners, all paying in excess of ten dollars to win since the inception of the NZ Breeders Stakes. The longest priced winner has been Tact Lizzie in 2010, 9/10 in betting paying $64.30; in 2008 Time To Fly 6/7 paid $27.70; Wainui Creek while 4/3 in betting due to hot favourite Princess Tiffany returned $18.50 in 2020 while last seasons winner Watch Me Now paid $12.30 as third favourite due to Amazing Dream’s warm favouritism; Shortys Girl’s first victory in 2002 when 6/6 In the betting returned $13.20 with Lady Toddy in 2005 also 6/6/ paid $11.85.
Half of the NZ Breeders Stakes have been won by favourites (25 of 49 to date) – the shortest priced favourites paying under two dollars have been Adore Me $1.00, $1.20 for place 2014, $1.30 Mainland Banner 2006, $1.45 Bonnies Chance 1982Blossom Lady 1992, $1.60 Kiwi Ingenuity 2009/Bettor Cover Lover 2013, $1.65 Bonnies Chance Jan 1983, $1.80 Blossom Lady 1993, $1.85 Royal Belmer 1973/Blossom Lady 1991, $1.90 Lento 1996/The Orange Agent 2017.
Since the inception of the Premier Mares Championship in 1988, there have been numerous winners of the Group One NZ Breeders Stakes and Group Two Premier Mares Championship in the same season – they are : 1988 Bionic Chance, 1989 Gina Rosa, 1991, 1993 Blossom Lady, 1996 Lento, 2000 Kyms Girl, 2004 Coburg, 2006 Mainland Banner, 2007 Its Ella, 2009 Kiwi Ingenuity, 2012 Carabella, 2013 Bettor Cover Lover, 2014 Adore Me.
In the breeding barn, leading sire with ten NZ Breeders Stakes credits is Bettors Delight – Carabella, Bettor Cover Lover, Adore Me, Utmost Delight, Dream About Me, Wainui Creek with all victories coming in a decade (2012 – 2020). With four credits is Majestic Chance while Christian Cullen and Farm Timer merit mention with three credits. These four stallions account for 16 of the forty nine NZ Breeders Stakes winners to date. As a dam sire of Rowe Cup winners Lumber Dream leads the way with five – Blossom Lady three, Kyms Girl two followed by U Scott with four while Aksarben and Sokys Atom have three credits.
On the maternal side Maud N37 : Lento/Shortys Girl twice and Venus Serena (Lento ND Venus Serena from Witchlight branch), stands out with five winners from this family with three credits each to Red Diamond N3 (two from Tactics branch – Its Ella, Watch Me Now) , Seacliff N58, Fashion Queen N69 and Brown Lancet U303.
NZ Breeders Stakes winning mares of feature Group One events in NZ have included three time winners Bonnies Chance (1982 NZ Cup/FFA) and Blossom Lady (1991 Easter Cup, 1992 NZ Cup/FFA), two time winner Kyms Girl (2001 NZ Cup), Mainland Banner (2005 NZ Cup), Adore Me (2014 NZ/Easter Cups), Dream About Me (2016 Auckland Cup).
NZ Breeders Stakes winners named NZ 4yo Mare Pacer of the Year – 1982/3 Hilarious Guest, 1985/6 Quiet Touch, 1987/8 Bionic Chance, 1992/3 Tigerish, 1996/7 Adio Routine, 2001/2 Shortys Girl, 2003/4 Coburg, 2005/6 Mainland Banner, 2008/9 Kiwi Ingenuity, 2010/11 De Lovely, 2011/12 Carabella, 2015/6 The Orange Agent, 2016/7 Dream About Me, 2017/8 Utmost Delight.
NZ Breeders Stakes winners named NZ Aged (5yo+) Mare Pacer of the Year – 1982/3 Bonnies Chance, 1984/5 Hilarious Guest, 1986/7 and 1989/90 Frangelico, 1987/8 and 1988/9 Gina Rosa, 1990/1, 1991/2, 1992/3, 1993/4 Blossom Lady, 1995/6 Lento, 1997/8 Theres A Franco, 1998/9 Adio Routine, 99/2000 and 2001/2 Kyms Girl, 2002/3 Shortys Girl, 2006/7 and 2007/8 Its Ella, 2009/10 Kiwi Ingenuity, 2016/7 The Orange Agent, 2018/9 Dream About Me.
In 2013/4 and 2014/5 Adore Me was named the NZ Aged (4yo+) Mare Pacer of the Year award winner.
Of the above Breeders Stakes and Mare Pacer award winners just four mares have also collected Pacer of Year and Harness Horse of Year titles : 1982/3 Bonnies Chance, 1992/3 Blossom Lady, 2005/6 Mainland Banner and 2010/11 Carabella.
The calibre of female pacers, trainers and drivers revealed in the history of the NZ Breeders Stakes is an outstanding endorsement of the wisdom in programming races specifically for leading (and lesser light) female pacers in NZ. Those to have featured over the past fifty years are outstanding examples of the female pacer. The New Zealand Metropolitan TTC and earlier Canterbury Park TC together with the (Standardbred) Breeders Association are to be congratulated for their endeavours in promoting the female pacer at the highest possible level.
Next Time : we’ll take a specific look at the breeding and other interesting facts concerning the winners of the NZ Breeders Stakes on a decade by decade basis.
Peter Craig
15 December 2021.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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