By Alan Parker
Star Western Australian bred two-year-old Rich Yankee has suffered a suspensory injury and, after veterinary treatment this morning, is expected to spend the best part of the next twelve months recuperating at the Albany property of part-owners and breeders Karen and Trevor Ness.
Rich Yankee was expected to have been a leading fancy for last Friday night’s Group One Golden Slipper Stakes won by Sprinter after his brilliant win in last month’s Group One Pearl Classic and luckless fourth in the Group One Westbred Classic on July 3rd.
Rich Yankee had ten starts this season for five wins and three placings and never finished further back that fourth on his way to earnings of $91,748.
In addition, by virtue of being a son of a stallion standing in WA, he picked up more than $21,000 in Westbred Bonus payments for his owners Maree Moore, Karen Ness and Trevor Ness.
The Rich Yankee story began at the 2005 Gloucester Standardbreds Western Australian Yearling Sale when Karen and Trevor Ness paid $5,500 for Lot 88, a filly by Rich And Spoilt from the Booth Hanover mare Kanawa.
Named Rich Babe, and trained by Rich Yankee’s trainer Jesse Moore, she went on to win 14 races and some $134,400 in stakes and finished second to Australian 2yo Pacing Filly of the Year Amongst Royalty in the 2006 WA Sales Classic. She also finished second to Five Tin Lids in the 2007 3yo WA Sales Classic.
Sent to Hollywood Park’s resident stallion Yankee Sensation Rich Babe’s first foal was Rich Yankee. She wasn’t bred again until this season and she is presently in foal to Elsu.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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