Let’s meet the Humbletonian victors…
Another bumper meeting of twelve races with over 100 starters for Humbletonian Day 2022! The all-maiden, all-Vicbred card attracted a wide range of runners and saw foal nominators* alone pocket $17,700 in payments despite in many cases no longer owning the horse! Just one more reason that it truly pays to be Vicbred. It was a day of fascinating winners but two stood out especially – the maiden with the highest number of starts out of all 106 runners and one whose dam took Humbletonian victory all the way back in 2015…
Wicked Liquor 5YO mare (Bacardi Lindy – Wicked Schemes – Wagon Apollo)
With the most unsuccessful starts of any horse on the program at 42, Wicked Liquor is the poster girl for Humbletonian Day! An opportunity to break through and not just collect her Vicbred First Win Bonus but enhanced Humbletonian prize money and points for Tasmania’s Jordan Chibnall in the Australasian Young Drivers Championship. The Bacardi Lindy (Llowalong Farms) mare had only recorded five placings in her career, and shows the incredible persistence of her connections.
Wicked Liquor is out of Wagon Apollo mare Wicked Schemes, with both being bred by J & R Dyer, T Folwer, K Greer, J Matthews and J Boyle. Wicked Schemes had two wins from her 36 starts and is a sister to 2022 Inter Dominion Trotting Championship Final emergency, Anywhere Hugo (Majestic Son). This winner is her first foal but Supplanter (Muscle Mass) and Brother Joseph (Father Patrick) have both recorded wins. Her most recent foal, an Andover Hall filly, died before she was named.
Even as a five-year-old, Wicked Liquor collects a Vicbred First Win Bonus of $3,500, which still sees her breeders collect $1,210 from the mare’s win on Humbletonian Day.
Acool Investment 3YO filly (Father Patrick – Social Fireball – Courage Under Fire)
On Humbletonian Day in 2015, it was noted that a runner in the HBV 2YO Vicbred Trot Maiden was distinctly pacing bred. Denis and Brenda Bice of Yorkshire Park had bred their Presidential Ball mare, Lombo Socialite, to Courage Under Fire, resulting in filly Social Fireball (right). Who was determined to trot. Having her fifth start and after two second placings, Social Fireball was driven to comfortable victory at Maryborough by the late Gavin Lang. She went on to win $63,000 in stakes including the Group 3 Vicbred Super Series 3YO Silver Trot. Her siblings all paced and include $137,000 winner Clenavril King (Courage Under Fire).
Purchased by Dom Martello, the mare was bred to Father Patrick and the first foal was a filly, later named Acool Investment. The mare has since been sold again with two further foals bred (Majestic Son and Tiger Tara) by different breeders. A winner after 11 placings in 17 starts, Acool Investment has netted Dom $2,385 in Vicbred breeder percentages and bonuses on Humbletonian Day. The fifth in a line of winning mares which also includes great granddam Lombo Rapida ($790,000, Northern Lights), will this filly eventually breed yet another winner? A Humbletonian winner? A trotting Humbletonian winner?
Sweet Bella 2YO filly (Sweet Lou – Illawong Bella – Bettors Delight)
As a $95,000 yearling purchase at the Nutrien Equine Standardbred Yearling Sales in 2021 for foal nominators Alabar Bloodstock, there were high expectations for this two-year-old daughter of Sweet Lou. Bred by Kaye and the late Dr Martin Hartnett, Sweet Bella was the second top pacing yearling filly through the inaugural Nutrien ring at Oaklands, knocked down to HBV members, Bruce and Vicki Edward of Durham Park. Dam Illawong Bella was also bred at Durham Park. On debut at Maryborough, Sweet Bella did not disappoint, recording 1:56.8 to take victory.
Illawong Bella is now a 100% producer, with Plains In Heaven (Rock N Roll Heaven) already a winner, and 2021 Art Major colt only a weanling. She joins her own dam, O Narutac Bella (Western Ideal) in this respect, the latter having produced all winners from her stock old enough to race, a list that includes Turn It Up ($690,000, Courage Under Fire) and 2022 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship runner, Narutac Prince ($155,000, Art Major). Despite no longer owning either Sweet Bella or her dam Illawong Bella, Mrs Harnett as breeder collects $2,385 in percentages and bonuses on Humbletonian Day.
Magnetize 3YO gelding (Art Major – Mesmerizing – Our Sir Vancelot)
Having just his fourth start, Magnetize’s breeding and two earlier third placings suggested that he was much better than the $19 set by the market. By Alabar’s Art Major, he is of course a full brother to Messini, the first foal from Mesmerizing. He topped the 2012 Australian Pacing Gold Yearling Sale in Melbourne, fetching $95,000 for Maree, Lauren and Matthew Caldow and John Kelly, knocked down to the Mark Purdon stable.
Eventually trained by Brett Lilley, Messini banked over $700,000 in a career that started in New Zealand, and included the GROUP 1 Vicbred Super Series 3YO & 4YO Pacing Finals, several country cups, and a run of seven consecutive wins. Like Magnetize, Messini also recorded two placings before taking a win at Bendigo in his fifth lifetime start, so in this respect Magnetize is ahead of his big brother already.
Mesmerize is bred from by HBV member Maree Caldow with Lauren and Matthew Caldow and John Kelly. She has had eight foals old enough to race, with seven of them making the track and all now recording wins. These include Messerati ($126,000, Art Major), Madeeba ($95,000, Courage Under Fire) and Meziah ($67,000, Bettors Delight). She has a 2021 American Ideal (Llowalong Farms) filly – the first from the mare – on the ground, and was last served by Alabar’s Captain Crunch. Overall, Mesmerizing’s progeny have earnt over a million dollars. The Our Sir Vancelot mare was a listed classic winner herself, claiming the Graham Goffin Memorial at Moonee Valley for overall earnings of $179,000.
In case breeders were in doubt about how it pays to be Vicbred, the win on Humbletonian Day netted the breeders $2,635 just for having bred Magnetize– 5% of the enhanced winning stake, 5% of the $7,000 Vicbred First Win Bonus, 10% Vicbred Age Restrict Race Breeder Bonus, and $750 in cash bonuses from HBV, HRV and MHRC.
Ifyoulovemeletmego 3YO filly (Shadow Play – Vulcan Sheffield – Falcon Seelster)
Shadow Play filly Ifyoulovemeletmego was bred by long-time HBV member, Denis Pangrazio, and was one of three winners on debut across Humbletonian Day, and paid $33 over favourite Female Assassin. She is from winning Falcon Seelster mare, Vulcan Sheffield (also bred by Pangrazio) making her a sister to another winner, Our Boy Johnny (Modern Art). Her sister, Flaming Sheffield (Courage Under Fire), has a two-year-old by little-known Cam’s Card Shark stallion Genuwine. Denis picks up $2,385 as breeder of Ifyoulovemeletmego.
Curyo Gentleman 2YO gelding (Shadow Play – Doutzen – Safely Kept)
Having his firth start, Curyo Gentleman had a been knocking on the door with two placings in the last month. He is the latest of his dam Doutzen’s progeny to reach the race track, with older siblings Bou Chard ($66,000, Live Or Die), Fourth In Line ($28,000, Grinfromeartoear) and Vinny Rock ($11,000, Pet Rock) all having recorded wins already. The winning Safely Kept mare’s latest contribution to the racing pool is this Art Major filly (below). Curyo Gentleman’s only sister, Bou Chard, has a 2020 Sportswriter filly on the ground and was last served by Poster Boy.
Despite no longer owning the horse, Robin Connelly collects $2,630 in percentages and bonuses for Curyo Gentleman’s Vicbred win. Connelly has bred all Doutzen’s progeny, as well as Doutzen herself, and her dam, Robrin Mac.
Chynchilla 2YO filly (Sunshine Beach – Gotta Go Jet Away – Jeremes Jet)
The only New Zealand-bred Vicbred runner for the day, Chynchilla was bred by Alabar Farms and is one of Sunshine Beach’s eight winners from his fourth crop here in Australia. The seven-start maiden had recorded four placings, but was still at $6 in the market. Chynchilla is Gotta Go Jet Away’s first foal, with Art Major youngsters on the ground in New Zealand and most recently served by Captain Crunch. Gotta Go Jet Away is a half-sister to $205,000 winning Gotta Go Harmony (Christian Cullen), dam of My Harmony Blue (Betterthancheddar, $106,000). The win on Humbletonian Day netted Alabar, as breeders, $2,635 in percentages and bonuses.
Madigan 2YO gelding (Sweet Lou – Our Chelsea Girl – Bettors Delight)
Another to have placed on debut and won at Humbletonian Day, Sweet Lou filly Madigan is the fourth foal from her dam, Our Chelsea Girl, and the third winner with Cheyenne Autumn ($53,000, Artistic Fella) and Valkyrie ($39,000, Art Major) already on the board. While Madigan was bred by John Mannix, the dam has since been sold to the Stanley family, and has been most recently served by Soho Lanikai after colt by the VicbredPure sire last season.
The family has depth, with Our Chelsea Girl a full sister to two $200,000+ winners in Miss Limelight and Elios. As breeder of Madigan, John collects the full amount in breeder percentages and bonuses, totalling $2,635.
Alook To Like 5YO gelding (Four Starzzz Shark – Cherie McTago – Troublemaker)
Another aged horse to collect a half Vicbred First Win Bonus of $3,500, Alook To Like is a graduate of the 2018 Australian Pacing Gold Yearling Sales (left) and had recorded five placings from his 20 starts before breaking through on Humbletonian Day. His two most recent runs were second placings. Now deceased Troublemaker mare Cherie Mctago is now a 100% producer, with all progeny bred by Jenny Gallagher and Garry Hawthorn at Galthorn Farms, and collect $1,210 despite disposing of him at sale. Alook To Like’s full brother Whats The Catch, banked $63,000 in earnings before an untimely demise, while Jax Tellar ($74,000, Modern Art) claimed 11 wins in his career.
Stockman Peter 3YO rig (Used To Me – Aruna Chicka – Yankee Spider)
A rare winner on debut on Humbletonian Day, Stockman Peter has gone one better than his dam on both counts. The Yankee Spider mare Aruna Chicka, bred by the Graeme Rice estate, did not make it to the track at all, let alone record a win. This Used To Me rig is her first foal, followed by a What The Hill colt in 2020 and a Pastor Stephen (Llowalong Farms) filly this year. All have been bred by MC Family Trust who collect $2,635 as breeders of Stockman Peter on today’s win alone.
Salski 2YO filly (What The Hill – Donski – Sundon)
Bred by long-time HBV member Gary Donaldson who was also a former committeeman when Humbletonian Day was first instituted, Salski had recorded a second placing in her debut. She is one of What The Hill’s first Australian crop of 16 foals which already boasts three winners, including Northolt who beat her home in that first start and Group 1 winner Dreambigaimhigh. While her dam Donski has four foals, Salski is the first to reach the track, a 3YO Pegasus Spur filly yet to make her debut and an Angus Hall filly and Father Patrick colt, all bred by Donaldson, not yet old enough to race.
He also bred Donski, a $40,000 winning Sundon sister to four other winners and unraced brothers by Skyvalley (2021) and Majestic Son (2022). Donski’s own Father Patrick colt is Lot 570 in the 2023 Nutrien Equine Standardbred Yearling Sale in Melbourne. With Vicbred bonuses and percentages, as breeder Gary picks up $2,635 for Salski’s win at Maryborough.
Paris Jamilla 2YO filly (Majestic Son – Catchya Maya – Yankee Spider)
Bred and owned by Lyndon Turner, all the Vicbred benefits of the $5,700 winner’s stake plus $7,000 Vicbred First Win Bonus come his way for trotter Paris Jamilla’s wins! But as breeder, he also collects the 10% Vicbred Breeder Bonus, HRV’s $500 Humbletonian Bonus and the $250 HBV breeder bonus. The run at Maryborough was her fourth start having collected a fourth, third and second placing in lead up to her win. She is the fifth foal from her Yankee Spider mare, Catchya Maya. While two others have raced, she is the only winner to date with a yearling Peak sister yet to be named.
* The foal nominator is, as the name suggests, the person who owns the foal at the time of registration, and the HRV payments in these instances are paid to the foal nominator. This in an instance where the ‘breeder’ as recorded in the Stud Book is different to the Foal Nominator. For example if John Smith sold his in-foal broodmare in July to Jenny Jones who foaled that mare down and nominated the foal in October, John Smith would be the “Breeder” and Jenny Jones would be the “Foal Nominator”.