Katie Lee Regains KM Top Spot

Katie Lee Regains KM Top Spot

Katie Lee wrestled back top position in the Karaka Million Order of Entry with victory in the $75,000 Group 3 ARC Eclipse Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie on New Year's Day.

After relinquishing the top spot to Sarge in Charge (Golan - Dainty, by Fairy King) just a week ago, Katie Lee (Pins - Miss Jessie Jay, by Spectacularphantom) marched back to number one position, with a most dominant performance in the feature two-year-old race to take her to $79,175 in earnings on the first day of 2009.

Racing over the same course and distance that the Karaka Million will be contested in just twenty days time, Katie Lee settled close to the pace in the green and yellow spotted silks of Sir Patrick and Lady Hogan. Jockey Michael Coleman had the grey filly travelling beautifully coming into the home straight, finally unleashing her 400m from home to score victory by a comfortable three lengths in a time of 1.09.83.

Finishing behind the Graeme Rogerson trained filly was Sacramento (No Excuse Needed - Lodore Mystic, by Centaine), who shares the same trainer and sire (Peter McKay and No Excuse Needed) as last year's inaugural Karaka Million victor Vincent Mangano. Sacramento's second placing saw him appear in the top ten entrants on prizemoney for the first time, filling sixth position with $19,875 in earnings.

There are still nine two-year-old races to be contested before the final field for the Karaka Million 2009 can be determined, with Saturday's $15,000 two-year-old event at Ellerslie over 1200m set to be the next race likely to have any effect on the current order of entry.

The current order of entry makes interesting reading, with the top fourteen thus far reflecting the following:

· Ten of the top fourteen are fillies.

· Thirteenth placed Corsage (Volksraad - Spray) is the least expensive purchase in the top fourteen Karaka Million entrants costing $25,000, while sixth placed Sacramento was the most expensive at $480,000.

· Pins (Katie Lee and Rachine), One Cool Cat (Winter King and Dawned), and Volksraad (Mexican Rose and Corsage) are the most represented sires amongst the current top fourteen entrants with two apiece.

· Waikato Stud (Sacramento and Rachine) and Windsor Park Stud (Sarge in Charge and Corsage) are the most represented vendors with two horses apiece in the top fourteen.

· Mark Walker (Ransom Success and Corsage) and Andrew Scott (Rachine and Bewitch) are the most represented trainers with two horses apiece.

· Five of the top fourteen are trained in Australia by Liam Birchley (Sarge in Charge), David Payne (Winter King), David Hayes (Optimizing), Alan Bailey (Brazilian Princess) and Anthony Cummings (Dawned).

For the full updated Karaka Million 2009 Order of Entry click here.

ENDS

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