Imperatriz takes home another supreme award for Te Akau
Trackside.co.nz • October 9th, 2024 8:43 AM
New Zealand’s Horse of the Year is now Australia’s Champion Sprinter of the year.
Imperatriz continued to collect major prizes overnight being announced as the Champion Sprinter at the prestigious Australian Racehorse of the Year awards.
With five group one wins Imperatriz was the dominant force in racing in the past season.
The Kiwi mare won five Gr. 1s, saluting in the Moir Stakes (1000m), Manikato Stakes (1200m), VRC Champions Sprint (1200m), Black Caviar Lightning Stakes (1000m) and William Reid Stakes (1200m), doing what many other New Zealand horses have struggled to do, not only matching her Australian rivals but beating them consistently.
The latest award comes on the back of taking home the NZ Horse of the Year trophy in September at a glitzy award ceremony in Cambridge.
At that award night in Cambridge, Imperatriz’s trainers, Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson, were voted trainer of the year and Waikato couple Denise Bassett and John Elstob, who had a quarter share in Imperatriz, topped an eclectic group of finalists for owner of the year.
Elstob and Bassett have been significant investors in Te Akau Racing syndicates and had 45 individual runners during the season. While Imperatriz was their main flagbearer, they were also part-owners of a second Group One winner, in Move To Strike, and the Group Two winners Captured By Love and Ascend The Throne.
Click here to read more about Imperatriz winning New Zealand Horse of the Year.
Click here to read the full list of winners from New Zealand Horse of the Year.
All About Imperatriz:
New Zealand Horse of the Year and Australian Champion Sprinter of the Year
Imperatriz made an irrefutable case to be named New Zealand's Horse of the Year with an almost perfect Australian campaign, which produced six wins, including five at Group One level, and two placings, from eight attempts.
The now-retired mare was the most prolific Group One winner in Australasia, with Mr Brightside the next best, with four.
The I Am Invincible mare, who was purchased by Te Akau principal David Ellis for A$360,000 as a yearling, earned $6.7 million in stakes in the 2023-24 season, taking her career earnings to $7.5 million. She had a career record of 19 wins from 27 starts, including 10 Group One wins, and only once finished further back than fourth.
She was ranked among the best race-mares in the world and added to the returns for her ownership syndicate when sold as a broodmare prospect, for A$6.6 million, in May. It was an Australasian record price for a broodmare.
The now six-year-old was bought by Yulong, an international thoroughbred racing and breeding operation, and will be based in Australia. She will be mated with the Yulong stallion Pierata this spring.
Imperatriz’s impact in her final season was further illustrated when she was announced as the recipient of the award for outstanding global achievement, which usually recognises the efforts of the human participants.
Imperatriz dominated the Horse of the Year voting, receiving 41 of the 51 votes cast, with Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) winner Orchestral the runner-up.
Image at the top of the page: Imperatriz winning the Westbury Classic at Pukekohe in January 2023. Credit: Race Images
