Karaka Million

The Karaka Million refers to two major New Zealand horse races for young horses - the original Karaka Million for two-year-old (2YO) horses and the Karaka Million 3YO Classic that started in 2018. Held at Ellerslie Racecourse, they are among New Zealand's richest races.

The races are restricted to horses sold through the New Zealand Bloodstock Yearling Sales held at Karaka. The two races are held on the eve of the National Yearling Sales Series at Karaka.

History

The 2YO race was run for the first time in 2008, replacing a similar race held at Te Rapa. Up to 2017, horses eligible for the Karaka Million could also be entered in an associated race, the Karaka Three Year Old Mile over 1600m (NZ$200,000), in the following year. However, from 2018 New Zealand Bloodstock introduced a second Karaka Million $1,000,000 race for three-year-olds.

Since 2018, the "Boys Get Paid" Facebook group have organized a large gathering of hundreds of members at the Karaka Million meeting with a punting syndicate delivering what are believed to be the largest bets on New Zealand races.

Whereas a usual New Zealand race meeting may start before 1pm, have up to 10 races, and finish before 6pm the Karaka Million race meeting is a twilight meeting. For example, 2023 had a six-race card:

4:09pm - the Karaka Cup, 2200m open handicap for a stake of $120,000 4:48pm - the Group 2 Westbury Classic, 1400m set weights + penalties for fillies and mares for $180,000 5:28pm - the Group 3 Almanzor Trophy, 1200m 3YO set weight + penalties for $130,000 6:08pm - the listed Karaka Million 2YO, 1200m set weight for $1,000,000 6:48pm - the Group 3 Concorde Handicap, 1200m Open Handicap for $130,000 7:28pm - the listed Karaka Million 3YO Classic, 1600m set weight for $1,000,000

In 2024 the Aotearoa Classic, a $1 million race over 1600m, was introduced for 4 year old horses.

In 2025 the Railway Stakes was moved from New Year's Day to the Karaka Million meeting.

Karaka Million 2YO

These are the recent winners of the Karaka Million 2YO race:

Year Winner Sire Dam Dam sire Karaka sale priceJockey Trainer(s)TimeSecondThird2026Dream Roca 55El RocaPetrachorRedwood $75,000Ben ThompsonLiam Birchley, Brisbane1:12.01 (soft)Magill 55Torture 552025La Dorada 55 Super Seth (Aus)Gold Fever Gold Rocks (Aus)$190,000Craig Williams Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson 1:10.77 (soft)Vega For Luck 57Miss Ziggy 552024 Velocious 55 Written TycoonParmaloveSnitzel$190,000James McDonaldStephen Marsh1:09.15 (good)Damask Rose 55Full Force 572023 Tokyo Tycoon 57 Satono AladdinAll About The Coin Starcraft$125,000Craig Zackey Mark Walker1:10.04 (good, Pukekohe)Ethereal Star 55Trobriand 572022 Dynastic 56.5 AlmanzorMeir Volksraad$360,000Opie BossonJamie Richards1:09.60 (good)Wolverine 54.5Fellini 56.52021 On The Bubbles 56.5Brazen Beau More Bubbles Sebring$90,000 Johnathan ParkesJamie Richards 1:10.70 (good) Sneaky Shark 56.5Avonallo 56.52020 Cool Aza Beel 56.5SavabeelCool 'N' Sassy Testa Rossa$150,000Opie BossonJamie Richards 1:10.57 (good)Play That Song 54.5Taroni 54.52019 Probabeel 54.5 Savabeel Far FetchedPins$380,000 Opie BossonJamie Richards 1:09.90 (good) Aotea Lad 56.5 Appellant 552018 Avantage 55Fastnet Rock AsavantZabeel$210,000 Opie Bosson Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards 1:10.54 (good)Al Hasa 56.5 Bocce 56.52017 Melody Belle 54.5 Commands Meleka Belle Iffraaj$57,500Opie BossonStephen Autridge & Jamie Richards 1:10.95 (good) Hasahalo 54.5Felton Road 56.52016 Xiong Feng Iffraaj Stray Tale of the Cat$30,000Danielle Johnson Stephen McKee 1:09.68 Showmeya moneyhoneyKingsman2015 Hardline Showcasing Midnight Breaker Housebuster$130,000Damian BrowneLiam Birchley, Brisbane1:10.64Selfie Dal Cielo2014 Vespa Elusive City Miss Avalon Fantastic Light$34,000 Mark Du PlessisJohno Benner 1:12.07Riding Shotgun O'Marilyn2013 Ruud Awakening Bernardini Dawn Almighty Danehill$90,000 Craig WilliamsStephen Marsh 1:09.77Fantastic Honour Touche2012 Ockham's Razor Any Suggestion Shadow Ray Groom Dancer (USA)$170,000 Craig Williams Anthony Freedman 1:10.66 Silk PinsWarhorse2011 Fort Lincoln Charge Forward Belle ToujoursFlying Spur (Aus)$110,000 Jonathan Riddell Lisa Latta 1:11.82 Antonio LombardoPlanet Rock2010 Sister Havana General Nediym Ultima Vita Canny Lad (Aus)$40,000 Stathi Katsidis Liam Birchley, Brisbane 1:09.70 IcepinBanchee2009 The Heckler Lucky Owners Comedy Cafe Rory's Jester (Aus)$70,000 Michael Rodd Murray & Bjorn Baker 1:10.58 Sarge In ChargeBewitch2008 Vincent Mangano No Excuse Needed Rationable Housebuster (USA) $80,000Vinny Colgan Peter McKay 1:11.25Maureen Dorothy Raid

Melody Belle was a $32 outsider when she won the 2017 edition.

Horses that have won the Karaka Million 2YO race and the Manawatu Sires Produce Stakes are:

Avantage La Dorada Melody Belle On The Bubbles The Heckler

The victory by Cool Aza Beel in 2020 was the fourth consecutive win by Opie Bosson as a jockey in the Karaka Million 2YO race. He did not ride in the 2021 edition but was successful again in 2022 with Dynastic.

The 2022 victory of Dynastic was the sixth consecutive win by Jamie Richards as a trainer/co-trainer in the race.

Karaka Million 3YO Classic

The following are the recent winners of the Karaka Million 3YO Classic raced over 1600m.

Year Winner Sire Dam Dam Sire Karaka sale priceJockey Trainer(s)Time Second Third2026Well Written 55Written TycoonMozzie Monster (Aus)Sebring$ 80,000Matt CartwrightStephen Marsh1:35.00 (soft) He Who Dares 57La Dorada 552025Damask Rose 55SavabeelSombreuil (Aus)Flying Spur (Aus) $200,000 Blake ShinnMark Walker & Sam Bergerson1:36.49 (soft) Tuxedo 57 Dealt With 572024 Orchestral SavabeelSymphonic (NZ) O'Reilly $625,000James McDonaldRoger James & Robert Wellwood1:33.31 (good) Pendragon Just As Sharp 2023 Prowess Proisir Donna Marie Don Eduardo $230,000Warren KennedyRoger James and Robert Wellwood 1:35.34 (Pukekohe)Wild Night Desert Lightning2022 Pin Me UpPinsBrampton Loco O'Reilly $270.000Sam WeatherleyJamie Richards 1:34.37 Tutukaka Karman Line 2021 AegonSacred FallsToss Up Zabeel $150,000Leith InnesMurray Baker & Andrew Forsman1:33.78 Amarelinha Montre Moi2020 ProbabeelSavabeelFar FetchedPins$380,000Opie BossonJamie Richards1:33.49ConquerorHasstobegood2019 Long Leaf Fastnet Rock Frustrating Stravinsky $750,000 James McDonald David & Ben Hayes & Tom Dabernig 1:35.1 The Real Beel Madison County2018 Scott Base Dalghar Extra Celestial Danehill Dancer $ 70,000 Rosie Myers Johno Benner & Hollie Wynyard 1:33.43 Embellish Savvy Coup

The 2018 and 2022 Karaka Million 3YO winners Scott Base and Pin Me Up were $22.10 and $24.10 outsiders respectively.

In 2020 Probabeel became the first horse to have won both the Karaka Million 2YO and 3YO races, ridden in both races by Opie Bosson. Probabeel went on to win multiple Group races in Australia and was named New Zealand Horse of the Year in both the 2021 and 2022 seasons.

Winners of the Karaka 3YO Mile

in the years prior to the establishment of the Karaka Million 3YO Classic, the meeting had a 1600m race for 3 year old horses for stake money of $200,000 (2010) to $250,000 (2017). The following are winners of that race:

2010 - Joey Massino 2011 - Banchee 2012 - Rock 'n' Pop 2013 - Choice Bro 2014 - Spellbinder 2015 - Volkstok'n'barrell 2016 - Raghu 2017 - Volpe Veloce

Winners of the Karaka Cups (2014-2023)

For many years prior to the establishment of the Aotearoa Classic the Karaka Million meeting had 2200m races for older horses: the Karaka Stayers Cup from 2014 to 2017 the Karaka Cup from 2018 to 2023.

The following are the winners of those events.

Year Winner Sire Dam Dam SireJockey Trainer(s)TimeSecondThird2023 Zee Falls 56Sacred Falls Zelitist Zabeel Damian LaneStephen Marsh 2:16.87 (Pukekohe)Contemplation 54Tutukaka 602022 Rapid Falls 54 Sacred FallsSitting On A Hill City On A Hill Leith Innes Tony Pike 2:17.71Notabadharada 54 Sagunto 542021 Tiptronic 60.5O'ReillyTiptoes PinsWiremu Pinn (A2)Graham Richardson & Rogan Norvall 2:17.06 In A Twinkling 61On The Rocks 542020 Dance Card 53SavabeelDancing Attendance Danehill Dancer Michael DeeLance Noble2:17.84Intrigue 53.5Church Road 532019 Five to Midnight 60 Domesday Fastnet Lady Fastnet Rock Johnathan ParkesLisa Latta 2:18.51 Mongolian Marshal 56.5 Sacred Day 532018 August Edition 54Alamosa Miranda Miss ResetRosie Myers Shaun & Emma Clotworthy 2:17.75 Top Prospect 54Charles Road 59.52017 Chenille 55PentireCharmed (NZ) O'ReillyLeith Innes Tony Pike 2:16.81 (good)Sacred Shot 53Team Pete 512016 Rose of Virginia 53 Thorn Park (Aus)Centapin Pins (Aus) Cameron Lammas Lance Noble 2:17.00 (good)Seventeen Seventy 53Decorah 602015 Candle In The Wind 56 Darci BrahmaPrefer Blondes (USA)Gentlemen (Arg) Hugh Bowman Donna & Dean Logan2:18.07 (good) Blizzard 56 Chipandchase 532014 Deane Martin 54Keeper (Aus) Ela Nimue Zabeel Tommy Berry Bruce Wallace2:17.06 (good) Lion Red 53.5 Her To Eternity 53

August Edition, the 2018 winner of the Karaka Cup was a $30.60 outsider.

Karaka Million

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