Another big weekend for Lazarus

Living legend Lazarus enjoyed another weekend of success, winning in both hemispheres.

As juvenile racing hits its peak in the summer months in North America, Lazarus was represented in the New Jersey Sires Stakes Silver division heats once again.

Two-year-old Jerzy George was super impressive in his heat, a non wagering event at The Meadowlands on Saturday New Zealand time.

After settling last in the field of five, Jerzy George was driving patiently by Andy McCarthy biding their time at the back of the field as the leader Yellow Jacket set a fast tempo.

As fellow race rivals started to struggle to keep up with the pace, it wasn’t until the home turn that McCarthly urged Jerzy George to join in down the extreme outside making up huge ground over the final 400m to outsprint the field and grab victory by a nose.

It was the second win in the New Jersey Sires Stakes Silver for Jerzy George, and set a best lifetime mark of 1.53.3, running his final 400m in 27 seconds.

Jerzey George is out of Holy Trinity, a mare by Captaintreacherous.

https://youtu.be/RO_1Cd0coBA

Later that evening, Lazarus two-year-old filly Sterl The Pearl her good run in the New Jersey Sires Stakes Platinum series. After winning her first heat, she’s also recorded a second placing and on Saturday ran third in 1.52.1, her final 400m 27.1.

Three-year-old Lazarus gelding, Prince Willie, proved his favouritism was justified when winning at The Red Mile on Tuesday New Zealand time.

After burning the gate to find the front in the first quarter, Prince Willie was allowed to take cover in the trail during the running, but soon found himself in traffic coming to the home turn.

Driver Joey Putnam however was able to extricate his way off the fence into clear air wider on the track in the home straight, and Prince Willie pulled away over the final stages to win comfortably in 1.51, a final quarter recorded in 27.1

It was his third win as a three-year-old and Prince Willie has now won seven of his 12 career starts.

He is out of Sportswriter mare, Princess Layla.

Lazarus also recorded North American wins over the weekend with The Lizard, winning at Ocean Downs, Luca Bay at Plainsridge and Dismas winning at Yonkers.

In Canada Alritealritealrite picked up his tenth career win when successful in the feature pace at Northside Downs, Nova Scotia. He’s now earned $195,856 and holds a lifetime best mark of 1.52.

Alritealritealrite is out of Well Said mare, Hot Spot Hanover, and it was his third win in a row at the top class level since moving east to join the stable of Heather Hawkins.

The winning continued down under in Australia, with recent Kiwi export Nymbal continuing his great form.

After a desperately unlucky fourth in the Queensland Derby, Nymbal atoned with a win on Saturday night at Menangle.

Not willing to be left unlucky again, driver Robert Morris took the three-year-old to the front over the mile and held off late challenges in foggy conditions to win in 1.54.6.

Nymbal has now won four of his 16 career starts, including the Redcliffe Derby, and has placed on four other occasions for $90,399 in stakes.  

While fellow Kiwi export, Change Tact, picked up her fourth win on Aussie soil on Friday at Wagga with a bold front running performance.

Trained by Dean Atkinson, Change Tact had previously won six races in New Zealand and has delivered bold front running efforts in Australia showing her tenacity and will to win.

The five-year-old mare is from Lazarus’ oldest crop bred in New Zealand.

Remarkably, of the 15 five-year-olds by Lazarus in New Zealand all have raced or qualified, with that crop including multiple Group winner The Lazarus Effect, and the brilliant Jeremiah – who races again this Friday at Alexandra Park.

Lazarus will serve a limited book of mares in New Zealand this season, at a fee of $5,000 plus GST. All mares served at Wai Eyre Farm will include the working fee and vet fee in their service fee price.

Bookings have been very strong, so breeders are urged to contact the farm to secure their mare for the upcoming breeding season.