Yearling Sales Preview - Perhaps Love, by Lazarus

PERHAPS LOVE  – FILLY, LAZARUS - AMORE LANCOME LOT 223

Yearling preparers, breeders and buyers are in for a big three weeks as we count down to the New Zealand Bloodstock Yearling Sales, this year to be held at Karaka on Monday 16 February and the Canterbury Agricultural Park on Wednesday 18 February.

We are proud of the Wai Eyre stallion offerings and are as always grateful to those who support them.

We will highlight some of those up for auction as we build into the biggest week on the standardbred sales calendar in New Zealand.

The first lot we highlight is Lot 223 - a filly by Lazarus, out of Art Major mare, Amore Lancome.

Bred by Studholme Bloodstock and G F Gimblett, Perhaps Love is also prepared by Studholme Bloodstock.

Her second dam is the immortal Lancome, an outstanding performer on the racetrack she amassed 13 wins from age two to four-years-old from 37 starts with $461,278 in earnings.

Lancome was a winner at two of the Nevele R Stakes at Group 3, and went on to win the Listed Fillies Yearling Sales Final at three, and the Group 1 Harness Jewels Diamond as a four-year-old.

Lancome herself was bred by the great late Jack Smolenski, who also bred her dam, Laurent Perrier, a great producer herself leaving Monaco (22 wins) and The Phantoms Guest (35 wins in NZ, Australia and the United States) as well as Lancome at stud.

Perhaps Love is the second foal from Amore Lancome, who was the winner of four races, her first foal was a colt by Bettors Delight who has placed once from just three starts to date.

A family with depth, this fillies dam is a half-sister to De Lancome, by Bettors Delight, who won eight races in New Zealand and Australia – suggesting the Bettors Delight cross through Lazarus will be successful again with this family.

But it’s not just the mare’s side of this pedigree that holds a special place with Studholme Bloodstock, as they are co-breeders of Lazarus himself, along with Gavin Chin.

“I think it was hard for breeders to get to Lazarus when he first started standing at stud, but now I think a lot are rethinking him now that he’s getting the results. As he got back closer to this side of the world it has made it easier for us to support him at stud,” explained Vinnie West-Pulu of Studholme Bloodstock.  

“Now he has a couple of really nice horses performing for him it’s great to see.”

This is a filly family stacked with black type, and for those buyers looking for long term racing and breeding propositions she offers the perfect pedigree for a great long-term investment.

“Although she’s not the biggest filly, her back end is quite sound. She’s very willing and works with you, you can pick her legs up no issues,” said Vinnie.

“In terms of her pedigree she’d certainly be something a future breeder would be looking for.”

“She’s a lovely natured filly and it’s a wonderful filly family. Pop (Brian West) has always said with a mare like Lancome in there, that family would always leave a star somewhere.”

Vinnie admitted that he has a soft spot for those horses on farm from the Lancome family, and not just because of her phenomenal career on the track.

“I have to admit the Lancome family horses on farm are the best natured ones. Lancome herself is a brilliant broodmare, she’ll always let the mob run through and keep her foal to the back. Her foals are always calm, and that comes from her.”

Lazarus has also been proven to be a brilliant cross for Art Major mares such as Amore Lancome, with the mighty The Lazarus Effect (13 starts, 8 wins to date) a prime example here in New Zealand.

In North America, Laz is also out of an Art Major mare. He is the winner of 18 races so far in his career, and has recorded a personal best of 1.51.4 with $284,260 in stakes.

And in Australia, Grevis (7 wins to date) and Alive And Free (11 wins to date) are also out of Art Major mares.

Lazarus

Perhaps Love’s pedigree also interestingly sees a double up further back of powerhouse sires in Soky’s Atom and In The Pocket.

Notably, it also offers a cross between two of the greatest Kiwi racehorses in recent decades in Christian Cullen and Courage Under Fire.

You can view the full pedigree for Lot 223 – Perhaps Love here: https://www.nzbstandardbred.co.nz/sales/26syc/223