Lazarus Sale: This will be interesting to follow

[Happy Sunrise]

See he has been sold to the States. I suppose we now get our chance to see how good our superstars really are as he is in his prime. Albeit only 4 races. Ain't no Christen Me about this boy.

One would hope he goes well in his 4 races or it could burst his bubble a bit in the northern hemisphere.

New Zealand's greatest racehorse Lazarus has been sold to a North American syndicate in a record deal and will not race here again.

The $3.8million earner will leave for the US on May 24 where he will be aimed at a possible four-race mini career in an attempt to secure a major win there to help his dual hemisphere stallion credentials.

While the exact price is confidential the Herald estimates it must be close to $4million when the other public offer for the five-year-old stallion is taken into account.

Lazarus has been purchase by US thoroughbred breeding giant Taylor Made Stallions, a Kentucky-based operation run by the Taylor brothers, who started their racing lives in harness racing but have concentrated on thoroughbred breeding and yearling preparation for the last three decades.

 

It is believed they have recently reignited their interest in standardbred breeding by purchasing at least part of champion US trotter What The Hill but the Lazarus deal, put together by South Auckland agent John Curtin, breaks new ground.

While North America's best horses shuttling here to stand at stud in their off-season is common, trying to turn an Australasian standardbred into a dual hemisphere stallion is extremely rare.

Christian Cullen stood one season at stud in the US but without having raced there was never going to be hugely commercial.

Lazarus will be given his chance with two races at the famous Red Mile track in October targeted as well as the Breeders Crown at Pocono, a series his new connections would need to pay a supplementary payment to make him eligible for.

But he will head to the US without his champion trainer Mark Purdon, with two of North America's leading trainers apparently in the frame to take over his training.

If, and it is a big if, Lazarus could win a serious race in the US and pace a super fast mile he has the attributes to become that rare dual hemisphere stallion.

In his 45 start career he has proven to be one of the greatest stayer bred in this part of the world, with some remarkable wins in two New Zealand Cups, an Inter Dominion, Hunter and Victoria Cups.

But just as importantly from a stallion appeal point of view he was a sensational two and three-year-old, suggesting his stock will have the natural speed to run early.

And he is bred on Australasia's golden cross, being by breed-defining stallion Bettors Delight out of a Christian Cullen mare.

The one down side to that he is obviously can't serve Bettors Delight mares, who could be the dominant broodmare bunch in Australasia over the next decade.

Details on where he will stand and for which studs in either hemisphere are yet to be decided.

His departure will sadden many local harness racing fans as it means Lazarus will not get the chance to attempt a third New Zealand Cup win at Addington in November.

And with several other high profile retirements or exports in the last year - Smolda, Heaven Rocks, Vincent being the biggest - next season's open class pacing ranks looks the most open in a decade.

LAZARUS
Breeding: 5h Bettors Delight-Bethany
Trainers: Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen.
Record: 45 starts, 35 wins, nine placings.
Earnings: $3,821,066.
Highlights: New Zealand Cup (twice), Inter Dominion, Hunter Cup, Victoria Cup, Chariots Of Fire, Messenger, Taylor Mile, New Zealand, Northern and Victoria Derbys, Harness Jewels 2-yo, Sires' Stakes Final 3-y-o.

 

[Newmarket]

Dead right, open class ranks look very bleak. 

He was a fantastic stayer, but not really a mile horse. Will be interesting to see how he goes in those us races. 

Dont blame them for selling, that’s a stack of dough. 

Surprised that he was purchased for such an amount, aside from Christian Cullen, our stallions not really set the world on fire. 

Edited May 6, 2018 by Newmarket

[hunterthepunter]

11 minutes ago, Newmarket said:

Dead right, open class ranks look very bleak. 

He was a fantastic stayer, but not really a mile horse. Will be interesting to see how he goes in those us races. 

Dont blame them for selling, that’s a stack of dough. 

Surprised that he was purchased for such an amount, aside from Christian Cullen, our stallions not really set the world on fire. 

nz needs good home bred stallion as take art major betters delight way most of the rest are abit crappy

[Flagship uberalles]

Jeez I can't see anything coming through to bolster the open ranks, we are now just a satalite stable that feeds all our best talent to aus and the u.s.

[Basil]

While the opportunity for Lazarus to race in the US is potentially exciting for existing racing fans, I see this as bad news for NZ racing generally. I know these things can change quite quickly, but the departure of Lazarus, coming on top of Heaven Rocks and Vincent, along with Ultimate Machete and Dream About Me both being under a cloud, and Field Marshall racing in Oz, the open class pacing ranks look likely to be as thin as I can remember.

Perhaps worse, the departure of a champion like Lazarus puts the kibosh on general media coverage of Harness. And that's worth far more than the even betting fields his absence will likely create. 

No criticism of the owners — I would have done exactly the same — I just think it's a shame for NZ racing.

[Brodie]

11 hours ago, Basil said:

While the opportunity for Lazarus to race in the US is potentially exciting for existing racing fans, I see this as bad news for NZ racing generally. I know these things can change quite quickly, but the departure of Lazarus, coming on top of Heaven Rocks and Vincent, along with Ultimate Machete and Dream About Me both being under a cloud, and Field Marshall racing in Oz, the open class pacing ranks look likely to be as thin as I can remember.

Perhaps worse, the departure of a champion like Lazarus puts the kibosh on general media coverage of Harness. And that's worth far more than the even betting fields his absence will likely create. 

No criticism of the owners — I would have done exactly the same — I just think it's a shame for NZ racing.

Basil, you are right, but the notable thing is that of the 6 horses you quoted , 5 were from the one stable.

Others will come along, they always do.

The problem as we know in the open ranks is that stable ensures that other stables sell overseas because they can’t be bothered running for the dregs, end of story.

[hunterthepunter]

23 minutes ago, Brodie said:

Basil, you are right, but the notable thing is that of the 6 horses you quoted , 5 were from the one stable.

Others will come along, they always do.

The problem as we know in the open ranks is that stable ensures that other stables sell overseas because they can’t be bothered running for the dregs, end of story.

just hearing that classy brigade is stepping out soon be great to see him back racing

[mr_gee]

allways one  there to  replace    them

[Happy Sunrise]

12 hours ago, Basil said:

While the opportunity for Lazarus to race in the US is potentially exciting for existing racing fans, I see this as bad news for NZ racing generally. I know these things can change quite quickly, but the departure of Lazarus, coming on top of Heaven Rocks and Vincent, along with Ultimate Machete and Dream About Me both being under a cloud, and Field Marshall racing in Oz, the open class pacing ranks look likely to be as thin as I can remember.

Perhaps worse, the departure of a champion like Lazarus puts the kibosh on general media coverage of Harness. And that's worth far more than the even betting fields his absence will likely create. 

No criticism of the owners — I would have done exactly the same — I just think it's a shame for NZ racing.

 

1 hour ago, Brodie said:

Basil, you are right, but the notable thing is that of the 6 horses you quoted , 5 were from the one stable.

Others will come along, they always do.

The problem as we know in the open ranks is that stable ensures that other stables sell overseas because they can’t be bothered running for the dregs, end of story.

Summed up well.

This was the fear, wasn't it? The domination at the top by a stable has led to a dearth of talent below the top due to sales and it has now been exposed when injuries and sales take its toll on the gun stable.

Will be an interesting NZ Cup field. Dominated by 4-year-olds or has it just become another race which has lost its lustre? Is the NZ Cup is only propped up by tradition and the fanfare of Cup Week?

Not sure, but the next few years may be telling.

[Double R]

5 hours ago, Happy Sunrise said:

 

Summed up well.

This was the fear, wasn't it? The domination at the top by a stable has led to a dearth of talent below the top due to sales and it has now been exposed when injuries and sales take its toll on the gun stable.

Will be an interesting NZ Cup field. Dominated by 4-year-olds or has it just become another race which has lost its lustre? Is the NZ Cup is only propped up by tradition and the fanfare of Cup Week?

Not sure, but the next few years may be telling.

Hi Happy,

I do not entirely agree with you regarding this years Cup. I think you mean it will be dominated by 5 year olds.

Regardless of our disappointment that Lazarus will not be there, the race will still be a good spectacle, and unknown element in racing makes it all the more exciting.

It might not have a superstar in the Cup this year, but there are plenty of very good horses around to be worthy contenders for the race.

Cheers.

Robert.

[Happy Sunrise]

51 minutes ago, Double R said:

I do not entirely agree with you regarding this years Cup. I think you mean it will be dominated by 5 year olds.

Regardless of our disappointment that Lazarus will not be there, the race will still be a good spectacle, and unknown element in racing makes it all the more exciting.

It might not have a superstar in the Cup this year, but there are plenty of very good horses around to be worthy contenders for the race.

Too true, DR. You could well be right and I hope you are too.

I am unsure where the open class pacing ranks are heading, hence I put my some of my thoughts as questions rather than statements.

There are plenty of good horses around but I just hope they get a genuine full field and not have 4, 5 or 6 just making up the numbers.

 

[Brodie]

Lazarus sold for around $4 million!

Not too sure whether that is a good price or not?

Obviously it will buy a lot of yearlings and lay a few training bills!

The owners are clearly not interested in breeding themselves from Lazarus!

Thing is I would’ve thought that he may have been worth a bit more than that as a stallion !

I am sure he would’ve got quite a few mares for several seasons.

Say first year 100 mares at $10k would’ve brought in 1million on those conservative figures.

They would’ve got  at least the 4 million  I would’ve  thought even if he was only an average performer at stud and an absolute packet if he was successfull, and far more than the $4mill.

They obviously went for the money in the Bank is better than the slight gamble!

[Double R]

27 minutes ago, Brodie said:

Lazarus sold for around $4 million!

Not too sure whether that is a good price or not?

Obviously it will buy a lot of yearlings and lay a few training bills!

The owners are clearly not interested in breeding themselves from Lazarus!

Thing is I would’ve thought that he may have been worth a bit more than that as a stallion !

I am sure he would’ve got quite a few mares for several seasons.

Say first year 100 mares at $10k would’ve brought in 1million on those conservative figures.

They would’ve got  at least the 4 million  I would’ve  thought even if he was only an average performer at stud and an absolute packet if he was successfull, and far more than the $4mill.

They obviously went for the money in the Bank is better than the slight gamble!

Hi Brodie,

If you had the choice, do you think you would have made the same sell decision?

Cheers.

Robert.

[Newmarket]

It seems, Trevor Casey was not too keen to sell? 

[Brodie]

39 minutes ago, Double R said:

Hi Brodie,

If you had the choice, do you think you would have made the same sell decision?

Cheers.

Robert.

Hi Robert.

No I would not have sold.

The owners had a great time with the horse winning just about everything they could.

The owners right to do what they want with the horse as he is still sound and certainly still a racing proposition.

I personally would have raced on tilll Xmas then set the horse for a stud season next year as apart from the fact that I would feel a connection to the  horse plus I think he was worth more as a stallion.

Do we know how fertile Lazarus is though?????.

[Double R]

37 minutes ago, Brodie said:

Hi Robert.

No I would not have sold.

The owners had a great time with the horse winning just about everything they could.

The owners right to do what they want with the horse as he is still sound and certainly still a racing proposition.

I personally would have raced on tilll Xmas then set the horse for a stud season next year as apart from the fact that I would feel a connection to the  horse plus I think he was worth more as a stallion.

Do we know how fertile Lazarus is though?????.

Hi Brodie,

Just reading on "the other site", it states the owners were guided by what Mark told them where he thought the horse was today. Of course, that leaves all sorts possible reasons does not it.

Cheers.

Robert.

[Happy Sunrise]

Money talks.

And you can't blame them. It's a truck load.

[hunterthepunter]

11 minutes ago, Happy Sunrise said:

Money talks.

And you can't blame them. It's a truck load.

got to take that sort of money as we don't no how he will go at stud

[Happy Sunrise]

After watching the sports news on TV 1 tonight and seeing the emotion and hearing the words of Lazarus' owners and Mark Purdon I don't think any decision on his sale was made lightly and would have had the horse's best interests at heart.

[Happy Sunrise]

Lazarus getting back into it in the USA

[Skelly]

An effortless 1.51 for Laz at Meadowlands yesterday

[Happy Sunrise]

The latest.

Here is the video of his 1.48.6 'trial run'. It begs the question of how fast will he go in America during a race.

 

[Happy Sunrise]

Just watched it again. 

1.48.6 and last quarter in 25.3 and yet the commentator does not even really react. He later describes it as a 'sharp debut' 

 

[Blossom lady]

Lazarus to make race debut August 10 dan patch stakes @ Hoosier park. $25k to supplement him in.

[Skelly]

Timed at 1:48.3, it's one of the fastest qualifiers ever. 

Pure Country went 1:48 in 2017 to beat Shark Gesture's 1:48.2 set in 2010, so he's in good company.

Wasn't sure that he had the pace for North American racing, but that belief is quickly changing. Can't wait for his debut!