Kylie Bax is going down a familiar path with her latest Group One performer Aspen Colorado with the lightly raced filly joining Chris Waller's Sydney stable.
A model turned successful breeder and syndicator, Bax has high hopes the daughter of Proisir can further add to a family roll of honour that already features the well-performed mare Danzdanzdance.
The Mastercraftsman mare was bought back at Karaka for NZD$5000 by Bax from the 2016 draft of Blandford Lodge, owned and operated by her parents Graham and Helen-Gaye with Wellington identity Lib Petagna.
Danzdanzdance won the Group 1 Zabeel Classic (2000m) and Group 1 Captain Cook Stakes (1600m) from the Ruakaka stable of Chris Gibbs before she joined Waller's team and added a third placing in the Group 1 Queen of the Turf Stakes (1600m) to her resume.
At the end of her racing career, she was sold to Fernrigg Farm for AUD$475,000 at the Inglis Chairman's Sale.
And now the Bax-bred and managed Aspen Colorado, who is from the family of Danzdanzdance, will do her future racing from the champion Sydney horseman's operation.
She broke her maiden over ground in February before running fourth in the Group 2 Lowland Stakes (2100m) and was then a fast-finishing third in the Group 1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) for Matamata trainers Graham Richardson and Rogan Norvall.
“She left on Monday and once she's settled in over there, Chris will set a plan but the Queensland Oaks (Group 1, 2400m) will hopefully be our target,” Bax said.
“She got locked in for a run in the Oaks at Trentham and didn't get free until the last 100m or so and flew at them.
“We were really impressed with her run and there were a few eyes on her. We got a few offers from Australia, but the team of owners have turned them down and would like to race her and have some fun.”
Aspen Colorado is out of the Mastercraftsman mare Ouzo, a disappointment as a racing proposition but now succeeding in the broodmare role.
“Because I'm a registered syndicator here (New Zealand), it was always the plan to keep her and syndicate her and she comes from a mare I bought at Karaka,” she said.
“She was one of the first I bought when I got back home from America and she couldn't even put one foot in front of the other, but she has done an exceptional job as a broodmare.
“Her first foal was Canuhandleajandal, who was Group Two-placed in the Lowland Stakes, and Aspen Colorado is her second.”
Ouzo's two-year-old Satono Aladdin gelding has been syndicated and will head up to Gibbs' stable while a Proisir yearling filly will also be syndicated in time.
“The mare is in foal to Per Incanto and I'm looking forward to seeing that one and if it's a colt will probably head to Karaka,” Bax said.
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