Karaka Million 3YO Classic
Karaka Million 3YO Classic
Betting Guide
| Date: | Saturday, January 27, 2024 |
| Location: | Ellerslie Racecourse |
| Prize Money: | NZ$1,500,000 |
| Distance: | 1600m |
The Karaka Million 3YO Classic is a recent addition to the Karaka Million raceday held in January each year.
The 1600m event is restricted to horses who have been sold in the National Yearling Sales Series 24 months prior.
This race has been run alongside the Karaka Million event for two-year-olds since 2010 and has been used as a launching pad towards Group 1 races in Australia during the autumn.
Formerly named the Karaka 3YO Mile, the stakes quadrupled from $250,000 in 2012 to the inaugural $1 million running in 2018, before being upped further to $1.5million in 2024.
2024 Karaka Million 3YO Classic Betting Odds
The 2023 Karaka Million 3YO Classic odds as of January 25 look like this:
- Molly Bloom – +230
- Orchestral – +280
- Pendragon – +550
- Lupo Solitario – +800
- Tokyo Tycoon – +1300
- Talisker – +1300
Complete Karaka Million 3YO Classic odds available at Neds.
Best bookmakers for Karaka Million 3YO Classic betting
All regulated online bookmakers in Australia and New Zealand will offer odds on the Karaka Million 3YO Classic, but only a few of them will run futures betting on the race.
The following bookmakers will have form and markets for the Karaka Million 3YO Classic:
Best Karaka Million 3YO Classic Bookmakers
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Latest Karaka Million 3YO Classic News
Karaka Million 3YO Classic History
The Karaka Million 3YO mile event has been run since 2010, but was renamed to the Karaka Million 3YO Classic in 2018 with the prizemoney increased to $1,000,000 to go alongside the 2YO Classic race.
John Sargent and Jason Bridgman are the only two trainers who have tasted multiple successes in the race.
Despite the short history of the race, jockey Matthew Cameron has claimed the race three times (2012, 2014 & 2015), whilst James McDonald (2011 & 2019) is the only other jockey to have multiple wins in the Karaka Million 3YO Classic.
In recent years, the race has produced subsequent Australian Group 1 winner Probabeel in 2020, whilst 2021 winner Aegon went on to claim the Group 2 Hobartville Stakes, before starting favourite in the Randwick Guineas. Prowess would go over to Sydney and claim the Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) during the Sydney Autumn Carnival.
2024 Karaka Million 3YO Classic Field
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Previous Karaka Million 3YO Classic Field
No. Silks Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight 1 
Wild Night Mark Walker Opie Bosson 2 57kg 2 Desert Lightning Peter & Dawn Williams Vinnie Colgan 9 57kg 3 Sacred Satono Bruce Wallace & Grant Cooksley Michael McNab 12 57kg 4 Dynastic Mark Walker Craig Grylls 3 57kg 5 Devastate Andrew Forsman Joe Doyle 4 57kg 6 The Intimidator Andrew Forsman Damian Lane 10 57kg 7 Channel Surfer Graham Richardson & Rogan Norvall Daniel Stackhouse 11 57kg 8 Khafre Ralph Manning Jasmine Fawcett 6 57kg 9 Legarto Ken & Bev Kelso Ryan Elliot 1 55kg 10 Prowess Roger James & Robert Wellwood Warren Kennedy 5 55kg 11 Wessex Andrew Forsman Craig Zackey 8 55kg 12 Three Ninety Shaun & Emma Clotworthy Masa Hashizume 7 55kg
2023 Karaka Million 3YO Classic result
1st – Prowess (+850)
2nd – Wild Night (-250)
3rd – Desert Lightning (+420)
Recent Karaka Million 3YO Classic winners
- The Roger James and Robert Wellwood-trained filly Prowess prevailed in a strong edition of the Karaka Million 3YO Classic (1600m) at Pukekohe. Never out of the money in six starts, the classy daughter of Proisir had run out a ready winner of the Group 2 Auckland Guineas (1600m) at Te Rapa on New Year’s Day and was able to repeat the dose in the million-dollar feature. Ridden by Warren Kennedy, Prowess enjoyed a good run throughout, with key rival and eventual runner-up Wild Night to her inside for much of the race. The free-striding Prowess was put into the race before the home turn and went on to score by 0.8 length from Wild Night, with Desert Lightning close up in third. Race favourite Legarto lost her unbeaten tag but none of her admirers when closing into fourth after enduring a checkered-passage.
- After snaring a sixth consecutive Karaka Million 2YO (1200m) with Dynastic just two races earlier, Richards was confidently expected to do the double with three-year-old On The Bubbles, who started a $1.50 favourite in the race. Last season’s winner of the two-year-old feature had a red-hot Opie Bosson aboard, but it all turned to custard for the combination when they were trapped three-wide outside the leaders after making a lightning move to try and snatch pacemaking duties at the 800m. Just as On The Bubbles started to weaken and an upset appeared on the cards it was three-year-old Pins filly Pin Me Up who reignited the Te Akau Racing challenge in the race as she strode to the front for rider Sam Weatherley. Chased hard by Tutukaka, Karman Line and Verona, Pin Me Up held them all out by a neck to score her second and biggest career victory.
- In what can only be described as an almighty battle, it was Aegon who kept his undefeated record intact when getting the better of Amarelinha in the 2021 Karaka Million 3YO Classic. Although the million-dollar race attracted a full field of 17 three-year-olds, the build-up was completely dominated by these two horses. Aegon added the Karaka Million 3YO Classic to his record, having won all three of his career starts prior to this, including the Group 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas. The two race favourites went stride for stride inside the final furlong, with the Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman-trained Aegon getting his down where it counted in a real ding dong affair.
- Having won the Karaka Million 2YO race 12 months prior, the Jamie Richards-trained Probabeel became the first horse in history to complete the 2YO & 3YO Karaka Million double. The star filly was sent around as the short-priced favourite ($1.60) and on the back of yet another perfect steer from Opie Bosson, she simply never looked like getting beaten. He angled Probabeel into the clear in the straight from well back and she responded to hold her rivals at bay by 1.5 lengths.
- Having not ridden at Ellerslie Racecourse for three years, the now Sydney-based James McDonald took out the Karaka 3YO event when lifting Long Leaf across the line. Having gone stride for stride with The Real Beel inside the final 100m, it was the Australian for the Lindsey Park operation who got the better of his rival, aided by the James McDonald factor.
- Having won the Karaka Million 2YO Classic in 2014 with Vespa in 2014, it was John Benner & Holly Wynyard who trained Scott Base to victory in the inaugural Karaka Million 3YO Classic. Despite being sent around as a $22 chance with bookmakers, Scott Base produced a stunning turn of foot, to take out the first edition of the race for three-year-olds.
Karaka Million 3YO Classic past winners list
| Karaka Million 3YO Classic Past Winners | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Horse | Jockey | Trainer |
| 2023 | Prowess | Warren Kennedy | Roger James & Robert Wellwood |
| 2022 | Pin Me Up | Sam Weatherley | Jamie Richards |
| 2021 | Aegon | Leith Innes | Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman |
| 2020 | Probabeel | Opie Bosson | Jamie Richards |
| 2019 | Long Leaf | James McDonald | David & Ben Hayes & Tom Dabernig |
| 2018 | Scott Base | Rosie Myers | Johno Benner & Holly Wynyard |
| 2017 | Volpe Veloce | Michael Cameron | Graham Richardson |
| 2016 | Raghu | Michael McNab | Tony Pike |
| 2015 | Volkstok’n’barrell | Matthew Cameron | Donna & Dean Logan |
| 2014 | Spellbinder | Matthew Cameron | Jason Bridgman |
| 2013 | Choice Bro | Jonathan Riddell | John Sargent |
| 2012 | Rock ‘n’ Pop | Matthew Cameron | Jason Bridgman |
| 2011 | Banchee | James McDonald | John Sargent |
| 2010 | Joey Massino | Sam Spratt | Peter McKay |
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