Keys looking to ‘Pick up pre-sale Group 1

Keys family chasing Group 1 result with beloved mare before Inglis sale

LEMPICKA winning the VOBIS Gold Comet at Caulfield in Australia.
LEMPICKA winning the VOBIS Gold Comet at Caulfield in Australia. Picture: Racing Photos

Lempicka is a longshot in Saturday's Sangster Stakes at Morphettville, but Kasey Keys is taking inspiration from what last year's race did for Another Award.

That daughter of Shamus Award was one of the roughies in the 1200-metre Group 1 but ran second and, after another trip to the runner-up stall in The Goodwood, was sold for $1.2 million via Inglis Digital.

Lempicka, who is out of a half-sister to dual Group 1 winner In Her Time, will next month be offered for sale at the Chairman's Sale in Sydney on May 9.

That means Sangster Stakes will almost certainly be Lempicka's final start for Keys and her co-trainer father Ken and Kasey thinks the Rich Enuff five-year-old is deserving of a throw at the stumps in a Group 1.

"You know she's going to give 100 percent each time and I just felt we owed it to her to give her a crack at one of these good races," Keys said.

"It'll be hard for me to part with her, we've seen everything with her, and it will definitely be a special moment at the sales anyway."

Lempicka's only taste of Group 1 racing came in this year's Oakleigh Plate, when she enjoyed little luck but was beaten less than four lengths.

The Sangster Stakes has had a significant impact the bloodstock market since attaining Group 1 status in 2005.

Snapdancer, the 2022 winner, sold for $3.2m at last year's Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale, two years after Bella Vella sold for $1.9m at the same sale.

Response, the 2011 champion, has produced four yearlings who have sold for a least $1m, including $1.7m filly Estijaab, winner of the 2018 Golden Slipper.

Spright, Shoals, Miracles Of Life, Platelet, Rostova and Alinghi are other Sangster Stakes winners who have produced seven-figure yearlings.

Lempicka does not boast the race record of any of those mares but is enjoying a career-best season, in which she has landed four of her seven wins, including Listed success in last year's Alinghi Stakes at Caulfield.

Keys knows the Sangster Stakes is a step up for Lempicka, who has not raced outside Victoria, but she has seen enough since her last-start Flemington second placing to suggest she will acquit herself well under regular rider Blaike McDougall from barrier four.

"That will be a query, because she's never left home, but given her demeanour I think she'll cope with it fine," Keys said of the trip to Adelaide.

"She's just showed terrific form this prep, Blaike rode her on Tuesday morning and he was really happy with her, so it's all system go."

Lempicka is one of two $1 million Group 1 runners at Morphettville for the Keys family, who also have Bon Hoffa filly Bon Mistress engaged in the Australasian Oaks (2000m).


Racing and Sports



Morphettville

Saturday, 27th April 2024

8
16:12
(local)

Sportsbet Robert Sangster Stakes (G1)

Age: 2yo and up Sex: FM Type: OPEN
AUD $1,001,790
1200m TURF GOOD
8
16:12
(local)
AUD $1,001,790
1200m GOOD

Sportsbet Robert Sangster Stakes (G1)

Age: 2yo and up Sex: FM Type: OPEN
FP Silk Horse, Age & Sex
Sire & Dam
Jockey
Trainer
SP
WT
1st 7. CLIMBING STAR (NZ) 4yo M
ZOUSTAR (AUS) - BRYONY (AUS)
LACHLAN NEINDORF
PHILLIP STOKES
$26
56.5kg
P Stokes, J Robinson, Qatar Bloodstock Ltd (Mgr: D Redvers), G & C Pastoral Co Pty Ltd (Mgr: V Oldfield), H Sambor, M Burns, P Wells, D Robertson, P McGreal, Mrs A Stokes & B Baker

Sales Information

2nd 13. LEARNING TO FLY (AUS) 3yo F
JUSTIFY (USA) - ENNIS HILL (AUS)
CHAD SCHOFIELD
ANNABEL NEASHAM
$10
54.5kg
Coolmore (Mgr: T V Magnier), Westerberg (Mgr: C Ryan), Kia Ora Stud W S (Mgr: A Krishnan) & J Poulin

Sales Information

3rd 4. BENEDETTA (AUS) 4yo M
HELLBENT (AUS) - WHATALOVELYDAY (AUS)
DANIEL STACKHOUSE
JASON WARREN
$9
56.5kg
Eales Racing Pty Ltd (Mgr: L E Eales), B M Wilson, B K Parker, Plodalong-Shocking (Mgr: P Podbury), D Y D (Mgr: R A Elliott), Mrs M Harding, A J Sultana, Lacy Willows Racing (Mgr: C D Wilson) & Blur Racing Syndicate (Mgr: J A Reece)

Sales Information

4th 2. I AM ME (AUS) 5yo M
I AM INVINCIBLE (AUS) - MEFNOODA (AUS)
BLAKE SHINN
CIARON MAHER
$5
56.5kg

Sales Information

5th 12. ESTRIELLA (AUS) 3yo F
I AM INVINCIBLE (AUS) - MADRIGALS (AUS)
MARK ZAHRA
CIARON MAHER
$2.75
54.5kg

Sales Information

6th 14. STRETAN ANGEL (AUS) 3yo F
HARRY ANGEL (IRE) - SRETAN (AUS)
DAMIAN LANE
PHILLIP STOKES
$26
54.5kg

Sales Information

7th 11. WALTZ ON BY (AUS) 4yo M
I AM INVINCIBLE (AUS) - STAY WITH ME (AUS)
BILLY EGAN
PETER G MOODY & KATHERINE COLEMAN
$26
56.5kg
8th 10. SNAPPED (AUS) 5yo M
NOT A SINGLE DOUBT (AUS) - FRACTURE (AUS)
TODD PANNELL
A & S FREEDMAN
$81
56.5kg

Sales Information

9th 1. ZAPATEO (AUS) 5yo M
BRAZEN BEAU (AUS) - JEREZANA (AUS)
JAMIE KAH
JAMES CUMMINGS
$8
56.5kg
10th 9. WONDERFUL TONIGHT (AUS) 5yo M
I AM INVINCIBLE (AUS) - FOREVER LOVED (NZ)
CRAIG WILLIAMS
SAM MYNOTT
$101
56.5kg

Sales Information

11th 3. PASSIVE AGGRESSIVE (AUS) 5yo M
FASTNET ROCK (AUS) - MISS JUDGEMENT (AUS)
JORDAN CHILDS
GRAHAME BEGG
$9
56.5kg

Sales Information

12th 8. LEMPICKA (AUS) 5yo M
RICH ENUFF (AUS) - HOT ART (AUS)
BLAIKE MCDOUGALL
K & K KEYS
$81
56.5kg
13th 6. SKEW WIFF (NZ) 4yo M
SAVABEEL (AUS) - STARVOIA (AUS)
MICHAEL DEE
MARK WALKER
$81
56.5kg

Sales Information

14th 5. ROOTS (AUS) 5yo M
PRESS STATEMENT (AUS) - ARCTIC SUCCESS (AUS)
JAMES MCDONALD
CHRIS WALLER
$26
56.5kg

Sales Information