American Pharoah's Pavitra Dynamic in Kembla Grange Classic

Mark Smith - Friday March 10

The VRC Oaks runner-up Pavitra will take her place in the Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes after proving a class above in the Group III Peroni Kembla Grange Classic (1600m) at Kembla Grange on Friday.

Ridden by Chad Schofield for Richard and Will Freedman, Pavitra was caught wide in the early stages, with Schofield electing to press on to sit outside the leader Petersham.

Still with a lapful of horse on straightening, Schofield pressed the button at the 300m and found an immediate response.

The 3yo daughter of American Pharoah (USA) was throttled down in the closing stages to defeat the So You Think filly So Dazzling by four lengths, with the Pierro filly Pierossa back a half-neck back in third.

Advertisement

Pavitra bloomed in Melbourne last spring, finishing third in the Group III Ethereal Stakes and second in the Group II Wakeful Stakes. She rounded out her campaign with a length second to She’s Extreme in Group 1 Victorian Oaks.

The Kia Ora Stud homebred resumed with a promising fifth in the Group II Millie Fox Stakes (1300m) at Rosehill on February 18.

With her stakes breakthrough, Pavrita advances her record to three wins, two seconds, and a third from 10 starts with earnings of $434,605.

Pavrita was passed in short of her $200,000 reserve at Easter has proved a blessing for Kia Ora Stud

Chad Schofield said he felt the winner a long way out.

“That was very impressive. Obviously, we have bigger fish to fry in the Vinery and Oaks, but she put the writing on the wall in Melbourne, and she is a beautiful staying filly,” Schofield said.

“She has been a filly that over-travelled in her races, but today she spat the bit out. She got into lovely rhythm and kept extending up the straight. It was a lovely feeling.”

Will Freedman said it was next stop the Vinery Stud Stakes.

“There’s always nerves when dealing with horses that showed they could do it last prep the come in later in their 3yo career,” Freedman said.

‘When she gets her way up frony like that she is dynamic.

“We have a great group of owners and Kia Ora are fantastic breeders who have supported us for a long time.

“We have had some good discussions about where she is best placed. You want to get it right because you only get one chance in a 3yo career.

“It looks like we have pulled the right rein, and now it’s a matter of getting her right the next two weeks and heading to the Vinery where she looks another good chance.”

American Pharoah (image Mark Smith)

Passed in when failing to make her $200,000 reserve at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, Pavitra is a half-sister to Group 1 MVRC AJ Moir Stakes hero Wild Ruler (Snitzel) who covered 174 mares for a fee of $38,500 at Newgate Farm last spring.

Pavitra’s dam Gypsy Robin (USA) was a $750,000 purchase for Kia Ora Stud at the 2013 Keeneland November Sale.

A top-class race mare in North America for Wesley Ward, Gypsy Robin (USA) broke her maiden at two by over seven lengths at Keeneland.

Like many of her trainer’s flyers, she made the trip to Royal Ascot for the Group II Queen Mary Stakes, where she led with a furlong to run before weakening for seventh behind the Exceed And Excel filly Best Terms.

 Gypsy Robin won a pair of Grade IIs and three Listed stakes and was second in the Grade 1 Test stakes at Saratoga in a 12-start career.

The daughter of the Awesome Again stallion Daaher is a half-sister to stakes-winner Tiger Cat Lilly (Tale Of The Cat), out of the stakes-winning Indian Charlie mare Feisty Princess.

Gypsy Robin (USA) has a 2yo sister to Pavrita, which was a $200,000 Easter purchase for Peachester Lodge Trust.

Kia Ora consigns a sister to Wild Ruler and half-sister to Pavitra to the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale in April. (lot 160)

After foaling a filly by Kia Ora Stud’s Golden Slipper winner Farnan on October 28, Gypsy Robin (USA) revisited Snitzel.

Pavitra is the 32nd stakes-winner for Coolmore Stud’s Triple Crown hero American Pharoah (USA), who shuttled for five seasons, the last in 2021.

 

Advertisment

Race Result - Peroni Kembla Grange Classic Gr3 1600m

Kembla Grange Track: Good(4) Time: 1:34.35
1
Pavitra
- 3f American Pharoah (USA) x Gypsy Robin (USA) (Daaher (CAN))
Tnr: Richard & Will Freedman Rdr: C Schofield 54
2
4.0
So Dazzling
- 3f So You Think (NZ) x Dazzling Lady (NZ) (Lonhro (AUS))
Tnr: J G Sargent Rdr: Tom Sherry 54
So You Think
3
4.2
Pierossa
- 3f Pierro (AUS) x Edwina Georgie (AUS) (Testa Rossa (AUS))
Tnr: P & P Snowden Rdr: S Clipperton 56
Pierro
4
4.4
Call Di
- 3f Frankel (GB) x Samantha Miss (AUS) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: G Ryan & S Alexiou Rdr: Tyler Schiller 54
5
7.2
Infinitive
- 3f Hellbent (AUS) x Alecia Beth (AUS) (Street Cry (IRE))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: Regan Bayliss 54
6
7.7
Polygon
- 3f Highly Recommended (AUS) x Polyantha (AUS) (Encosta De Lago (AUS))
Tnr: L R Noble Rdr: K Mc Evoy 57
7
7.8
Whisker To Whisker
- 3f Pierro (AUS) x Zanbagh (AUS) (Bernardini (USA))
Tnr: John Thompson Rdr: Brock Ryan 54
8
7.9
Whisky Wisdom
- 3f Pride Of Dubai (AUS) x Rathlin Island (AUS) (Giant's Causeway (USA))
Tnr: Benjamin Smith Rdr: Rachel King 54
9
8.4
Arts Object
- 3f Zoustar (AUS) x Ringhals (AUS) (Street Cry (IRE))
Tnr: Kurt Goldman Rdr: Mitchell Bell 54
10
8.8
Petersham
- 3f Lonhro (AUS) x Yesterjoy (AUS) (More Than Ready (USA))
Tnr: G Waterhouse & A Bott Rdr: Tim Clark 54
11
11.8
Marigold's Dream
- 3f Churchill (IRE) x Daydream Express (AUS) (Rock Of Gibraltar (IRE))
Tnr: P & M Cave Rdr: J Penza 54
12
15.3
Arts
- 3f Xtravagant (NZ) x Graphic (AUS) (Rubiton (AUS))
Tnr: Edward Cummings Rdr: B Prebble 54.5
More Reading...
$3.2million Home Affairs Filly from Sunlight Rewrites MM Record Book
The record books were rewritten again this evening on the Gold Coast when the Home Affairs filly from former superstar racemare Sunlight sold for $3.2 million.
Almanzor Mare Gets G1 Opportunity from Te Akau
Classy mare Campionessa has flown the flag for Te Akau Racing at the top level for a number of years, but on Saturday at Trentham, her younger stablemate Qali Al Farrasha will get her time to shine contesting the Gr.1 Harcourts Thorndon Mile (1600m).
Sword of State Gold Coast Taster Ahead of Karaka
Ahead of the NZB National Yearling Sales at Karaka at the end of the month, Cambridge Stud were hoping to whet the appetite of Australian buyers with a quality small selection of yearlings by their first season sire Sword of State offered at the Gold Coast this week and they were well received with three selling for upwards of $300,000.
Sires With Winners - Thursday January 9
Here is the full list of 35 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
TBA and Aushorse engage recruitment firm for CEO search
Thoroughbred Breeders Australia (TBA) and Aushorse have engaged leading recruitment firm u&u to help find their new chief executive, after incumbent Tom Reilly was appointed to run the Melbourne Racing Club.
Vinery Sell $900,000 I Am Invincible Filly
Vinery Stud have done a mighty job meeting the market at this sale and heading through Friday afternoon are batting at 100% clearance and they were well rewarded on Friday when selling a gorgeous I Am Invincible filly from Group III placed all Too Hard mare Saas Fee for $900,000.
Quest for Oaks Filly Ends with $900,00 Frankel Filly
When you have a client that has his heart set on finding an Oaks filly, Magic Millions at the Gold Coast in January might be seen as offering slim pickings, but astute bloodstock agent Damon Gabbedy of Belmont Bloodstock has filled the brief with a glorious filly by one of Europe’s best stallions in Frankel.
$3.2million Sunlight Filly Off to Japan
She was always going to be the showstopper at the 2025 Magic Millions Yearling Sale on the Gold Coast and the glorious bay by first season sire Home Affairs from Champion 3YO Filly Sunlight did not disappoint.
$1.6million Snitzel Filly Sold by Silverdale
The last of 13 yearlings to sell for $1million or more at Magic Millions in Book 1 came late in the day when the Silverdale Farm bred and sold filly by Snitzel from their gold-plated mare Sweet Sherry sold for $1.6million.
$800,000 Filly a Fitting Finale for Extreme Choice
The opportunity to purchase the progeny of Newgate Farm’s outstanding sire Extreme Choice was embraced by buyers at the Gold Coast this week with 12 of his youngsters offered in Book 1 and all of them were sold at an average $478,333.