Breckon Farms Syndicates Have Another Great Season

In what will be my last article until late September, it is fitting to look back on what has been another stellar season for the hugely successful Breckon Farms Syndicates.

There were three syndicates in operation during the 2018/19 season, but only two of those had runners at the races.

Unfortunately, the Breckon Farms – Six of the Best Syndicate’s Group 1 winning mare Luby Lou did not race during the season. Having last raced back on the 6th April 2018, when she won the Group 1 New Zealand Trotting Derby, she suffered a paddock accident and had to undergo surgery to remedy her troubles. This was undertaken, an extended spell and recuperation period completed, before spending 6-weeks on the water walker and returning to training late in the season. She is not out of the woods yet, but it is certainly hoped that she is able to make a successful return to what was such a promising and already successful race career.

For the record, Luby Lou has only had 5 lifetime starts, for 4 wins and $94,300 in stake earnings. As mentioned, she is a Group 1 winner and also won the Group 2 New Zealand Trotting Oaks, in a great 3-year-old season, in which she was named NZ 3-year-old Trotting Filly of the Year, following in the footsteps of the previous Breckon Farms – Super Seven Syndicate filly High Gait, who was also the NZ 3-year-old Trotting Filly of the Year in the 2015/16 season, as well as the 2014/15 NZ 2-year-old Trotting Filly of the Year.

The Breckon Farms – The Perfect Ten Syndicate had three runners during the season, spearheaded by the Group 1 winner Tickle Me Pink. She had a limited number of starts, with only lining up four times, due to a delayed start to her season, after spending extended time in the spelling paddock after almost dying during an aborted trip to the Breeder Crown (for which she was an early favourite) in Australia last year. Her Group 1 win came in the prestigious 3YO Harness Jewels Ruby, beating the boys in her last start of the season. She had also won the Group 2 Sires Stakes 3YO Championship, also against the boys, in a staggering first-up performance and added lustre to her season with a win in the Group 3 Northern Trotting Oaks.

Their pacing filly Bubbled Up, had 2-wins and a second during the season and raced at Group 1 level four times, but without any success. They also had Gladamare represent them and in a late-season flurry she notched-up 3-wins in her last 4-starts of the season. She also had two placings, to go with her 1-start, for 1-win as a 2-year-old the previous season.

The Breckon Farms – Savvy Six Syndicate raced two 2-year-olds during the season, both being trotting fillies. They had a great deal of success with a total of 5-wins between them. Tailored Elegance raced 5-times, for a win in the Group 2 Sires Stakes 2YO Championship, as well as achieving a Group 3 placing.

Their other runner, Cheeky Babe, won her first four races straight, but was then subject to physical troubles when running third in the Listed NZ Yearling Sales 2YO Trot Final and her season was cut short when she was then sent to the spelling paddock. Both these high-class fillies 3-year-old seasons are certainly looked forward to with much anticipation.

With Tickle Me Pink’s win in the Group 1 Harness Jewels 3YO Ruby for the Breckon Farms – The Perfect Ten Syndicate, she has created an amazing achievement for the Breckon Farms Syndicates. Remarkably, all five of Breckon Farms Syndicates established to date (other than the latest who have some promising rising 3-year-old fillies and do already have a Group 2 2-year-old winner) have had a Group 1 winner.

This incredible record began with The Good Sports Syndicate’s Linda Lovegrace winning the Group 1 Caduceus Club 2YO Fillies Championship, then the Super Seven Syndicate’s High Gait became a 4-time Group 1 winner, winning the Group 1 Redwood Classic, the Group 1 Breeders Crown 2YO Trotting Fillies Final, the Group 1 Need For Speed Princess Final and the Group 1 Victoria Trotters Oaks, the Top Ten Syndicate’s Partyon became a 5-time Group 1 winner, winning the Group 1 Harness Jewels 2YO Diamond, the Group 1 Breeders Crown 2YO Fillies Final, the Group 1 NSW Oaks, the Group 1 Northern Oaks and the Group 1 Queen Of Hearts, then the Six of the Best Syndicate Luby Lou won the Group 1 NZ Trotting Derby and now of course Tickle Me Pink has won the Group 1 Harness Jewels 3YO Ruby.

In the season under review, the fillies that raced for the Breckon Farms Syndicates, season and lifetime statistics were as follows:-

Luby Lou (Muscle Hill - Luby Ann)
2018/19 Season:- 0 starts
Lifetime Record:- 5 starts, 4 wins, $94,300

Bubbled Up (American Ideal - Speights Girl)
2018/19 Season:- 9 starts, 2 wins, 1 second, 0 thirds, $32,142
Lifetime Record:- 15 starts, 2 wins, 3 seconds, 1 third, $62,628

Gladamare (Mach Three - Delightful Dale)
2018/19 Season:- 11 starts, 3 wins, 1 second, 1 third, $31,588
Lifetime Record:- 12 starts, 4 wins, 1 second, 1 third, $35,088

Tickle Me Pink (Muscle Hill - Luby Ann)
2018/19 Season:- 4 starts, 4 wins, 0 seconds, 0 thirds, $120,491
Lifetime Record:- 11 starts, 8 wins, 0 seconds, 1 third, $142,187

Cheeky Babe (Muscle Hill / Factor The Odds)
2018/19 Season:- 5 starts, 4 wins, 0 seconds, 1 third, $18,190
Lifetime Record:- 5 starts, 4 wins, 0 seconds, 1 third, $18,190

Tailored Elegance (Muscle Hill / Classic Armbro)
2018/19 Season:- 5 starts, 1 win, 0 seconds, 2 thirds, $35,621
Lifetime Record:- 5 starts, 1 win, 0 seconds, 2 thirds, $35,621

So, in total the Breckon Farms Syndicates have achieved 12 Group 1 wins, 11 Group 1 placings, 4 Group 2 wins, 6 Group 2 placings, 4 Group 3 wins, 3 Group 3 placings, as well as 1 Listed win and 1 Listed placing.

Over the six syndicates that have raced, or are currently racing, horses, they have had 406 starts, for 112 wins, 51 seconds and 45 thirds, for total stakes of $2,052,641. This is an incredible 51.2% of starts in the money, finishing 1st, 2nd or 3rd in all races contested.

What an amazing group of statistics these are and ones that Breckon Farms is immensely proud of, as they strive to continue and even improve on their unbelievable record to date. Passing the $2,000,000 in stake earnings was a real milestone, so early in the building history of their racing syndicates.

This year Breckon Farms has once again established a 10-filly syndicate and with already some extremely positive reports on the babies to race for the Breckon Farms – Take Ten Syndicate, the future looks very bright.

GOOD LUCK to syndicate members for their continued racing of our already established stars and also to the latest edition as they look forward to some exciting, mainly, 2 and 3-year-old racing.

Rob Carr