A highly competitive, trans-Tasman field of 14 plus two emergencies has been confirmed for the 19th edition of the $1m TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) at Ellerslie this weekend.
Of these 16 talented juveniles, 11 were purchased from Book 1, four from Book 2 and one from the National Online Yearling Sale.
The average purchase price for this year’s field was $147,313 – very similar to the average purchase price across the 18 previous winners of the race, which is $139,250.
The highest-priced yearling purchase in the field is the unbeaten filly Stromlinien (NZ) (Almanzor), who was a $450,000 purchase by Forsman Racing and Andrew Williams Bloodstock from the Book 1 draft of Elsdon Park.
At the opposite end of the scale, another unbeaten filly, De Armas (NZ) (Ardrossan), was the lowest-priced purchase at $16,000. She was also offered by Elsdon Park, this time in the National Online Yearling Sale, and was bought by Benner Racing.
Elsdon Park has a total of four runners in the Karaka Millions 2YO line-up with De Armas, Stromlinien, Butler Cabin (NZ) (Ardrossan) and Dashing Dixie (NZ) (Alabama Express).
The other vendor with multiple runners in the field is Cambridge Stud, who sold both Ka Ron (NZ) (Hello Youmzain) and State The Obvious (Sword Of State). The stud’s hugely exciting young sire Sword Of State will also be represented by leading Australian-trained contender Torture (NZ).
The most successful buyer in Karaka Millions 2YO history is Te Akau’s David Ellis, who has purchased eight of the last nine winners – Melody Belle (NZ) (Commands), Avantage (Fastnet Rock), Probabeel (NZ) (Savabeel), Cool Aza Beel (NZ) (Savabeel), On The Bubbles (Brazen Beau), Dynastic (NZ) (Almanzor), Tokyo Tycoon (NZ) (Satono Aladdin) and La Dorada (NZ) (Super Seth).
Ellis and Te Akau have three representatives in the race this year with Kinnaird (Home Affairs), Out Of The Blue (NZ) (Tivaci) and Zaharias (NZ) (Super Seth).
Two other purchasers will be represented by multiple runners in the race. Otaki trainer Johno Benner, who won the race with Vespa (NZ) (Elusive City) in 2014, bought De Armas and Butler Cabin. Queensland raider Liam Birchley, who won with Sister Havana (NZ) (General Nediym) and Hardline (NZ) (Showcasing), bought Dream Roca (NZ) (El Roca) and Vanzadee (NZ) (Vanbrugh).
Three previous Karaka Millions 2YO-winning sires are represented in the 2026 line-up. Super Seth sired last year’s winner La Dorada (NZ) and has Zaharias (NZ) in this year’s field. Almanzor, whose first crop produced the 2022 winner Dynastic (NZ), will be represented by Stromlinien. Satono Aladdin, who won the race with Tokyo Tycoon (NZ) in 2023, has Singletary (NZ) on the ballot for this year’s race.
The $1m TAB Karaka Millions 2YO will be run as the fourth race on a spectacular six-race card at Ellerslie on Saturday that carries total prize-money in excess of $4m. The scheduled start time for the Karaka Millions 2YO is 6.13pm.
