Dual Karaka Graduate Maybe Miami (NZ) Wins Timaru Stakes

Maybe Miami (NZ), a two-time visitor to the Karaka sales complex, pushed his prize-money earnings to the brink of $150,000 with a win in Saturday’s $50,000 Listed Speight’s Timaru Stakes (1400m) at Riccarton.

The son of Iffraaj was bred by Berkley Stud’s Alan Jones and Edwina Morris, who offered him at the 2013 Select Sale, where he fetched $31,000. He was re-offered by Regal Farm at the Ready to Run Sale later that year, selling to owner Barry Thomas for $20,000.

Trained at Riccarton by Kevin Hughes, he has quickly established himself as a quality galloper. Saturday was his seventh win from 21 career starts, and his first at stakes level.

Ridden by Samantha Collett, the five-year-old broke from a wide draw and went forward to sit in third place behind Super Trouper (NZ) (Darci Brahma) and Batman (NZ) (Falkirk).

Maybe Miami moved forward to lodge his challenge at the top of the straight, and he proved to be too strong, beating Batman by three-quarters of a length.

Batman is also a Karaka graduate, selling for $26,000 as a weanling in 2010 and passing in having not met his $7,500 reserve at the Select Sale the following year. Third-placed Court Order (NZ) (Pins) sold for $50,000 at the 2013 South Island Sale.

Maybe Miami has now earned $138,485 in prize-money, with Saturday’s black-type breakthrough well deserved after finishing a close fourth in this season’s Group 2 Manawatu Challenge Stakes (1400m) and Group 3 Winter Cup (1600m).