Classy four-year-old pacing mare Bettor Joy has been sold for a substantial sum and will do her future harness racing in North America.
Bloodstock agent John Curtin confirmed Bettor Joy had been purchased and had in fact left New Zealand this last week to further her career in the USA.
Curtin has recently sold a number of other high profile mares to North America through his company JC International including Shartin, Nike Franco and Seaswift Joy and he also negotiated the sale of champion stallion Lazarus earlier this year.
Bettor Joy was purchased by Richard Poillucci and is to be trained by Jim King. This is the same combination that own and train Champion mare Shartin N 1:48.2 ($1,174,155) who is sure to be "Mare Of The Year" in North America and is a definite shot at making "Horse Of The Year" with a stunning record of 19 wins from just the 24 starts throughout 2018.
Formerly trained in Canterbury by Cran Dalgety, Bettor Joy won 10 of her 28 starts and won several group and listed races while racing the best fillies and mares in New Zealand and Australia. Her best performance was in a recent start against the best horses in New Zealand when she ran fourth by two and a half lengths to Thefixer, Dream About Me who just a week later finish first and second in the $800,000 New Zealand Cup.
The impeccably bred mare out of the eight race winner Joyfulbelle and by Bettor's Delight took a 1:54.6 mile rate when winning a heat of the Sire Stakes Fillies series but looks set to eclipse that time once she gets to the faster tracks in North America.
When speaking to Cran Dalgety about the sale he said "A sad day has arrived that I have had to release my services of caring for this classic filly. Bettor Joy would have very restricted racing opportunities here in New Zealand as a four-year-old mare. Her racing life will now flourish in North America and she will make a huge splash up there on the race track."
Bettor Joy – $80,000 Two-year-old Group 2 Delightful Lady Classic
Bettor Joy – Sire Stakes Heat
Bettor Joy – $81,000 Caduceus Club Ladyship Classic
Bettor Joy – $160,000 Classic
Ex-New Zealand horses are doing a great job in North America this year with a long list of winners and with Shartin in the running for "Horse Of The Year" honours, the export market will continue to thrive.
Recent winners in North America sold by JC International can be viewed here.
Harnesslink Media