Today’s win by Yankee Party was Winton trainer Katrina Price’s 100th. She’s the first female trainer in the province to reach the milestone.
Her training career began with her father in-law Roger Price in the 1999-2000 season. Their first winner was Gypsy Road at Ascot Park in November 1999 and the Road Machine gelding was driven by Brent Barclay.
The partnership with Roger eventually produced seventy six winning races. In the 2013/14 season Katrina started training in partnership with her husband John and together they’ve trained 77 winners, the first being Surprise Party at Gore in October 2013.
Yankee Party has come a long way in a short time, qualifying at Gore in the middle of last month. She’s by American Ideal, a stallion the Prices have had a good amount of success with.
“We’ve mainly had American Ideals out of the Party family. The combination certainly seemed to have clicked. The American Ideals are nicely gaited and seem pretty easy to work with, and they want to do it (win).”
“She’s quite a big filly who has just really come to it at home. She was just a bit dumb and didn’t really know how to finish it off, then all of a sudden the penny dropped,” said Katrina.
Returning to the birdcage – Photo Bruce Stewart
The winning time was a smart 2-45 for the 2200 metre mobile – 10 seconds under the required time.
“We don’t normally qualify them like that but we knew the Sales were coming up so we said to Nathan it would be nice if she qualified well.”
Her half brother Stag Party sold for $100,000 while the other Price prepared yearling by Captaintreacherous sold for $110,000.
“(We’re) absolutely rapt. They’ve gone to great homes so they’ve got every opportunity, if the horses are good enough.”
On the back of her smart qualifying time Yankee Party was sent out hot favourite. She was noticeably a bit fractious prior to the start today.
“She’s been a big sleeping giant who’s woken up a bit.”
Rather than give the filly a break Katrina says they may continue to race her.
“The way she’s been coming through the runs I think we’ll truck on. There’s the Ladyship and after that we’ll make a decision on what we do next.”
Price, who was born in Dunedin and moved to Balcultha as a seven year old has always been around horses. She grandfather had show ponies while her father Trevor Bell had show, rodeo and gallopers, including Eye Chance which won seventeen races. Eye Chance was by Random Chance and won the Oamaru, Cromwell, Gore, Tapanui, Winton and Wairio Cups. He also won the 2003 Sydenham Hurdles.
“I was at the shows as a little kid and later that’s how John and I met.”
She trained at Dunedin Teachers College and taught at Tweedmuir Intermediate.
“I taught for four years fulltime and then part time for another couple, working horses in the morning. I always wanted to train full time. I started off being quite scientific but the more you do you realise with every theory there’s a lot of exceptions.”
Her best season as a trainer was 2008 when she trained ten winners with Roger for a UDR of .3686. Some of the stable winners were; Presidential Reign, Scotty Mach, Cullen’s Consort and Bella’s Fella.
Win number 100 for Katrina Price with husband John – Photo Bruce Stewart
Meanwhile the Prices quality two year old filly Pearl Harbour has been side-lined with an injury.
“She got an infection in her knee so that’s why she’s missed the last couple of Young Guns Heats so she’s probably looking doubtful for the Young Guns Final at the moment.”
Another Price horse Rockabilly Blues has also been away from the racetrack.
“She’s had a virus. She’s all clear now and back in work. She’ll go to the workouts either this Friday or the one after and she’ll head to a Southern Belle heat.”
Meanwhile today, Leithfield Beach trainer Robbie Holmes produced two winners out of class mare Kiwi Ingenuity.
12 – Kiwis Are Flying winning for Robbie Holmes – Photo Bruce Stewart
Kiwis Are Flying, a four year old by Bettor’s Delight got the ball rolling, and three races later his younger sister Team Kiwi hung to win the Speights Ale House Mobile Pace.
Bruce Stewart