Bloodstock South Africa graduates had a memorable long weekend, when BSA thoroughbreds picked up no fewer than seven black type races.
Bloodstock South Africa made a big impression at Turffontein on Saturday where BSA buys won four stakes races on the card.
Classy filly Chasing Happiness picked up the second graded win of her career when she won the G2 TAB Senor Santa Stakes at Turffontein. The Johan Janse Van Vuuren trained Rafeef filly, ridden by S’Manga Khumalo, powered home to score by nearly a length and three-quarters, with another BSA sold daughter of Rafeef, Mrs Browning, finishing second. Bred by Ridgemont Highlands, Chasing Happiness knocked down for R200 000 at the 2022 National Yearling Sale. The filly, who races for the Wernars family, has won six of 14 starts, including this season’s G3 Betway Carry On Alice Stakes, for earnings of R789 875. The well bred Chasing Happiness is out of the Daylami mare Kalami, a three time winner who finished second in the G1 SA Fillies Classic.
Another four-year-old filly to catch the eye on Saturday was Let’s Go Now. A full-sister to exported champion Bless My Stars, and a R540 000 purchase from the 2022 August Two Year Old Sale, the Sean Tarry trained filly was given a superb ride by Richard Fourie to win Saturday’s G2 TAB Colorado King Stakes by a long neck. Bred by Varsfontein Stud, Let’s Go Now has won four of 20 starts with her latest win pushing her earnings to over R1 000 000. Also victorious in the 2024 G3 Mother Russia Stakes, Let’s Go Now is a daughter of multiple champion sire Gimmethegreenlight and G3 Victress Stakes winner Star Express.
Yet another BSA graduate to win a graded race on Saturday was Mia Moo, with that daughter of sire sensation Vercingetorix prevailing in the G2 TAB Camellia Stakes. Another hailing from the yard of Sean Tarry, the Klawervlei Stud bred four-year-old made it back to back graded wins when she stormed home, under Piere Strydom, to win the 2025 Camellia Stakes by more than two lengths. Raced by Sandy and Eugene Arundel in partnership with World Sports Betting, Mia Moo was a R300 000 buy from the 2022 National Yearling Sale. The filly, who has won five of 15 starts, is out of the Captain Al mare Leeward, whose four wins included a triumph in the Listed Irridescence Stakes.
Offered for sale at the 2022 August Two Year Old Sale, Taxhaven caused a 100-1 shock when he won Saturday’s Listed TAB Gold Bowl. Trained by Paul Matchett, the four-year-old was given a strong ride by Malesela Katjedi, who kept Taxhaven going to win the Gold Bowl by a neck. The latest smart performer bred by Oldlands Stud, Taxhaven took his earnings to R472 000 with his first black type win. A son of Erupt, Taxhaven is out of the Medicean mare Road Tax, a half-sister to Australian/South African G1 winner Yulong Prince/Surcharge. The colt races for Mind Gym CC.
The following day, saw BSA purchases Quickstepgal, Elegantrix and Mai Sensation all win graded races at Hollywoodbets Scottsville.
Outstanding stallion, and National Sale graduate, Vercingetorix is the sire of both Quickstepgal and Elegantrix, winners of Sunday’s G3 Tote Strelitzia Stakes and G3 GTote Godolphin Barb Stakes respectively. The Tienie Prinsloo trained Quickstepgal made it two wins from three starts when she won the Strelitzia Stakes, while Corne Spies’ filly Elegantrix downed males when triumphant in the Godolphin Barb Stakes. Greenacres Trust bred Quickstepgal, a R450 000 buy from the 2024 KZN Yearling Sale, while Greenacres, in partnership with Hemel ‘N Aarde Stud, also bred Elegantrix, the latter an R850 000 purchase from last year’s August Two Year Old Sale.
The 2025 Strelitzia Stakes is owned by Rakesh Singh while the gutsy Elegantrix races for TKP Racing (Nom: Trevelen Pillay), Messrs R P Macnab, A J van Huyssteen, Yagan Nair & S Poriazis.
The sensational Vercingetorix also features as the broodmare sire of Mai Sensation, winner of Sunday’s G3 Dennis Drier Poinsettia Stakes. Trained by Lucinda Woodruff, and a R500 000 buy from the 2023 National Yearling Sale, three-year-old Mai Sensation stormed home to claim her biggest win to date by nearly half a length. Yet another black type winner for Rafeef, Mai Sensation, who races for Greg Bortz and Gina Goldsmith, has won four of just nine starts. Bred by Clifton Stud, the 2025 Poinsettia Stakes winner was produced by the Vercingetorix mare Mai Tai.
