Winner: Illuminates (Strategic-Dazzle Light)
Race: STC Civic Stakes LR (1400m)
Sold for $86,000
Sale: 2006 Magic Millions National Yearling Sale
Vendor: Baramul Stud
Buyer: Graeme Rogerson
Sold for $460,000
Sale: 2010 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale
Vendor: Dormello Stud
Buyer: Baramul Stud
Earnings: $813,750
Owner(s): G Harvey
Trainer: Graeme Rogerson (Randwick)
The immediate racing future of classy mare Illuminates is set to be decided in a couple of weeks following her impressive come from behind win in today’s listed Civic Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill.
Owner Gerry Harvey is set to give the daughter of Strategic another run in stakes company before he decides whether she races on or is sent to stud.
“She’ll probably run in the Winter Stakes in a couple of weeks,” Harvey’s racing manager Claire Bird said. “And from there a decision will be made as to whether she heads straight to stud or she stays in work another season.”
If the mare is retired she will be mated in her first season at stud with the Group One winning sprinter Swiss Ace.
Swiss Ace was recently acquired by Harvey and will stand at his New Zealand based stud of Westbury.
Harvey bred Illuminates and sold her for $86,000 to trainer Graeme Rogerson at the 2006 Magic Millions National Yearling Sale at the Gold Coast.
He kept a share in her after the sale and recently secured 100 per cent of the mare when she was put up for sale at June’s Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale. Harvey went to $460,000 to buy her last month.
A grand race mare, Illuminates is now a three time stakes winner – having won the Aspiration Handicap and Angst Stakes at black type level.
She turned in one of the best runs of her career when she beat all but champion mare Typhoon Tracy in the Group One Queen of the Turf Stakes earlier this preparation.
The Strategic mare has either won or placed in 11 stakes races and she’s earned a staggering $813,000.
Her win today was one of four on the card for Melbourne Cup winning jockey Corey Brown.
“I was telling Claire (Bird) after the race that Illuminates is a funny little thing,” Brown said.
“She’s a great ride but she gives you a bit of a false feel, you’re not really sure how well she is going to quicken and how she’ll hit the line.”
“She took a bit of winding up in the straight but once she did, she let down really well and I’m not saying it was all over but I knew I had Blake covered.”
Illuminates is one of two winners produced by the unraced Danzero mare Dazzle Light – a half sister to group winner Stoway and daughter of Group One Queensland Oaks winner Travel Light.
Also in the family are Group One winner Only a Lady, group winners Roman Candle and Dream Machine and listed winners Redwood Falls and Lisson Grove.
