The 10-time Group 1-winning star Imperatriz has run her last race with the rising six-year-old mare to be prepared to begin life as a broodmare next spring.
Te Akau Racing principal David Ellis confirmed the surprising news on Thursday, saying that after consulting with her owners, it was decided the highly-valuable mare’s future lay in the breeding barn following her half-length defeat when fourth in last Saturday’s G1 T J Smith Stakes at Randwick.
“Imperatriz has been a magnificent race mare, I loved her from the time I set eyes on her at the Magic Millions’ sale. What she has done since has firmly established her as one of the very best race mares Australasia has seen in recent times,” David Ellis said on the Te Akau Racing website..
“From a filly that was the last to sell as a yearling, she became a Champion racehorse and when Karyn and I saw her win her second Group 1 William Reid at Moonee Valley last month, we couldn’t believe the crowd’s adulation for her, The Valley was a sea of tangerine.
“Her tenacity, courage and sheer determination, combined with the sweetest nature you could imagine, have certainly won the hearts of fans worldwide. The joy she has brought to her owners is indescribable.”
Ellis said a vet inspection after Imperatriz returned home to New Zealand led to them making the call to retire her.
“Te Akau always puts the well-being of our horses first. The indications are that another high-level racing preparation would not be in her best interests, so whilst sad, the decision is very straightforward. Her welfare is our top priority, and she will retire a happy and sound horse,” he said.
By the champion sire I Am Invincible, the Australian-bred Imperatriz was purchased by Ellis for $360,000 at the 2020 Gold Coast Premier sales and went on to win a tick under $7 million in stakes from her 19 wins and four placings from 27 starts.
After having her first 17 runs in New Zealand, Imperatriz returned to Australia for the first time since her yearling days last autumn when nosed out of the G1 Canterbury Stakes at Randwick by Artorius.
She then went on a winning spree that netted her six straight wins – five at G1 level – before she was beaten in the G1 Newmarket Handicap at Flemington by the lightweight Cylinder.
She bounced back to record G1 No. 10 in the William Reid Stakes at The Valley before her final run last Saturday when beaten half a length into fourth place in the G1 T J Smith Stakes at Randwick.
Imperatriz retires with the second most G1 victories for Te Akau Racing with her 10 wins at the elite level still four behind that of former star Melody Belle.
