Alabama Lass earned the first points in the prestigious New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series of 2024/25 with a win in the Gr.3 Gold Trail S. and in doing so, became the second Stakes winner from the first crop of Alabama Express.
Sent out to lead by jockey Sam Spratt, the Ken and Bev Kelso-trained Alabama Lass sprinted clear to win by 0.8l from the Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson-trained pair of Captured By Love (Written Tycoon) and Damask Rose (NZ) (Savabeel). Alabama Lass took her record to three wins from four starts, having won on debut at two then placing in the Gr.2 Matamata Breeders’ S. She then won first-up at three two weeks ago as a lead in for Saturday’s Group win.
“She was brilliant, she got across easily from that outside gate and settled off the leader, and she’s kicked away,” Ken Kelso said.
“I don’t make decisions on race days, it’s a long season so we’ll get home and see how she gets over the trip. She’s a very good eater and her temperament has really improved this year from last year, so she’s a little dream to train.”
Shadow Hill Thoroughbreds, owned by Kim and Dale Alderton, sold Alabama Lass in their 2023 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale draft for $120,000 to Dean Hawthorne Bloodstock and co-trainer Ken Kelso.
WFA Group 1-winning sire Alabama Express has had both his first two Stakes winners in New Zealand; the other being Listed juvenile winner Discretion Rules, while he has five other Stakes-placed horses in his first crop with the majority of them in Australia.
The sixth foal and sixth winner for winning mare Tabliope (Commands), Alabama Lass is a half-sister to Group 3-placed winner of five races Bad ‘N’ Bouj (Deep Field) and to Palladas (I Am Invincible) who won four races and ran fourth in both the G3 Fred Best Classic and Listed Magic Millions Cup. A half-sister to Group 3-placed winner Northern Glory (Northern Meteor), Tabliope’s second dam is G2 Silver Shadow S. winner Seika (Canny Lad), dam of Group 3 winner Clothilde (Danehill {USA}) and Listed winner Clown Master (Lonhro). Seika is a half-sister to Group 1 winner Sports (Zeditave) and Group 3 winner Medals (Crown Jester).
This article was written by Renee Geelen for TTR AusNZ.
