Spectre of Lazarus about to rise in Canada
Next Saturday night, racing followers will have the opportunity to see an entirely new face when New Zealand star Lazarus N contests the $600,000 Canadian Pacing Derby final at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
The six-year-old black stallion made his North American debut two weeks ago with a solid winning effort in the $325,000 Dan Pat Stake at Hoosier Park in Indiana.
Not since the revered Cardigan Bay came from New Zealand in 1964 has a racehorse arrived with such credentials as Lazarus N.
Racing between his native land and Australia he banked just under $4 million (NZ) winning every major event there was to win.
This included two New Zealand Cups, an Inter Dominion Championship, a Hunter Cup and Victoria Cup.
He was good two-year-old but an even better three-year-old going undefeated.
By any measure, he is a great racehorse.
His connections cashed in big time when his owners elected to sell him earlier this year for a reported $4 million NZ to Taylor Made Stallions of Kentucky.
Taylor Made is one of North America’s foremost thoroughbred nurseries and bloodstock agencies. It’s not their first venture into Standardbreds, but certainly the biggest.
Jimmy Takter, the Swedish guru generally regarded as the best trainer of harness horses in North America if not the world, was assigned the task of campaigning him here. Takter has announced this will be his final season training so this could be his swan song.
“He’s a very laid back horse with a nice personality — happy all the time. Great conformation, a big over medium in terms of size but has a great shoulder, healthy and nothing to dislike.”
One of the knocks on New Zealand horses in particular over the years has been their aggressive nature behind the starting gate yet not really blessed with the wicked acceleration that many of their North American counterparts have. Lazarus Z is different possibly because he possesses much in the way of North America bloodlines.
His great grandsire was the legendary Cam Fella, his grandsire Cams Card Shark and sire Bettors Delight. It could easily be argued that type-wise it replicates that breed.
The plan is to limit races here in an effort to build his credentials so that he could go to stud at a North American stud farm and attract the highest quality mares.
That has never been done before.
Then, in 2019, he would return to New Zealand the conquering hero and be the toast of the town in their breeding industry. If, like his sire, he proves to be extraordinarily fertile, he could become a money-making machine standing at stud in both hemispheres.
New Zealand remains a bastion for Standardbred racing in the world and the eyes of the country will all be on this horse’s quest. They have always looked particularly to the United States as the Valhalla of harness racing and to finally have one of their own rise to the very top would be a singular accomplishment.
Lazarus N is quite a striking animal given his black colour but not imposing as Takter cites. From his one start he has shown he can leave the gate briskly, carry his speed, shown a strong desire to compete and be called upon for that extra something when needed. He appears to be the full package.
“I think he is in terrific shape. I like what I see,” Takter says.
This will likely be the only appearance Lazarus N will make in Canada. For people who consider themselves connoisseurs of the Standardbred horse, the Derby presents a rare opportunity to see a unique individual.
Lazarus N looks every inch the champion he was down under and now we will watch as he attempts to translate that here.