Karak Becomes First Winner for Karakontie

Green but game, Karak became the first winner for her sire, Karakontie , May 25 at Belmont Park.

With Irad Ortiz Jr. aboard for her debut, the Wesley Ward trainee was taken in hand after breaking to the outside in an open five-furlong maiden special weight. Karak assumed the lead by a head, setting fractions of :22.45 and :45.38 while contesting the pace with stablemate No Nay Maybe, then began to open up an advantage.

The bay filly lugged in a bit while changing leads, bobbled at the sixteenth pole and switched back to the wrong one, bobbled once more while switching back to the correct lead, and held sway in the final 70 yards geared down. The final time was :57.38 on a turf course rated firm. No Nay Maybe was three lengths back in second, and Now Is completed the trifecta.    

Bred in Kentucky by Parrish Hill Farm, Amanda Roach Cole, and Karakontie Syndicate, Karak was a $365,000 purchase by Breeze Easy from All Dreams Equine's consignment to the Ocala Breeders' Sales March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale. Karak also went through the 2017 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, where she was purchased for $22,000 by J.C. Corp from Summerfield's consignment. Between the two, she was a $30,000 RNA consigned by Eaton to the Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

Karakontie, a homebred son of Bernstein for Flaxman Holdings, won the 2014 Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T) at 3, the same year he won the French Two Thousand Guineas (G1). He was one of the leading juveniles in Europe the season before, winning three races in four starts, including the Qatar Prix Jean Luc Lagardere Grand Criterium (G1) and the Prix La Rochette (G3). He entered stud in 2016 at Gainesway, where his 2019 fee is $10,000.