FIRST NZ TRIAL WINNER FOR LATHER UP

Lather Up is an exciting young pacing sire whose debut crop kicked off strong in North America last year, and his first Down Under crop are looking to emulate those results. Today he sired his first 2-year-old trial winner in New Zealand when his son Coba Charged was the ultimate professional, winning his heat at Rangiora by one and a half lengths.

He was bred and raised at Woodlands Stud before being sold through the 2022 NZB Standardbred Weanling Sale for $16,000. The gelding is out of an Art Major mare. He is trained by Regan Todd and was driven in the trial by Robbie Close.

Reports from other trainers across Australasia who are working with the progeny of Lather Up are very encouraging and we look forward to seeing more of them hit the track this year. Almost 72% of his first crop of foals made it to the track as 2-year-olds in North America and he had a lot of very nice winners.

Photo: Coba Charged as a weanling

Video: Lather Up's first New Zealand trial winner - Coba Charged

Lather Up himself was one of the greatest race horses of his time. He broke seven track records and two world records during his career. He was a speed machine who became the fastest four-year-old horse in history, the equal fastest horse in history over a mile (since broken) and fastest horse in history over a mile and one eighth.

When he took his 1:46 mile world record he raced at the Meadowlands against 10 runners and won by open lengths against an incredible group - including six millionaires. He then backed that world record up at his next start with his second world record, going 1:59.2 over a mile and an eighth pacing his first mile in 1:46.3.

His pedigree combines two of the greatest producing sires ever down under in Bettor's Delight and In The Pocket but they are far enough removed to be able to be bred to almost all mares across Australasia.We look forward to welcoming him back from North America later this year.