Animal Kingdom filly I Am Queen streeted a strong maiden field on debut in New Zealand on Saturday.
The chestnut filly started favourite after two good trial placings and took up the running. She quickened sharply when asked by jockey Danielle Johnson and raced away to win by 4.3 lengths in a time of 58.39 for the 1000m.
Waikato owner Roger Blunt bought the Arrowfield Stud and Cloros Bloodstock-bred filly for $310,000 at the 2016 Magic Millions Gold Coast Sale and was naturally delighted with her first-up success.
"She showed ability from the start, but we've been patient with her and she did well. It's been a great day at the races!"We like Animal Kingdom and she's so similar to him, she has a lovely nature."
This tallies with the observations of Animal Kingdom's trainer Graham Motion about I Am Queen as a yearling, which he reported in his sale blog."Very athletic and attractive, with a lovely walk and a real presence about her,” Motion observed.
“She handles it all very well. She just has a really nice way about her."I Am Queen is the 13th winner from Animal Kingdom's first Australian crop which also includes the Group-placed pair Peaceful State and Lord Cecil, recent winners White Boots and Seductive Miss and Miss Finland's debut-winning daughter Earth Angel.
The Kentucky Derby winner's first US crop has produced 10 juvenile winners headed by G2 winner and G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf runner-up Untamed Domain and Listed winners Continental Divide and Sunny Skies.There are 11 yearlings by Animal Kingdom on offer at the 2018 Magic Millions Gold Coast Sale including six colts and three fillies in Arrowfield's consignment.
The draft also includes I Am The Queen’s half brother by Redoute's Choice from Cat By The Tale.The colt is a full brother to the Group-placed city winners Raphael's Cat and Tale Of Choice.
Cat By The Tale has a 2YO filly named Keiai Tsubaki with Gerald Ryan and a filly foal by Real Impact.