Penny Black Too Strong In WASBA Breeders’ Stakes

NZB Standardbred graduate Penny Black (NZ) (Sweet Lou) returned to winning form at Gloucester Park last Friday night when taking out the Group Three WASBA Breeders’ Stakes (2130m).

The daughter of Sweet Lou has a strong record at the Perth track, and extended her win tally there to seven following a positive drive from Emily Suvaljko.

The pair began well from their front-row draw, but were beaten for early speed by Wonderful To Fly, who kept her advantage on the marker pegs, with Penny Blake having to sit parked early.

Suvaljko continued to apply pressure outside and Penny Black eventually found the top with two rounds to go, and continued to set a positive tempo upfront. She was attacked by Little Darling from the 400m, but Penny Black responded to the urgings of Suvaljko and she was able to hold on to secure a half-length victory.

“I was very surprised that Shane (Young) handed up with Wonderful To Fly,” Suvaljko told Gloucester Park. “I was just happy to sit in the breeze, and then, once we got to the front, I thought it was race over.

“Penny Black hangs down a bit on the corner, but when she gets into the straight, she gets going. I knew that she never gives in, and she loves a horse there (on her outside) keeping her honest.”

Penny Black hails from the famed Black Watch family, with her dam, Tessa Rocks, being a full-sister to Group Three winner Crystal Sparkles.

She was offered through Dunvegan Lodge’s 2021 NZB Standardbred National Yearling Sale draft at Christchurch where she was passed in after failing to reach her $10,000 reserve.

She was subsequently entrusted to the care of Pukekohe trainer Jeremy Young before being sold to her current ownership group following her maiden win at Alexandra Park in December, 2023.

She made an instant impact in Western Australia, winning her first six starts, and she has continued to go from strength-to-strength.

Penny Black has been in a purple patch of form over the last few months, finishing runner-up in the Group Three Christmas Belles (2130m) before scoring her maiden stakes victory in the Group Three The Lombardo Fillies And Mares Pace (2536m), then doubled her stakes tally in the Listed Race For Roses (2503m), and further added to it last Friday night.

She has now won 12 and placed in six of her 26 career starts, and has earned more than A$204,000 in prizemoney.

Vendor	Dunvegan Lodge
Purchaser	Passed In
Owner(s)	O Cownie, A G Durrant, D C Perrella, D D Leppard, J Beard, J S Boyd, K A Tattoli, M D Leppard, R M McKay, S G Murphy, W Leppard
Breeding	Sweet Lou - Tessa Rocks
Sale	2021 National Standardbred Yearling Sale, Christchurch
Breeder(s)	M D Pierson, M W Pierson, J R Pierson