Cover image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
When Riccardo Surace Jnr, co-director of B2B Thoroughbreds, first saw Lazzura (Snitzel) as a yearling, he knew he would have to use a little bit of imagination to envisage what she could turn into. The dark bay filly with four white socks, wasn’t easy to picture as a juvenile, but Surace was happy to wait.
“She was a very nice looking yearling with plenty of natural strength and a really nice walk, but we probably didn’t see her (running) as a 2-year-old,” he told The Thoroughbred Report.
B2B Thoroughbreds secured the filly for $500,000 from the draft of Arrowfield Stud at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. Aside from the attraction of her sire, her dam Laguna Azzurra (Jpn) (Heart’s Cry {Jpn}) carries a particularly influential double-up of Hail To Reason (USA) through his prolific sons Halo (USA) and Roberto (USA). Second dam, multiple Listed-winning Silky Lagoon (Jpn) is a daughter of Roberto’s son Brian’s Time (USA). A little further back along the damline, the pedigree crosses stateside to G1 Delaware Oaks victress Pacific Princess (USA) (Damascus {USA}), also the grandam of last year’s Leading Sire in Japan Kizuna (Jpn).
“So we knew we had to envision what she’d look like in 12 to 18 months’ time at least. But she had a lot of presence about her.”
“She was a very nice looking yearling with plenty of natural strength and a really nice walk, but we probably didn’t see her (running) as a 2-year-old. So we knew we had to envision what she’d look like in 12 to 18 months’ time.” - Riccardo Surace Jnr
So it was a little bit of a surprise when, after finishing last in a nine-horse trial at Rosehill Gardens last April, trainer Chris Waller chose to press on with the preparation.
“She was honestly just all leg and minimal muscle,” Surace recalled. “And I remember after she had her first trial, she ran last, but it was quite a nice trial. I remember speaking to the stable and I said, ‘just let us know when she’s coming home’. And I never received a message back.
“Four weeks later, she was winning her maiden, and then three weeks later, she was winning a stakes race. She was an unbeaten 2-year-old, I think, a lot of people forget about that.”
Riccardo “Ricky” Surace Jnr | Image courtesy of B2B Thoroughbreds
Surace made the trek from B2B Thoroughbreds’ Southern Highlands base — which plays host to most of the racing team during spells - to Scone to his filly dart home in the Listed Woodlands Stakes during a particularly cold Scone Cup carnival. Satin Stiletto (Written Tycoon) looked like she had the race in the bag before Lazzura came flying from last to get her nose 0.07l in front in the shadow of the post.
“So we sort of knew we had a nice filly to work with, that had a bunch of improvement to come.”
Running on raw ability
Coming into the spring, Lazzura was still, in Surace’s mind, running off of that talent that had seen her win her first two starts. The filly spelled for four-weeks in the Southern Highlands, but struggled with the cold.
“She didn’t particularly spell well between her Woodland Stakes win and the spring, she just found it hard in a colder climate to put on weight,” Surace said. “Four weeks wasn’t really enough time for her. So even in the spring, she was doing everything on raw ability.”
Lazzura winning G2 Phar Lap Stakes at Rosehill | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
It was a huge result, then, to kick off with a third placing at Group 2 level behind Manaal (Tassort), beaten only 0.76l in the G2 Furious Stakes. There were glimmers of more to come.
“Chris Waller, after the first run of the spring when she ran third, he said, ‘when she’s a little bit stronger, she’ll beat this lot’." Surace shared. They were still taking the spring one step at a time, and the next step was fourth behind Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun) in the G2 Tea Rose Stakes. Another positive, which led to her first tilt at a Group 1, where she finished fifth in the G1 Flight Stakes behind Lady Shenandoah (Snitzel). It wasn’t the run they had hoped for, but Surace knew she had more to give once she furnished.
"Chris Waller, after the first run of the spring when she (Lazzura) ran third, he said, ‘when she’s a little bit stronger, she’ll beat this lot’." - Riccardo Surace Jnr
“We were pretty confident we would get two good runs out of her, which we did, and the third one was probably a bit of a stretch where nothing went right,” Surace continued. “It was more her toughness that got her through the spring.”
Time in the sun
Sent to Segenhoe Stud for a spell over the summer is where Lazzura really bloomed.
“She went up to Segenhoe Stud and she just went to a whole another level,” Surace said. The operation now keeps approximately three quarters of their broodmare band at Segenhoe, and the rest just down the road at Riverstone Lodge. “She put on some 70, 80 kilos in the space of six weeks and obviously improved a lot.”
He had a lot of praise for the staff that took care of his filly during her break, “Therese, the spelling manager at Segenhoe babied her and gave her so much TLC that she honestly put on so much weight. And being in that sunshine with that grass, it’s like a cheat code for getting your horse to improve.”
"Being in that sunshine with that grass, it’s like a cheat code for getting your horse to improve." - Riccardo Surace Jnr
Improve, she did. The eyes might have been on Lady Shenandoah and her main rival, Lady Of Camelot (Snitzel), in the G2 Light Fingers Stakes, but Lazzura resumed with a strong fourth, promising that she was only just getting started for the preparation.
“It was a bit weird preparation, because we actually knew she would improve off her first-up run, whereas in previous preparations, her first run has been when she’s in 100 per cent fit,” Surace said. “So for her to just warm up in that first race, it was fantastic, and we knew we had a good base to springboard off of.”
It was the G1 Surround Stakes next, where again the dual up front was what was most talked about, but Lazzura still gave a sight coming up the rail to dash into third. Surace couldn’t be trackside for the race, but still tuned in live.
Gallery: Lazzura’s rivals in the G1 Surround Stakes, images courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“She was chasing the entire way behind a couple of really good fillies, who took a sprint away, but she was still really tough, and strong through the line,” he shared. With an all important Group 1 placing under her belt, Surace felt that she was drawing ever closer to a big win.
Fast like Phar Lap
Going into the G2 Phar Lap Stakes, Surace was all things considered, fairly confident. Lady Shenandoah was busy winning a G1 Coolmore Classic. Lazzura had the superior form coming into the Phar Lap, and she had the experience. It was her first tilt around the Rosehill track outside of a trial and it seemed to suit the filly down to the ground.
“We knew yesterday that if she would overcome the heat and settle into a good rhythm, we were very confident we would win,” Surace said. “Just based on that form, because even just running placings behind those good fillies, you can improve so much, especially when going into races without the same amount of depth.”
"We knew yesterday that if she (Lazzura) would overcome the heat and settle into a good rhythm, we were very confident we would win." - Riccardo Surace Jnr
So it has to be satisfying, then, to witness — Surace made sure he was trackside for this one, hoping it would be third time lucky this preparation - Lazzura’s slashing win in the 1500-metre race. Over the same distance at the Coolmore Classic, the Group 1 may have had a faster overall time, but Lazzura showed a blistering turn of foot; her last 600 metres was over a second quicker.
“I believe she’s the first filly to break 33 seconds over the 1500 metres at Rosehill,” Surace shared. “They’re run differently, that Group 1 pressure with seasoned horses naturally means they will be faster, but she did what she had to do and she got that major victory that she needed.”
“I believe she’s the first filly to break 33 seconds over the 1500 metres at Rosehill. She did what she had to do and she got that major victory that she needed.” - Riccardo Surace Jnr
The G2 Emancipation Stakes is a likely next target, as well as the G1 Queen Of The Turf Stakes, where Lazzura will most likely reconnect with the high-class fillies she has clashed with before. Surace believes the best of her could be even further ahead.
“The best of her will probably be in the spring,” he said. “She’s probably about 50 per cent of the way there now, and we have been lucky already to get that major win; so now we can just enjoy her. We’d look to keep her (as a broodmare), but if she was to win that Group 1, we would put serious thought into selling her.
“We see, year in, year out, there is such a strong desire for these Group 1 winners in the market and, at the end of the day, we’re business people. It might just be the right decision to make. But it’s also very hard to get the opportunities to get these horses as yearlings and watch them win stakes races.”
Lazzura returns to scale | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
For now, Surace and the B2B Thoroughbreds team intend to enjoy the ride that Lazzura is taking them on.
“She’s a horse that has a lot of ability and you have to savour these horses, because they don’t come around very often.”
The makings of a stallion
The G1 Galaxy looms next week and attention turns to the share that B2B Thoroughbreds have in Private Harry (Harry Angel {Ire}), who bids to keep his unbeaten record intact at his first punt at stakes level. B2B Thoroughbreds purchased a share in the colt through an Inglis Digital sale last November, after he had won his first start — Surace knew from early on that he was going to be something special.
“We’ve been pretty lucky in selecting him,” he said. “We knew he was quite a good horse after his first trial, but obviously having the faith in him and seeing that reward in the Sunlight was just unreal. The sky’s the limit for him.”
"We knew he (Private Harry) was quite a good horse after his first trial, but obviously having the faith in him and seeing that reward in the Sunlight was just unreal. The sky’s the limit for him." - Riccardo Surace Jnr
Private Harry’s electric win in the $3 million Magic Millions Sunlight came in the B2B Thoroughbreds slot; a heady reward for purchasing a 2.5 per cent share for $25,250.
“Now we can sit back and enjoy him as owners, and hopefully he can continue to reach those highs.”
There has been chatter about whether Private Harry could land himself a spot at stud if he continues on his upwards trajectory, and Surace has a practical approach to the conversation.
Private Harry | Image courtesy of Racing Queensland
“I think he’s got every attribute to be a sort after sire, he’s physically incredible to look at; he’s very big, imposing horse with plenty of bone,” he said. “Obviously, he’s still got to go out there and prove himself on the track at the end of the day. He isn’t a stakes winner yet.
“But if he can win the Galaxy next week, or a Group 1 in the future, he will be very sought after by some big farms. It’s his time to shine.”
Kings for a reason
It’s that logical approach that Surace also brings to devising matings and matching mares with stallions in their small but high-calibre, broodmare band; the team have heavily patronised Snitzel, I Am Invincible, and Zoustar over the last few years, and are excited to see their mares produce more foals by the big three later this year.
“We have a beautiful Snitzel colt going to Easter out of La Mexicana (Lot 16), and we have got a full sibling on the way, which we are very excited for off of the strength of her first foal,” Surace said. “We bought a mare in foal to I Am Invincible, and we have three in foal to Zoustar. They’re all impeccably good looking mares with great stock on the floor currently.
“It’s the most exciting time of the year for us. The most nerve-wracking time as well —you get to see the results of planned matings that you spend so much time looking into.”
Gallery: Stallions favoured by B2B Thoroughbreds
Surace favours the proven sires while they are still available, and is “eagerly awaiting” a young gun to excite him enough to invest.
“We just feel with the change in the market at the moment, you have to go to what works, because that’s what not only people will pay for, but that’s what we’re seeing every week on the tracks. They are the kings for a reason. And while we can still utilise them, we have no choice but to.”
"We just feel with the change in the market at the moment, you have to go to what works, because that’s what not only people will pay for, but that’s what we’re seeing every week on the tracks. They are the kings for a reason." - Riccardo Surace Jnr
A strategic change
Reducing and moving their broodmare band, which includes multiple Group winner Rubisaki (Rubick), north last year has made sense in many ways, with proximity to some of the country’s best stallions being just one reason. The B2B team have focused on quality over quantity in the mares they have kept.
“The Hunter Valley is producing a much more complete product, whether that be in the sales ring or in the race track, so strategically it just made sense to do it,” Surace said. “Reducing our stock numbers and focusing on breeding a better quality horse up in the Hunter has certainly made our business more efficient in every way.”
Rubisaki | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
As seen at the yearling sales so far this year, a single constant remains amidst sometimes challenging trade; the good horses are still garnering stiff competition amongst purchasers, and still making the top money.
“Our stock is getting the best care possible from some of the industry leaders who year in, year out produce great results, whilst (we are) not juggling unnecessary expenses that, in a somewhat trying time in the world, can destroy a business,” Surace continued. “We have built (our business) so well to a point where we can sustain it (by itself) without having to put extra in, and we want to continue that.”
“Our stock is getting the best care possible from some of the industry leaders who year in, year out produce great results, whilst (we are) not juggling unnecessary expenses that, in a somewhat trying time in the world, can destroy a business.” - Riccardo Surace Jnr
The focus is still on producing a product to sell, but Surace isn’t against keeping a favourite to add to their racing team, “there is always the option to retain if we believe the horse is superior to others on the market. We love the enjoyment of racing too, so we will always be trying to find new blood to join our ranks.”
That idea of ‘new blood’ rings true for the broodmare band. Surace has room only for the best amongst B2B Thoroughbreds’ highly curated herd. Quality, activity, and matching the country’s leading stallions is of the utmost importance to him.
“You see a lot of younger farms get lost in the idea of pinhooking whilst trying to make a quick profit,” he said. “It normally doesn’t work (long term) unless you’re producing results on the track.” The mares are where the long term security of the business lies. “It’s all about continuously introducing new and young blood.”
