The Aldebaran Park bred and owned star Aldebaran Zeus (1:52.6, 18 wins, Muscle Hill-Zoia Boko) will become the first Australian trotter since Scotch Notch in 1985 to contest the $1 million MGM Yonkers International Trot at Yonkers Raceway, New York, on September 9.

A string of Group 1 successes in Australia and New Zealand earned the five-year-old an invitation to take on the best trotters from USA, Canada, Europe and Scandinavia.

Aldebaran Park principal Duncan McPherson OAM said: “I’m so thrilled to be invited and we’ve all jumped at the chance to go.”

The $419,142 winner will be accompanied on his USA raid by trainer Brent Lilley and will be driven by champion Australian driver Chris Alford.

Pictured: Aldebaran Zeus winning the Hammerhead Mile at Menangle on March 4 (TR 1:52.6) and establishing a new Australian record for entires and geldings.

During June Aldebaran Park bred or raced winners in three different countries.

In America, the Aldebaran Park owned mare Aldebaran Acrux (three wins, Chapter Seven-Model Behaviour) hoisted a fresh lifetime mark of 1:55 winning a $15,000 race at Pocono Downs, Pennsylvania.

Aldebaran Pippi, a three-year-old filly by the ill-fated Aldebaran Eagle, became her sire’s first NZ winner when she sat parked for the last lap before scoring at Alexandra Park, Auckland.

Other Aldebaran Park-bred winners for the month were Group 1 winning mare Aldebaran Misty (TR 1:59.7, 10 wins, Skyvalley-Mason Magic), who scored twice at Albion Park in the heats of the Darrell Alexander Trotting Series and took her stake earnings past $100,000.00; Aldebaran Stevie (nine wins, Yield Boko-Im Sonialeelee), a winner at Shepparton and Bendigo; Aldebaran Gwen (six wins, Skyvalley-Aspenglow), a treble winner at Globe Derby Park; talented three-year-old Aldebaran Miley (Father Patrick-Mason Magic), who prevailed at Melton in 1:57.9 and Yarra Valley; and the $100,000 winning pacer Chezmac, who saluted in New South Wales.

Skyvalley, who is in fifth position on the 2023 all aged list, was also represented by Watch And Act and a new winner in Hurricane Jane, while his daughters left smart winners in Lady Adelia, Lar Dees Son and Super Service.

Former stud sire Eilean Donon picked up his first broodmare credit in Australia in the three-year-old colt Arzali out of the racemare Veruckte Phoenix.

In exciting stud news, Dancinginthedark's (Tr 1:49.3, USD$362,304, Readly Express-Leila) chilled semen will be available to New Zealand breeders this coming 2023-2024 season.

Having arrived in Australia in October 2022 and been available only to Australian breeders for the remainder of last season, there is no doubt his chilled semen will be welcomed by the breeders in New Zealand. His Service fee in NZ will be $4,600.00 (incl GST). Furter details regaring Dacinginthedark can be found in the stallions section of the Aldebaran Park website.

 

Visit our website at www.aldebaranpark.com. We are “Hot to Trot” at Aldebaran Park.