ARMA INDIE CONFIRMS PROMISE
Published by Jeff Scott in News · 14 January 2019
Arma Indie, from a Courage Under Fire half-sister to Bromac Lodge broodmare Amaretto Bromac (Falcon Seelster-Arma Class), has hit multiple winning three-year-old filly form in early January.
Racing for Woodend Beach trainers, David and Catherine Butt, Arma Indie showed smart two-year-old promise last term for the Butts’, before heading north to race for the Robert Dunn stable.
The Well Said filly placed in three of eight juvenile starts last term, including her highlight effort when second to Princess Tiffany in the Gr. 1 $150,000 Harness Jewels 2YO Fillies Diamond at Cambridge on June 2, being race-timed in 1:55.2 (1609m).
Returning to the husband and wife trainers this term, Arma Indie is unbeaten in both three-year-old filly starts at Central Otago on January 2, and again up in grade at Invercargill on January 10.
She justified her hot favouritism at Central Otago, beating a strong maiden line-up over the mobile 2000m in a 2:01.6 rate for driver, John Dunn.
Second-up, she was driven confidently on the front-end by Matt Anderson at Ascot Park, drawing clear at the 400m and holding smart colt and win favourite Mighty Flying Art by three-quarters of a length in the rating 54-59 mobile pace.
Arma Indie ran the mobile 2200m in 2:43.2, a 1:59.4 mile rate, quickening over her last 800m in 58.9s and her final 400m in 27.7s.
She's the second foal and first winner for her dam Arma Courage (1:58.9 mile rate, 1700m), who won three from 21 race starts.
Her half-sister Amaretto Bromac, available for purchase from Bromac Lodge, is a race-placed proven broodmare.
Her dam Arma Class (2:00.6, three wins from 19 starts), a former NZ juvenile record holder, was a half-sister by Talk About Class to champion mare Armalight, (18 wins & $277,520), the 1981 New Zealand Cup winner and 1982 NZ Harness Horse of the Year.
Both Arma Class and Armalight are daughters of Ar Miss, herself a winner of eight, including the 1972 NZ Oaks and 1971 NZ Sapling Stakes.
Amaretto Bromac, now 11, qualified in a 2:00.8 rate, and placed twice from only five starts.
She is already the dam of Angel Bromac (1:56.9, four wins, runner-up in the 2016 WA Diamond Classic 2YO Final).
Her third foal, Phil Bromac, a three-year-old Washington VC gelding, has finished third in both his Cambridge race starts this month for the Ray Green stable
Amaretto Bromac is also a half-sister to other winners winners, Coopers Creek (1:52, US, 41 wins & $333,644), Arma Antoinette (2:01.4, one win), Arma Augustus (1:57.2, 6 wins), Arma Dominator (2:01.7, four wins), Abba Bromac (P3, TT, 1:57.1, 1 win), Jimmy Hoffa (1:57.4, one win) and Titanium (1:54.2h, US; 1:59.1 m.r. 2600m NZ, 3 NZ wins & $30,395, two USA wins)
Arma Dominator (In The Pocket-Arma Class) has left Excel Stride (1:50.3, 28 wins & $769,494), Comet Stride (1:55.2, Aust, 5 wins & $31,900) and True Blue Stride (p3, 1:56.1, 1 Menangle win).
Arma Antoinette (Holmes Hanover-Arma Class) has also made her mark at stud, leaving former top WA filly Arma Xpress (1:56.5, 12 wins from 18 starts & $279,890), Arma Xceptional (1:57.9) and Trigg Beach, dam of Arma O’Rourke (p3, 1:56.8, 5 wins).