LINCOLNS KEEPSAKE RELATIVE DEAD-HEATS AT YONKERS

The longevity of her race career in the States will be welcome news for NZ Sires Stakes Christchurch executive, Martin Pierson, who recently secured her close relative, Lincolns Keepsake (Rocknroll Hanover-Clare De Lune), from Bromac Lodge.

Lincolns Keepsake (1:59.1), who won four of 15 starts, is a half-sister to four other sub 2:00 winners, including 2012 Auckland Cup winner Sir Lincoln (1:54, 21 wins & $664,601).

Ambro Courage, a nine-year-old Courage Under Fire mare with the same grand-dam as Lincolns Keepsake (in Armbro Moonlight), dead-heated in a $23,000 Yonkers fillies and mares pace last weekend.

Trained in North America by Travis Alexander, and driven by Brent Holland, Ambro Courage settled fourth from the three gate and closed tenaciously to dead-heat with the Ross Croghan-trained Call Me Queen Be.

The joint-winners both clocked 1:53.2 (10ths) for the mile, two laps round the half-mile Yonkers circuit.

The USA form this year of Ambro Courage has resulted in 24 starts, for five wins, five seconds and three thirds, for ,825 in earnings.

She was claimed out of out the Terry and Glenis Chmiel stable for a bargain $6000 at Auckland in June, 2016, by JC International, who raced her to win her final Auckland start for the Brent Mangos barn, then exported her to the States.

Ambro Courage, who has taken a 1:51.6 mark on a five-furlongs (1000m) track in North America this year, has now won nine US races and taken her career earnings to $200,000.

Initially, she won 10 of 53 NZ starts for $51,884.

Close relative, Sir Lincoln, whose list of wins including a NZ Sires Stakes 3YO Final at Addington for the Ray Green stable, and Lincolns Keepsake, are from the unraced Clare De Lune (Beach Towel-Armbro Moonlight), who has also left Lord Lincoln (1:55.9, 11 wins & $44,756), Lincolns Megastar (1:57.1, six wins & $64,948) and Lincolns Superstar (1:56.6, six wins & $49,440).

Ambro Isles, the race-placed dam of Ambro Courage, and Clare De Lune, are half-sisters to six winners including other good NZ & USA winners in Pot Black (1:50.6, 28 wins & $353,647) and Candy Styx (1:51.2, 23 wins & $200,902).

Their dam Armbro Moonlight was a lightly-raced half-sister to USA winners Armbro Radiance (1:58.4h, 26 wins & $62,004), Calibers Storm (1:59.4) and Shimmy 'N Scoot (1:58.2, seven wins).