MIRACLE MILE WINNER FROM FAMILY OF AMARETTO BROMAC

Spankem's minor upset win in the $1 million 2019 Ainsworth Miracle Mile at Tabcorp Park, Menangle, on Saturday, March 2, in 1:47.7 has further enhanced the family of Bromac Lodge mare, Amaretto Bromac.

It was an All Stars Stables domination at Menangle with Spankem pressing forward from the six gate for co-trainer Mark Purdon to lead over New Zealand Cup champ, Thefixer (Natalie Rasmussen).

Thefixer had every chance to gun down Spankem in the run home but the latter held by 1.7 metres in one of the fastest miles run Australasia, with another All Stars stablemate, Chase Auckland, finishing strongly late for fourth.

Spankem, a four-year-old Bettor's Delight gelding from Crushem (Holmes Hanover-Elizabeth Denover, by Lordship-Miss Denover, by Boyden Hanover-Ar Miss), credited Purdon with his first driving win in Australasia's richest sprint.

Purdon earlier co-trained Have Faith In Me, driven by Natalie Rasmussen, to win the 2016 Miracle Mile in 1:47.5 (formerly the Aust. mile record until lowered to 1:46.9 by Field Marshal last year).

Spankem, a former NZ 2YO Pacer of the Year, failed to reach the same form at three, but has bounced back this term to win the Group Two Kaikoura Cup, two Victorian Inter Dominion Heats and a lead-up to the Miracle Mile, the Group One Canadian Club Sprint at Menangle in 1:51.5 (1609m).

Along with his fourth in Tiger Tara's Inter Dominion Pacing Grand Final at Melton in December, Spankem has elevated his career earnings to ,582 from 11 wins in 29 starts.

The Spankem/Amaretto Bromac family has not only a Miracle Mile added to the pedigree this term, but is also responsible for producing Australasia's fastest three-year-old miler, Muscle Factory.

Muscle Factory, who went amiss in last Saturday's NSW Derby for trainers Shane and Lauren Tritton, erased Border Control's Australasian mile 3YO record of 1:50.6 when he paced a brilliant 1:49.6 when winning the Group Two Simpson Sprint at Menangle on January 5, 2019.

A colt by Roll With Joe, Muscle Factory is from Malena (by Jereme's Jet-Miraculous Miss, by Presidential Ball-Mistron, by El Patron-Ar Miss).

Muscle Factory, a winner of seven from 14 starts for $266,255, is also this season's Victoria Derby.

Bromac Lodge mare Amaretto Bromac is from the same family, being a race-placed daughter of Falcon Seelster and Arma Class, a half-sister by Talk About Class to champion mare Armalight (Timely Knight-Ar Miss).

Both Arma Class (three wins incl. former NZ 2YO fillies record) and Armalight (1:55.4, 18 wins from 36 starts & $277,520, 1981 New Zealand Cup winner and 1982 NZ Harness Horse of the Year) are daughters of Ar Miss, herself a winner of eight, including the 1972 NZ Oaks and 1971 NZ Sapling Stakes.

At stud, Arma Class, the last foal from Ar Miss, left nine individual winners including Coopers Creek (1:52, US) and is the grand-dam of other top performers in Excel Stride (1:50.3, Aust, 28 wins & $769,464) and 2012 WA 2YO Pacing Filly of the Year, Arma Xpress (1:56.5, 12 wins from 18 starts, $279,890).

Amaretto Bromac, now 11, qualified in a 2:00.8 rate, and placed twice from only five starts.

She's now the dam of Angel Bromac (1:56.9, four wins, runner-up in the 2016 WA Diamond Classic 2YO Final), while her third foal, Phil Bromac (by Washington VC), a $60,000 yearling, has placed in three of six starts for northern trainer, Ray Green.

First Class, a Bettor's Delight colt from Amaretto Bromac, was sold at last month’s National Yearling Sales in Christchurch for $50,000 to two of Spankem’s co- owners, Phil and Glenys Kennard.

Amaretto Bromac foaled a colt to Courage Under Fire last year.

The Ar Miss family is also responsible for other stand-outs in Ohoka Punter (1:52.4, 25 wins incl. 2013 Northern Derby, $1 million earner), Majestic Mach (1:53.9, 35 wins & $976,397), 2000 NZ 4YO Superstars Championship winner Bruzem (1:52.6, US, 18 wins), London Pride (1:51.6, US, 28 wins and $600,000) and London Express (1:50.6, US, 32 wins and $350,000).