Lazarus, who is considered by many to be the best Down Under horse since the immortal Cardigan Bay, has arrived at the Jimmy Takter stable in East, Windsor, New Jersey.
Lazarus will soon begin preparations for a North American campaign that may include an assault on the 1:46 all-time world record for one mile set by Always B Miki in 2016 (Takter was the trainer for Always B Miki during his record season). Lazarus will also be syndicated for stallion duty in North America.
Mark Purdon, who was Lazarus’ trainer/driver Down Under, has been cited as saying that he believes Lazarus will be up to that task when it comes to taking down the 1:46 standard.
Lazarus won 35 out of his 45 starts in Australia and New Zealand, and many of his victories came over half-mile tracks at assorted distances against bulky fields. He won six of his eight starts at age two, and set a hemisphere record of 1:52.9, which also saw Lazarus pace his final quarter in :25.2. Lazarus was undefeated during his three-year-old campaign in which he won all eight of his starts.
Lazarus annexed just about every Group 1 Australasian classic at one time or another, including two New Zealand Cups, The Inter Dominion, The Hunter and Victoria Cups. Lazarus is the richest Down Under-bred Standardbred of all time, with earnings of $3,821,006. Lazarus, who is the richest son of the dual-hemisphere stallion Bettors Delight, was acclaimed pacer of the year at ages three, four and five and also horse of the year at age five. He holds seven individual track records at multiple distances.
After having been reported earlier, Taylor Made Sales and Stallions of Nicholasville, Kentucky announced in May that Lazarus would be coming to North America later in the month.
Lazarus pictured with Ernie Martinez and Jimmy Takter at his farm in New Jersey (Photo courtesy Vicki Wright)
(With files from Bob Marks and Taylor Made Sales and Stallions)