It has been announced that a Down Under winner of more than $2.4 million (NZ) in purses will be making the trek to North America in a few weeks time.
According to an article by stuff.co.nz, 11-time Group 1 winner Christen Me has participated in his last New Zealand race and will now test out the North American pacing scene.
Christen Me’s trainer, Cran Dalgety, has stated that Christen Me will ship over to North America in three weeks. He has also said that the star pacer will be sold, but that his connections – Charlie Roberts and Vicki Purdon – could possibly retain a share. Dalgety also said that the pacer will return to New Zealand once his racing days are over.
Christen Me won has won multiple stakes and awards – including having been named New Zealand Horse of the Year for the 2014/15 season – but he has been unable to bounce back from a virus that he caught later in 2015. He returned from the bout of sickness, but, according to the article, hasn’t been the same since.
His connections are hoping that Christen Me will thrive from the use of lasix in North America, as they have said that the pacer suffers from pulmonary hemorrhaging.
"With the way things are over there he could really improve," Dalgety was quoted as saying.
"He's got a lot of life left in him yet, he's only had 68 starts so he hasn't been over-raced."
(With files from stuff.co.nz)