That’s Gold delivers breakthrough Group 3 win for Lucky Vega

That’s Gold emerged as the latest star among Lucky Vega’s southern hemisphere-bred crop when he captured Saturday’s Bonecrusher Stakes at Pukekohe. 

In winning the Group 3, the colt supplied the Irish National Stud-based sire with his fourth stakes winner and second in the southern hemisphere, joining Group 2 winner Within The Law, who has also finished second in the highest company on two occasions. 

Trained by Chris Wood, That’s Gold had shown promise at two with two placings and a fourth in the Listed Counties Challenge Stakes. After breaking his maiden at Te Aroha last month, That’s Gold mustered through to midfield before angling out on straightening and launched strongly to reel in the Group 1-placed stakes winner To Cap It All, who finished second. 

“I really like this horse…I have always had a lot of faith in him, he’s got plenty of ability,” Wood said. 

The trainer confirmed that significant offers had been turned down for the youngster as a juvenile, including from his breeder Yulong, who raced Lucky Vega in the northern hemisphere and stand him at their Victorian base for an increased fee of A$38,500. 

“He has matured physically and mentally,” Wood said. “After a couple of starts Yulong rang me to try and buy him back, but I wasn’t going to pass him up. I knew he had it in him to get to where he is now, and today was his day.”

A A$57,500 purchase for his trainer, Paul Moroney and Catheryne Bruggeman at the 2024 Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale, the gelding is the first stakes winner out of winning Sebring mare Longmu, who was purchased by Yulong and Sheamus Mills for A$500,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale in 2016. Yulong has since moved her own, selling her for A$13,000 via an Inglis Digital Online Sale earlier this year. 

Lucky Vega’s 24 northern hemisphere-bred scorers are headed by Listed-winning pair Lam Yai and Only Luck. The Phoenix Stakes-winning son of Invincible Spirit will stand the 2026 breeding season at a fee of €12,500. 

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