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Looking through the fields for the Caulfield Cup meeting one name stood out
in the support races. Former Adelaide mare Miracles of Life was
due to make her return to racing for her new connections. Very little
has been heard of her since she was sold at the Magic Millions
Broodmare sales last May and I had actually wondered if she was coming back
as planned of if she had been retired.
When Miracles of
Life first appeared in the mounting yard for her first race start in
December 2012 she was the smallest of the 2yos in the field and didn't stand out in
particular. She had won a trial defeating Erbawi (who has gone onto
success in country SA and Darwin) by six lengths but others were more
fancied. After settling midfield Miracles of Life stormed up the
inside in the straight to race away winning by over 5 lengths. She
impressed the locals but interstate they took little notice of such a race
from SA with the glamour horses from the bigger stables appearing interstate. Two weeks later though that all changed where although it was
only a small field of 6 she settled in second place and then just made it an
exhibition gallop racing away around the turn to win by 9 lengths.
Suddenly she started to attract headlines with the question
of would they go to Melbourne for a Blue Diamond lead up race and would
trainer Daniel Clarken keep her local jockey Lauren Stojakovic for the race.
The Blue Diamond Preview was on Australia Day and after settling midfield
Lauren kept Miracles of Life in the clear and once she straightened again
the tiny filly hit full speed and left the rest behind as if they were tied
to the fence. She won by over 4 lengths from fillies from the Moody
and Waterhouse stables and now the media went into a frenzy. Many
'experts' believed that connections should get a senior local jockey to ride
her in the Blue Diamond Stakes but the stable stood firm keeping the winning
formula for the big race while there was also the question of if she could
sustain her speed under the high pressure against the Sydney and Melbourne
colts. Garnering a huge following in Adelaide this flashy filly with
the stable name of Barbie from a small stable with an 'unknown girl' jockey
headed to the Blue Diamond Stakes. In retrospect the field was very
strong with runners including future Cox Plate winner Shamus Award and
future star 3yo and this season's early wfa star in Dissident plus glamour
filly Guelph who would go on to win two 2yo group 1 races and be a star 3yo
filly the following spring and the talented black type performers in Gregers
and Fast N Rocking.
Once again Lauren rode the perfect race and while the field got closer on
the line the little filly from Adelaide was again too good winning the big
race by 1 1/2 lengths from Fast N Rocking with Godiva Rock third. Four
wins from four starts the temptation was there to go to Sydney for the
Golden Slipper but having achieved the heights in her first preparation
Miracles of Life was spelled for the spring.
After winning a barrier trial easily from Australia Day and Eclair Big Bang
(who would go on to create his own headlines that spring) Miracles of Life
resumed with an unlucky 4th in the McNeil Stakes in August 2013. A
second placing followed in the Champagne Stakes where she was wide but
fleetingly looked a winning chance before Thump near the rail kicked clear
while Miracles of Life fought hard to a clear second. However after a
disappointing run in the Blue Sapphire at Caulfield on Guineas day it was found
that she had a lung issue which would need a good spell to repair and
hopefully see Barbie back to her best in the Autumn.
She returned in March 2014 at Flemington where she took on the older
sprinters for a 6th placing beaten less than 2lengths in a blanket finish
then it was back to Adelaide for the Autumn carnival. In the Manihi
Classic, an open sprint, Miracles of Life was back in form as she went for
home taking control in the straight but in the final few bounds Angels Beach
got up to just nose her out on the line. Two weeks later Miracles of
Life lined up in the Redelva Stakes for 3yos where she carried 57kg and
after being well back to the turn she made a long sustained run around the
field and valiantly tried to catch the speedy Minaj but the front runner
held her off by a length. It was so close and yet so far for that
elusive victory as a 3yo.
The Euclase Classic
is a Group 2 race for the sprinting 3yos and is often used as the lead up to
the Goodwood. Victorian runner The Quarterback was sent out favourite
but on settling it was Classy Jack who led from Miracles of Life while the
favourite got well back. Into the straight Miracles of Life put in her
claims and this time there nothing else had a chance as she put the race beyond doubt
winning by nearly two lengths from the fast finishing Jazz Song with Classy
Jack holding on for third. The emotion after the race was incredible
as Barbie was back on the winners list but it may have been her last race as
she had been entered in the Magic Millions on the Gold Coast Broodmare sales
as Teeley Assets dispersed their stock. For me this is the race where
afterwards I took the photo as seen below that would be awarded the Best
Picture of the Year at the TRSA Racing Awards for the 2013-14 racing season.
As it turned out Miracles of Life did well enough during the week to line up
in the Goodwood but after hitting the lead around the turn she faded to
finish well back. She was then sold at the Gold Coast for $900,000 to
Stonestreet Stables who announced she was joined the stable of Peter and
Paul Snowden in Sydney and race on as a 4yo mare.
After two barrier trials Miracles of Life went back to Caulfield the site of
her biggest win to take on sprinters in the Group 2 Perri Cutten Caulfield
Sprint. Trainer and jockey Hugh Bowman spoke in hushed tones as
jockeys prepared to take their mounts for the race with a clear plan in
mind. Jumping from barrier 4 in the field of twelve Miracles of Life was
quickly into stride settling in third place inside Pago Rock behind I'm All
The Talk and Thermal Current out wider on the track. Approaching the
turn Miracles of Life was under a hold but had moved up to a close second
inside I'm All The Talk with Thermal Current third on her outside from Pago
Rock outside Facile Tigre with Unpretentious next and Bel Sprinter well
back. Into the straight Miracle of Life took over the lead from I'm
All The Talk who fought strongly as Pago Rock made ground and Bel Sprinter
started to run on through the field. With 200m to go Miracles of Life
kicked clear as Thermal Current got his second wind then Bel Sprinter came
through the gaps that had appeared to give chase as Shamal Wind ran on wider
out. Inside the final 50m Miracles of Life was starting to tire as
Shamal Wind made the first challenge and then Bel Sprinter made his run
between them. In the final few strides Miracles of Life fought back
strongly and stuck her nose
out in determined fashion as Bel Sprinter made his dive on the line and Shamal Wind was still there on the outside. Right on the post Bel
Sprinter got the bob in but Miracles of Life with that head held stretched
out countered the last second challenge. It appeared Miracles of Life
had just held on but the low angle replay showed Bel Sprinter may have cut
the uplifting win that her supporters back in Adelaide needed at the very
last moment.
Finally the photo finish flashed up on the big screen and racecaller Greg
Miles was quick to confirm that the race had indeed ended in a dead heat
between the gallant Miracles of Life and
the Group 1 winning sprinter Bel Sprinter who dwarfed her as they pulled up
after the race. While Bel Sprinter returned to scale first Hugh Bowman
on Miracles of Life was interviewed for the carnival coverage on channel 7.
In winning Miracles of Life took her career record to 13 starts for 6 wins
and 3 placings with over a million dollars in prizemoney. She is to
now be aimed at the feature straight races during the Flemington Cup
Carnival no doubt with her legion of fans watching on from Adelaide.
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