The story
Imperatriz
I Am Invincible filly Imperatriz showed her class and promise with a superb victory in the $100,000 Group 2 Barneswood Farm Eclipse Stakes 2YO SW over 1200m on New Year's Day 2021.
A notable winner on debut, this juvenile filly claimed valuable Group honours at only her second start - and in race record time - when piloted by Danielle Johnson.
After a lay-off due to a minor setback, this classy filly resumed in the $80,000 Group 3 Cambridge Stud Northland Breeders' Stakes over 1200m held at Te Rapa in September 2021. She was very impressive when winning in the hands of Danielle Johnson (a stable quinella with I Wish I Win) and maintaining her unbeaten record.
In September 2021 Imperatriz finished third in the $80,000 Group 3 Hawkes Bay Breeders' Gold Trail Stakes for 3YO fillies over 1200m with Danielle Johnson aboard in a race where not much went her way.
Everything also didn't go to plan either at her next start in October 2021. Imperatriz reared up in the gates as they opened for the $80,000 Group 3 MVS Soliloquy Stakes 3YOF SW 1400m staged at Matamata due to Ellerslie being subject to Level 3 lockdown. She was drawn wide and the plan was to ride her quietly anyway - fortunately she recovered quickly, laying down the gauntlet as they turned for home and she went on to win her third Group race comfortably for Danielle Johnson.
On 13 November 2021 she was again slow away in the $300,000 Group 1 NZ 1000 Guineas 1600m but she flew home with outstanding sectionals to finish fourth for Danielle Johnson - in what was a stable first four.
On Karaka Million night in January 2022, Imperatriz was game chasing home stablemate Sword of State in the $110,000 Group 3 Cambridge Stud Almanzor Trophy 3YO SW+P 1200m in the hands of Michael McNab.
In February 2022 Imperatriz blitzed the field in the $40,000 Lisa Chittick Plate F&M SW+P 1400m again ridden by Michael McNab. She also earned a $20,000 NZB Insurance Pearl Series Bonus in the process.
In March 2022 Imperatriz travelled to Trentham as favourite for the $260,000 Group 1 Wellington Seamarket Levin Classic over 1600m - she duly obliged in the hands of Michael McNab. She beat stablemates On The Bubbles, I Wish I Win and Mohawk Brave.
An auspicious day for Te Akau at Trentham on 19 March - with five stakes' races programmed, Te Akau won three of them (including the two Group 1 races), and was runner up in the other two - in fact delivering a first four home in the Group 1 Levin Classic (just as the stable did in the Group 1 NZ 1000 Guineas in November 2021) and a quinella in the Group 1 NZ Oaks - with stablemates Belle En Rouge and Self Obsession tying for NZB Filly of the Year honours.
In April 2022, Imperatriz became only the second 3YO filly in 35 years to win the $220,000 Group 1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes WFA F&M over 1600m (staged at Te Rapa) with Opie Bosson in the saddle. It was the second Group 1 win for the filly this season and also the second Group 1 win for trainer Mark Walker since he assumed the helm at Te Akau Racing on 1 April 2022.
Cruising home to win by five lengths, a race record winning margin, this margin places Imperatriz at fourth on the table of all time Group 1 New Zealand winning margins. The David Ellis purchased, and also Te Akau trained, Xtravagant takes out the top two slots with his 8.5 and 8 length victories in the Group 1 NZ 2000 Guineas and Group 1 BCD Waikato Sprint.
Imperatriz started her 4YO campaign just as she concluded her 3YO season - in winning fashion. She contested the Kerikeri Cup with 60kgs on her back on 6 August 2022 resuming - notching up her fourth consecutive win.
Getting into the serious part of the early season, she lined up as hot favourite in the $120,000 Group 2 Waikato Stud Foxbridge Plate on 27 August at Te Rapa and blitzed her opposition by 5.8 lengths, despite the Heavy10 track conditions. Te Akau stable rider Opie Bosson once again in the saddle.
A setback saw Imperatriz off the scene after the Hawkes' Bay Spring Carnival but she bounced back to her very best in style - fresh up into the $300,000 Group 1 Sistema Railway 1200m she was sublime. Ridden to perfection by Te Akau stable rider Opie Bosson, he timed his ride to the minute to claim the mare's third Group 1 victory - Te Akau's third consecutive Railway success - on New Year's Day 2023.
Second up she stepped out on Karaka Million night 2023 and was an impressive top weight winner of the $180,000 Group 2 Westbury Classic F&M SW+P 1400m in the hands of Opie Bosson.
Imperatriz continued her scintillating 4YO form, claiming her fourth Group 1 title - the $300,000 Group 1 BCD Group Sprint WFA 1400m at Te Rapa on 11 February 2023. Again a gun ride by Opie Bosson, to overcome the distracting attention of a riderless horse - she was simply too good for arguably the best sprint opposition seen in New Zealand for some time. Her margin of 4.5 lengths telling the story, and in a time just a tick outside the race record.
That victory saw Imperatriz head to Sydney, Australia to contest the A$600,000 Group 1 Canterbury Stakes at Royal Randwick on 4 March 2023, with James McDonald in the saddle. Sent out the hot favourite, the race looked to be hers but then Artorius grew wings and flew down the outside and she had to settle for second, beaten only a neck.
Imperatriz then travelled to Melbourne to contest the A$1 million Group 1 William Reid Stakes WFA 1200m at Moonee Valley on 24 March 2023. In the hands of stable rider Opie Bosson, she was simply too brilliant for some of the best sprinters in Australia, claiming victory by just over a length - her 5th Group 1 title.
Imperatriz announced her 5YO return with a breathtaking victory back at Moonee Valley on 9 September 2023 with former Te Akau apprentice Michael Dee in the saddle. In winning the A$300,000 Group 2 McEwen Stakes, she smashed the race/track record, denying the likes of Rothfire (2nd) and last season's Everest winner Giga Kick (3rd) in a display that set the world talking - with a time of 56.68 on the clock for the 1000m.
The very next evening, Imperatriz was named 2022/23 Champion Sprinter/Miler at the annual NZTR Horse of the Year Awards - a resounding winner of her category. She missed being named Champion Horse of the Year by just two votes by the 60-strong voting panel, a testament to the incredible season she had.
Returning to Moonee Valley on 29 September 2023 in an attempt to make it three starts for three wins, Imperatriz would not be denied.
If she set tongues wagging with her head-turning, track record time in the Group 2 McEwen Stakes three weeks earlier, observers were aghast as she demolished a quality field in the A$750,000 Group 1 Moir Stakes over 1000m with Te Akau stable rider Opie Bosson back in the saddle.
What stunned commentators and race-goers alike was, in winning her sixth Group 1 title, she again smashed the 1000m track record (her own) at Moonee Valley in a ripping 56.47.
Destiny - and history - awaited Imperatriz in October 2023, and she fulfilled it.
Sent out raging hot favourite (A$1.40) for the A$2,000,000 Group 1 Ladbrokes' Manikato Stakes WFA 1200m, she wove her magic in magnificent fashion, winning by 3.25 lengths in the hands of Opie Bosson.
This scintillating victory meant Imperatriz not only became the first horse ever to make a clean sweep of the Triple Crown of Group 1 sprints at Moonee Valley - she also became the outright No.1 in the world for Group 1 wins in 2023 - five! Northern Hemisphere star racehorse Paddington sat equal with her on four Group 1 wins earlier in the year but was retired.
Imperatriz sky-rocketed her reputation even further when she stepped out at Flemington on Champions' Day on 11 November 2023 - while some questioned her racing the famous straight for the first time, and even 1200m (despite her being proven at that distance) she silenced any critics and won a new legion of fans (if that was possible) by defying her opposition to win the A$3,000,000 Group 1 Darley Champions' Sprint WFA 1200m in the hands of Opie Bosson - defeating Buenos Noches and In Secret.
In November 2023 she was ranked No. 4 in the world and cemented her position as the horse to have won the most Group 1 races worldwide in 2023.
Resuming in February 2024 for her autumn campaign, Imperatriz was sent out favourite for the A$1 million Black Caviar Lightning Stakes WFA 1000m, a race won by the very finest sprinters in Australasia eg the great mare Black Caviar herself (three times), Schillaci (2), Mahogany, Testa Rossa, Choisir, Fastnet Rock, Takeover Target, Miss Andretti, Apache Cat, Chautauqua, Nature Strip - the elite sprinters of not only Australasia but the world.
With a lead up trial deemed (especially by media and commentators) as somewhat 'ordinary', the team was not concerned and our faith in "Berri" was rewarded as she and her trusted pilot Opie Bosson ONZM fended off Private Eye to claim the Flemington feature, and make it six Group race wins in a row in Australia (five at Group 1 level).
On 9 March Imperatriz lost no fans after carrying the top weight of 58kgs when contesting the A$1.5 million Group 1 Newmarket Hcp at Flemington in Melbourne. Seriously disadvantaged by the handicap conditions, giving significant weight to her opponents, and arguably drawn the 'wrong side' of the track on the day, she was brave finishing second in the hands of Opie Bosson ONZM.
She lost no fans as it was a tenacious performance, with a 3YO colt with only 51.5kgs on his back able to seize the win. As top form analyst Dan O'Sullivan said: 'if this race was run under WFA conditions, she wins and wins easily'.
In late March 2024, Imperatriz returned to "The Valley" to defend her 2023 A$1 million Group 1 William Reid Stakes crown - drawing barrier nine, with Opie again in the saddle, she did it stylishly, taking her career Group 1 tally to 10 - six in Australia and four in New Zealand.
In winning her second William Reid, she became the only horse ever to win the Moonee Valley Group 1 Sprint Triple Crown - twice - both in the 2023 calendar year, and the 2024 racing season.
In March 2024, TRC Global Rankings installed her as No.2 in the world - and the world's best sprinter.
In April 2024, after running a game fourth in the A$3 million Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes at Royal Randwick, beaten only .56 lengths, our beloved "Berri" travelled home to Te Akau Stud for a well earned break. Her pre-spell full veterinary examination showed sufficient concern for her well-being and racing future, that the decision was immediately made to retire her.
On 19 April, her proud owners and some of those closest to her, trainer Mark Walker and Opie Bosson ONZM and his family, gathered to salute and farewell their Queen.
Imperatriz was offered for sale virtually at the Magic Millions' National Broodmare Sale at the end of May 2024. She remained in the safety of her paddock at Te Akau Stud watching her own sale on team member Faith Pollock's iPad. She attracted huge international interest, being eventually knocked down to Yulong Investments for a new Southern Hemisphere record price for a broodmare sale - A$6.6 million.
Imperatriz was named New Zealand Champion Sprinter/Miler and crowned New Zealand Horse of the Year in September 2024 - she also won the NZTR Award for Outstanding Global Achievement.
We honour others who played a significant role in her development - trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson, and previously Jamie Richards, and especially her beloved strapper in Australia Jason Levin and dedicated track work rider Laura Winks, as well as Hunter Durrant and Laura Macnab, in whose lives and careers she also played a key role.
The whole Te Akau team at Matamata, Cranbourne and Te Akau Stud worked with huge dedication to bring out the best in Berri, and we salute you all.
Trained by Te Akau and raced by the Te Akau Invincible Empress Racing Partnership (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM), she was purchased by David Ellis CNZM from the Magic Millions' Gold Coast January Sale for A$360,000.
She raced 27 times for 19 wins and four placings, earning A$6,969,799 (approx. NZ$7,593,212) in prize money - and being sold for almost that amount again.
