With or without the unbeaten Dan Vegas, Ruakaka trainers Kenny Rae and Krystal Williams have been unstoppable in three-year-old races on their home track this winter.
That trend continued on Saturday with Tide And Time taking out the $60,000 ITM/Gib 3YO Winter Championship Final (1600m).
Tide And Time has spent much of her career in the shadow of one or more of her stablemates. She finished fourth in the 2YO Final (1200m) on this day 12 months ago, with Whiskey Lies and Dancing Dream delivering a stable quinella for Rae and Williams.
The first few meetings of Ruakaka’s 2024 winter season have brought more of the same. Tide And Time produced strong finishes to run sixth and fourth respectively behind super-impressive winner Dan Vegas on June 8 and June 29.
Rae and Williams decided against stepping Dan Vegas up from 1400m to 1600m for Saturday’s Final, clearing the way for Tide And Time to have her own day in the sun.
The Time Test filly broke well from gate five and slid forward to take up a noticeably handier position in second for jockey Kelly Myers.
Tide And Time moved up alongside the front-running Lovaci at the home turn, and she quickened smartly in the straight to take command.
Sterling Express launched a big late run out of the pack to try to reel her in, but Tide And Time kept going strongly all the way to the line and held on by half a length. The lightly raced Full Noise finished another four lengths away in third.
Raced by a syndicate that includes the owners of the local Porthouse Bar and Eatery, Tide And Time has now had 12 starts for two wins, a placing and $56,010 in stakes. Rae Racing Stables bought her for just $9500 from Gavelhouse.com in March of 2022.
“This is the race that we set her for,” Rae said. “The step up to 1600m was always going to suit her.
“She’d been getting a long way back in her last couple of races, where Dan Vegas strung those fields right out. She was making up 10 to 12 lengths and finishing fourth and sixth.
“This is the first time she’s had a decent draw, and she was able to settle much closer and then sprint very well in the straight. It’s a great result.”
Tide And Time completed a double for Rae and Williams on Saturday’s seven-race card, having previously won the ITM/GIB 2YO (1200m) with Vegas Queen.