I AM ME Runner Up in Gr1 MANIKATO

30 Oct 23

I AM ME our Bonnie 5yo Mare by Vinnie (I Am Invincible), trained brilliantly by CIARON MAHER Racing by Australia’s BEST Stable for Winners, with Australia’s Best Rider James McDonald in the saddle, saw highly commercial and extremely valuable Gr1 Black Type status added to her pedigree already saturated in Bold Type.

I AM ME on the way to the barriers for the Manikato

The final missing piece of the Stakes Results has now completed the set of the wonderful racetrack career to date of the incredible Dynamic Syndications 5yo Mare I AM ME (by I AM INVINCIBLE from MEFNOODA).

I AM ME as a yearling the day we purchased her at the Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale

A $210,000 Inglis Melbourne Premier purchase by Dynamic Syndications / Dean Watt Bloodstock, has been an incredible ride for her loyal band of co-owners.

Career Summary: 17 Starts – 9 Wins : 2 Seconds : 1 Third and Prizemoney: $2,156,850

I AM ME has had an incredible rise during her racetrack career.

Early on in her 2yo training we felt we had a potential Slipper contender before she incurred a minor injury in her hindquarter and needed time off to recuperate. That curtailed any hope of competing as a 2yo.

I AM ME resumed training and went to the races for what was believed to be an easy assignment on debut over 1000m at Goulburn on the 11th September 2021. A race on paper that looked put in take out on form, and the way our then 3yo filly had been training. Connections were left stunned when she was beaten into third place, 3 lengths from the winner.

Then we thought we would take her to Newcastle second-up over 900m in a Maiden but were left reeling when she finished runner-up. Our confidence had taken a beating; however, we were adamant she was a black-type horse in waiting. So, we threw her into the deep end when we lined her up in the Reginald Allen Stakes LR over 1400m and she let us down again when beaten 5.5lengths to Fangirl and Roots.

Off to the spelling paddock after that run, we were licking our wounds and trying to work out how it all went pear-shaped with a horse that was training like a superstar.

A 4-moth spell and back to the drawing board, she resumed as an Autumn 3yo and things fell into place.

I AM ME winning as a Maiden in the Licketty Split at Canberra

Starting over, we snuck her down to Canberra for their feature race the Licketty Split over 1000m which she won easily.

I AM ME Ballarat Win

Then she was sent down to the Melbourne stables, to an 1100m race at Ballarat and was dominant winning by 4.25 lengths and going back-to-back.

I AM ME Flemington Win 1100m

Then she was sent to town over 1100m at Flemington, and won easily by 2.25 lengths going three-for-three for the preparation.

Back on the truck north to race in the Woodlands Stakes LR 1100m at Scone, she copped her first poor track due to rain and a worn surface , and she finished 4th putting her first piece of minor Black-Type onto her pedigree. We then sent her back to Melbourne to have a run in the Creswick Stakes 1200m LR where she was disappointing finishing down the track 7.5 lengths from the winner.

I AM ME went straight to the paddock. I AM ME had been in good order early in that preparation picking up 3 race wins and small Black-Type.

She resumed in her next preparation and was blistering quick, putting 4 wins together in a row.

I AM ME winning a Bm72 at Rosehill

I AM ME winning a Bm88 at Randwick

I AM ME winning a Bm88 at Rosehill

Her first was at Rosehill first-up in a Bm72, then followed by a Bm88 at Randwick, where she ran a sizzling 1:07.77 to be the second fastest over the 1200m trip only bettered by champion 3yo Yes Yes Yes. Next she went to a Bm88 race at Rosehill.

I AM ME winning the Canterbury Sprint LR

Then we believed she was ready for another crack at Black-Type, and we were proven right when she blew them away in the Canterbury Sprint a Listed 1200m Race on New Years Day and she shattered the track record running 1:08.45.

We decided off that effort to freshen her up and have a crack at the Gr1 Oakleigh Plate 1100m, but things didn’t go to plan that day and heavy rain during the races made the track slippery. She finished 6th but was only 2 lengths from the winner with plenty of excuses.

Back to the spelling paddock, it was always our mission to aim at the pointy end of the black-type this preparation and our 5yo mare has been a sensation.

I AM ME winning the Gr2 Missile Stakes

We resumed in the Gr2 Missile Stakes 1200m at Rosehill and were victorious in an easy 1.7 lengths romp banking $172,000.

Then things went pears-shaped second-up in the run during the Gr2 Sheraco 1200m where she was 6th beaten 2 lengths ($3,750).

Now we knew we were fit, well and ready to race at her peak.

I AM ME winning the $2m Sydney Stakes Gr3

We aimed at the first Grand Final and took out the $2m Sydney Stakes Gr3 banking $1,156,500.

Then it was off to Melbourne for what we had planned to be her second Grand Final of the preparation in the Gr1 Manikato.

I AM ME proved to all that she deserves her place at Gr1 grade with a soul stirring run into 2nd spot behind the current sprinting freak IMPERATRIZ.

The race turned out exactly opposite to how we had envisaged on the speed map, but our fantastic mare would not be denied earning the second-place cheque of $360,000 with an exciting run.

Of all the races in a career to fluff the start, she chose this race and stepped away slowly, and instead of leading as is her customary racing style, the field had travelled 100m and James McDonald chose to take the medicine and drop into last position, whilst the odds-on favourite was now 6 lengths in front leading on the fence, on a day showing wicked bias towards horses leading on the fence.

Then, I AM ME over-raced for 100m when being asked to restrain by James McDonald before the field thundered past the 600m marker. Then the horse Jigsaw, on the outside of Imperatriz, started to go backwards causing trouble to those behind it. That flushed Uncommon James 3-wide and we started to improve 4-wide. As we did that, the rider of the horse The Inferno (Jake Noonan) thought his horse would be pocketed with nowhere to run.

So, it pushed out underneath I AM ME. That caused it to bump heavily into our mare several times pushing her off balance and now out 5-deep as it took our running on the point of the home turn.

A lesser horse would have flown the white flag but not our mare.

Clearly last with 200m to run, the race was all over as the winner had stolen a 4-length break, as we were copping all the interference.

James balanced our mare and she unwound the fastest last 200m of the race, to hit the line strongly to claim second place with ease.

Post-Race James McDonald said “She was really good. She was standing in the gates for a long time and stepped a little bit awkwardly and was back, but she did a good job to chase.”

To put things into perspective, the GPS tracker system shows that the winner Imperatriz, ran a total distance of 1202m. However, I AM ME ran the furthest distance overall of 1212m which was 10 metres = 4.16 lengths further than the winner.

So, (a) she missed the start, (b) settled 6-lengths off the speed, (c) was forced wide and (d) received several heavy bumps on the point of the home turn that pushed her off balance, (e) then she rattled off the fastest last 200m of the race, to be beaten 3.25 lengths. That’s Racing!

Most Importantly - Job Done!

Whilst we didn’t win, it was as good as a win as far as our ownership team and connections were concerned.

We are all so proud of I AM ME and how far she has come.

This preparation in 4 starts she is a Gr2 & Gr3 Winner and now Gr1 placed and banked $1,692,250.

Overall, she is now a Gr2, Gr3 and Listed Race Winner, and she is Gr1 Second and a LR fourth. She has 9 Wins from 17 starts and banked $2,156,850 which is 10.27 times her purchase price.

Plus, she has a residual value now similar to her racetrack earnings.

Her Pedigree Page now reads:

Well Done to our Great Team of Co-Owners in I AM ME: Dynamic Syndications Racing, Sheikh M B K Al Maktoum, Mrs J M Crooks, B Ramsey Family, Mr P J Woollett, Mr G Rassos, Mr R J Gall, Mr R G Dawkins, Mr A W Robertson, Mr A Cranes, Mr A Mitchell, Mrs M Joyce, Mr M G Joyce, Mr S B Troughton, Mr D P Lacey, Mr M J Millner, Mr S Finnigan, Mr A D Vella

Most Importantly, we would not be living the dream like we are without the unbelievable polish being put on our Mare by the whole team at CIARON MAHER Racing.

We offer our sincere thanks and appreciation to Ciaron, David, Joe, and all the valuable team members who have all made it such a wonderful ride for our horse and owners.

Onwards and Upwards – Forever Forward!