Always B Miki fillies impress in seasonal debuts

Stakes winning daughters of Always B Miki from both hemispheres made impressive 3-year-old debuts over the weekend, with the Australian bred Joyful an easy winner at Maryborough on Friday and Strong Poison dominant in the Nadia Lobell at Harrahʻs Hoosier Park, Indiana.

A last start Group 1 winner of the Vicbred Super Series 2YO Fillies Final on New Yearʻs Eve, Joyful looks to have come bigger and stronger this time in, leading from start to finish and crossing the line 13.5m ahead of her nearest rival.

The Emma Stewart trained filly has now won seven races, including her last six in a row, and banked $118,435 in stakes-money.

Bred by Alabar Bloodstock, Joyful is out of the multiple New Zealand Group 1 winner Joyfuljoy, a daughter of Mach Three.

In the US, last seasonʻs Bluegrass Stakes winner Strong Poison became the fastest 3-year-old filly in North America this year with a track record 1:48 score in the $115,000 Nadia Lobell in her first race-day outing for 2023.

The win took Strong Poisonʻs record to six wins and earnings of $506,726.

A $50,000 Lexington Select Yearling Sale purchase, Strong Poison is out of the Rocknroll Hanover mare Fiyonce.

Another North American 3-year-old by Always B Miki to impress was the North America Cup elimination winner Christchurch, who warmed up for this weekendʻs Meadowlands Pace eliminations with a career best 1:48.4 win at the Meadowlands.