IN-FORM harness racing mare Azarenka Leis could soon be trading the racetrack for the breeding barn.
Azarenka Leis notched a courageous win at The TOTE Racing Centre in Launceston last Sunday night to give her the impressive record of having won in each of her four seasons of racing.
She once saluted as a two-year-old; she won twice at three and last season she notched four impressive wins.
Last Sunday night she was driven by multiple premiership-winning driver Gareth Rattray who confirmed the mare would soon go to stud.
“I think the owner (Trevor Leis) wants to get her in foal soon and then keep racing her for a while,” Rattray said.
Despite racing a bit keenly in the middle stages last Sunday night, Azarenka Leis claimed the race leader Iden Rocky courtesy of an inside run in the home straight and she then staved off a determined challenge from eventual runner-up Cardinal Seth to score by 2-1/2 metres with Iden Rocky hanging on for third about 1-1/2 metres astern.
Azarenka Leis is usually trained by Shelley Barnes but the mare has been transferred to Barrie Rattray while Barnes is on a well-earned six-week holiday.
It was the mare’s first start for Rattray who won’t overtax her given there are plans to send her to a stallion in the coming weeks.
Azarenka Leis has started 50 times for eight wins and 11 minor placings and over $53,000 in stakes but last season was clearly her best having won four times and placed seven times from 27 outings for almost $27,000.