Racing: Plenty of reasons to buy a filly at Karaka sales

A chesnut filly plays up before heading into the parade ring at the Karaka Sales. Photo / Sarah Ivey

New Zealand's female gallopers are about to have a lot of new goals.

A scheme for fillies and mares offering nearly $2.6 million in bonuses has been launched in timely fashion, just days out from the Karaka Yearling Sales on Monday.

The NZB Insurance Pearl Series 2013 offers bonuses across 200 individual races nationwide for 2, 3 and 4-year-old fillies and mares.

The scheme has been designed to benefit all owners, trainers and breeders of thoroughbred fillies racing in New Zealand.

Administered by the NZ Thoroughbred Breeders' Association (NZTBA), the Pearl Series 2013 is open to fillies born in 2011.

Sponsored by New Zealand Bloodstock Insurance, the Pearl Series will see bonuses of up to $20,000 paid to connections (owner, trainer and nominator) across the following races: 15 specified open-sex 2YO races ($8000); 180 mid-week fillies' and mares' races throughout this series ($11,500), 20 Saturday fillies' and mares' races ($20,000),; Super Bonus of $100,000 to the winner of the 2014 New Zealand 1000 Guineas if series nominated and insured by New Zealand Bloodstock.

"Anything that encourages the domestic racing of fillies and has the potential to bring new owners and breeders into our industry is vital to the future," said Michael Martin, chief executive of the NZTBA.

"The Pearl Series bonuses and the number of races now programmed for fillies and mares will assist the breeder who is racing a filly and, in turn, help secure the future of New Zealand thoroughbred breeding."

A nomination fee of $690 is payable on or before March 31, 2013 or late entries up until July 31.