The racing of Thoroughbred horses is a popular gaming and spectator sport and industry in New Zealand.
The New Zealand Derby is a set-weights Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds, run over a distance of 2,400 metres at Ellerslie Racecourse in Auckland, New Zealand. It is held on the first Saturday in March, as the opening day of Auckland Cup Week. The purse of the race in 2020 was $1 million.
The New Zealand St. Leger is a major thoroughbred horse race run at Trentham Racecourse in New Zealand on New Zealand Oaks day in March each year.
The Hawke's Bay Guineas is a major Thoroughbred horse race in New Zealand for three-year-old horses. In 2003 the stake was boosted to $100,000 and the race was moved to the first Saturday in October, meaning that it is run on the same day as the Spring Classic. In later years it has been on the same day as the Arrowfield Stud Plate.
The Manawatu Sires Produce Stakes is a Group One horse race held for Thoroughbred two-year-olds at Awapuni Racecourse in Palmerston North, New Zealand run over 1400 metres in late March or early April.
The Livamol Classic is a Weight-for-age Thoroughbred horse race run at Hastings Racecourse in Hawke's Bay and was at one stage New Zealand's richest horse race. It is run at a distance of 2040m.
The Phantom was a Group One winning New Zealand Thoroughbred racehorse who made several trips to Australia, and completed a remarkable comeback later in his career.
The Tarzino Trophy also known as the Challenge Stakes is a Thoroughbred horse race run at Hastings Racecourse in Hawke's Bay and is New Zealand's first Group One race of the season. It is run over a distance of 1400m in September.
The 2000 Guineas is a Group One set-weight Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old horses run over a distance of 1600 metres at Riccarton Park in Christchurch, New Zealand.
Uncle Remus was a champion Thoroughbred racehorse who won the New Zealand Derby and New Zealand 2000 Guineas in the 1977–78 season.
The New Zealand Oaks is a Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old fillies run at set weights over a distance of 2400 metres on the third Saturday of March every year at Trentham Racecourse in Wellington, New Zealand.
The Arrowfield Stud Plate is a New Zealand Thoroughbred horse race run at Hastings Racecourse in Hawke's Bay. The race is registered as the Horlicks Plate and has been previously known as:
The Karaka Million refers to two major New Zealand horse races for young horses - the original Karaka Million for two-year-old (2YO) horses and the Karaka Million 3YO Classic that started in 2018. Held at Ellerslie Racecourse, they are New Zealand's richest races, with a stake of NZ$1,000,000 each. The races are restricted to horses sold through the New Zealand Bloodstock Yearling Sales held at Karaka. The two $1,000,000 races are held on the eve of the National Yearling Sales Series at Karaka.
Windsor Park Stud is a New Zealand thoroughbred stud farm that was established in 1998 near Cambridge, in the Waikato region of the North Island.
Colin Maurice Jillings was a New Zealand Thoroughbred horse racing trainer from the early 1950s until his retirement in September 2005. He was inducted into the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame in 2008.
Murray Baker is a New Zealand thoroughbred racehorse trainer and former New Zealand cricketer.
O'Reilly was a New Zealand bred and trained thoroughbred racehorse who won two Group 1 races.
Roger James is a New Zealand Thoroughbred racehorse trainer. He is notable for having trained five New Zealand Derby winners, which is more than any other trainer in New Zealand and for having won many Group One races in New Zealand and Australia.
Turn Me Loose is a New Zealand Thoroughbred racehorse who is notable for being the winner of a number of Group races and was awarded the title of being the Champion Sprinter & Middle Distance Horse in New Zealand in 2015-16. He has gone on to forge a successful career as a stud stallion.
Pakistan II (1958-1972) was an English thoroughbred racehorse, who became a champion sire in New Zealand.
