Plot twist for Stranger Things

By Jonny Turner 

John and Katrina Price rewrote the script ahead of Stranger Things’ latest plot twist.

The three-year-old that shares her name with the popular Netflix series has charged back onto the southern racing scene, winning both of her starts in Invercargill in June.

Stranger Things showed talent as a two-year-old and returned at three to deliver two performances that didn’t stack up with what she’d shown previously.

Her breeder-owner-trainers admit whatever was holding their filly back is yet to be revealed.

“She went a couple of nice races at two and then went a couple of average ones when she came back as a three-year-old,” Katrina Price said.

“We turned her out and brought her back and John has been training her a bit differently, doing a bit of heat work and things like that.”

“We are not sure whether it’s been giving her that bit of time or the change of training that has helped.”

“She has always had a bit of speed, but she’s not the biggest horse – she’s certainly not Ruby Roe.”

Stranger Things is a half-sister to Ruby Roe by Tall Dark Stranger, whose stats as a stallion in New Zealand almost solely come out of Southland.

Seven of the sire’s eight wins have come in Southland, with three of those individual winners trained in Southland.

Ruby Roe has recently been retired out of the Nathan Williamson stable by the Prices.

The five-year-old heads to the broodmare paddock as a Group 3 winner with multiple Group 1 placings, having banked over $200,000.

“She will probably go to Bettor’s Delight, being by Captaintreacherous, she has that speed and it is a cross that has worked well with the Winter Rose line,” Price said.

Stranger Things is raced by the Prices, along with the Otatara Wags Syndicate.

The syndicate isn’t a group of wives and girlfriends, but rather Wednesday afternoon golfers.

“There are some that have had horses and quite a few new ones and they’re having quite a bit of fun,” Price said.

“After her first win, John went back to golf and there were about 10 more people that wanted to join.”

After winning a Silk Road Series heat in her latest victory at Ascot Park, Stranger Things will have her next start in the final at the same track early next month.

While Ruby Roe has retired, the Prices still have a quality mare among their racing team in Chicago Sky, who has just returned to work after a freshener.

The four-year-old was a last start winner of the Listed Uncut Gems Mares Classic at Addington and she has more of those kinds of races in her sights.

“She’s just come back into work and she’s looking good and she’s grown a little bit which is good.”

“We will get her ready for the mares races at Addington in the spring.”

Chicago Sky saves some of her best for Addington, having previously finished fourth in the Group 1 Sires Stakes Final and third in the Group 1 New Zealand Oaks.

The Prices’ star two-year-old Duchess Maria is also back in work, preparing for spring targets after the filly’s early three-year-old preparation was cut short by injury.