Trainer Enver Jusufovic could have only three more runs from New York Lustre before she is sent off to the breeding barn.
One of those runs will come on Saturday in the Brian Beattie Handicap (1100m) at Flemington.
New York Lustre will then wind-up her career in two ‘Black Type’ races – the Group 3 Sir John Monash Stakes (1100m) on July 11 and the Group 3 Bletchingly Stakes (1200m) two weeks later, races the mare finished second and fourth in respectively last year.
Both those races will be run at Caulfield.
Jusufovic said New York Lustre was booked to visit multiple Group 1 winning sprinter Tentyris in the coming breeding season.
New York Lustre is undefeated in two starts on the Flemington straight course, winning most recently in the Group 3 Begonia Belle Stakes (1100m) last spring.
This campaign Jusufovic has travelled twice to Adelaide, finishing a first-up third in the Group 3 John Hawkes Stakes (1100m) at Morphettville before running fourth in the Group 1 The Goodwood (1200m) at her most recent outing on May 9.
“She was probably in the wrong part of the track on the inside last time,” Jusufovic said.
“There were probably a few hard luck stories, but if there was speed from the gates drawn inside, I think she would have got into a lot more favourable position and not have been hemmed in there on the fence and pushed to the slower going.
“Group 1 races, you need everything to go your way to win, and in the end, she was only three-quarters-of-a-length off the winner.
“After Saturday she’ll go to the Sir John Monash and the Bletchingly and then she’ll go off to stud as she’s already booked to go to Tentyris.”
New York Lustre has won six of her 16 starts, and Jusufovic said it would be a sad day when the rising seven-year-old leaves the stable.
“I think she’s still improving actually, and it will be sad to see her retired,” Jusufovic said.
“But (owner) Mike Howard is a breeder, and unfortunately for me, the breeding barn beckons.
“Hopefully, in time, we’ll see some of the offspring come through my stable.”
