Katie Lee is a New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

 Thoroughbred

Thoroughbred

The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...

 racemare who in November 2009 became the first horse in history to win both the New Zealand 2000 Guineas

New Zealand 2000 Guineas

The 2000 Guineas is a set-weights Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old horses run over a distance of 1600 m at Riccarton Park in Christchurch, New Zealand...

 and the New Zealand 1000 Guineas

New Zealand 1000 Guineas

The 1000 Guineas is a set-weights Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old fillies run over a distance of 1600 m at Riccarton Park in Christchurch, New Zealand. As of 2009, it is held on the final Saturday of Christchurch's famous New Zealand Cup Week in November, which centres around the New...

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Katie Lee was purchased for NZ$340,000 at the 2008 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale at Karaka by Sir Patrick Hogan of Cambridge Stud

Cambridge Stud

Cambridge Stud is an internationally known Thoroughbred stud farm established in 1976 at Cambridge, New Zealand. It has a number of top quality stallions including Zabeel and the great broodmare Eight Carat by Pieces of Eight from Klairessa. She was New Zealand Broodmare of the Year in 1995, 1996...

. Speaking after her 2000 Guineas win in November 2009, Hogan admitted that the purchase was "spur of the moment", deciding to bid for the filly only after seeing her enter the sale ring.

Two-year-old season

As a two-year-old, Katie Lee raced six times for two wins and three second placings. She showed a hint of her potential with a three-length win in the Group 3 Eclipse Stakes at Ellerslie

Ellerslie Racecourse

Ellerslie Racecourse is the main racecourse in Ellerslie, Auckland, New Zealand for thoroughbred racehorses. It is an undulating, grass circuit of approximately 1,900 m.-History:The first race meeting was held at Ellerslie on 25 May 1874...

 on 1 January 2009. Her two-year-old season ended with a disappointing eighth, possibly due to chronic foot problems that plagued her as a two-year-old, in the Karaka Million

Karaka Million

The Karaka Million is a major New Zealand horse race. Held at Ellerslie Racecourse, it is New Zealand's third equal richest race, with a stake of $NZ1,000,000. The race is restricted to two-year-olds who were sold through the New Zealand Bloodstock Yearling Sales held at Karaka. The race was run...

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Three-year-old season

Returning as a three-year-old, Katie Lee finished third in the Gold Trail Stakes at Hastings before a spectacular win in the James & Annie Sarten Memorial Stakes at Te Rapa, an increasingly important lead-up race to the 1000 and 2000 Guineas at Riccarton Park.

In the 2000 Guineas on 7 November, Katie Lee overcame considerable traffic problems to defeat Military Move and Clapton in the $1,000,000 Group one

Group One

Group One or Group 1 is the term used for the highest level of Thoroughbred and Standardbred stakes races in many countries. Group One races may be run under handicap conditions in Australia but in Europe weight-for-age conditions always apply. Races may be also restricted to age groups or a...

 (G1) event. After the race, co-trainer Graeme Rogerson stated that provided the filly came through the race well, the intention was to back up in the 1000 Guineas seven days later.

Sent out as a $1.70 favourite in the 1000 Guineas, Katie Lee again encountered traffic problems in the race before producing yet another outstanding finishing sprint. Runner-up Keep The Peace, a stablemate of 2000 Guineas second placegetter Military Move, provided stiff resistance, but Katie Lee stuck her head out at the finish line to win by the margin of half a neck. Her historic double was made more notable when the runners-up in each of the races went on to win the New Zealand Derby and New Zealand Oaks respectively.

Katie Lee followed her Guineas victories with a second at Group 3 level, before a Group 2 win in the Eight Carat Classic at Ellerslie on Boxing Day and a second in the Group 2 Royal Stakes at the same venue on New Year's Day. She then ran third in the Desert Gold Stakes at Trentham before winning the Group 2 Sir Tristram Fillies Classic at Te Rapa.

Katie Lee's connections attempted to make further history in seeking a rare victory for a filly in the New Zealand Derby

New Zealand Derby

The New Zealand Derby is a set-weights Thoroughbred horserace for three-year-old, 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. From 2009, it was run for a purse of $2.2...

, but a mixture of a tough and long campaign and the 2,400 metres of the Derby meant she was unable to perform as expected, finishing 14th.

Four-year-old season

The start of Katie Lee's four-year-old campaign was delayed by wet tracks, with her first run resulting in a third placing at Ruakaka on September 18. She bounced back to winning form at her second start back, winning the Group 3 Traderacks Stakes (formerly G.R.Kelt Memorial) at Hastings on 2 October, putting in a similar run to her two Guineas victories. After a series of performances in which she was well below her best regardless of an unfavourable track, Katie Lee was officially retired on 16 August 2011 and joins the ranks of top class broodmares.