A career-best season for Pencarrow gelding Sunset Boulevard (NZ) (Eminent) continued in the $50,000 JR & N Berkett (2100m) at Trentham on Sunday.

The open handicap was the ninth win of a 23-start career for Sunset Boulevard, who has placed on another four occasions and has earned $233,555.

His nine appearances as a five-year-old this season have yielded five wins, a placing and $156,850. He had previously won at Otaki in September, followed by two victories during the New Zealand Cup Carnival at Riccarton in November, plus the $40,000 Greymouth Cup (2000m) in early January.

The Kevin Myers-trained Sunset Boulevard, who is still nominated for next Saturday’s $600,000 Group Two Trackside Auckland Cup (3200m) at Ellerslie, was caught wide going around the first turn at Trentham on Sunday before sliding forward to sit on the outside of the front-running Opawa Jack (NZ) (War Decree).

Jockey Tina Comignaghi drove Sunset Boulevard into the lead in the home straight, and he dug deep to fight off the challenge of Uncle Arch (NZ) (Tivaci) through a pulsating final 200 metres. At the finish line, he was still in front by a short head.

Sunset Boulevard was bred by Pencarrow Thoroughbreds Ltd and is raced by Sir Peter Vela. He is a son of Sir Peter’s multiple Group winner and Group One placegetter Eminent, who stands at Brighthill Farm.

Eminent carried Sir Peter’s blue and white hooped colours to victory in the Group Two Prix Guillaume d’Ornano (2000m) and Group Three Craven Stakes (1600m), along with placings in the Group One Ranvet Stakes (2000m) and Irish Champion Stakes (2000m). Eminent is the sire of 40 winners from 92 runners.

The dam of Sunset Boulevard is North of Sunset (NZ) (Red Ransom), who is a half-sister to the stakes winner and Group One-placed Pencarrow mare Wildflower (NZ) (Keeper). North of Sunset is also a blood-sister to the Group Three winner and black-type producer Amaryllis (NZ) (Red Ransom), while her dam Zygadene (NZ) (Zabeel) is a blood-sister to the dam of multiple Australian Group One winner Humidor (NZ) (Teofilo).

Sunset Boulevard’s fourth dam is the multiple Group One winner and prolific broodmare Habibti (Habitat), a half-sister to the legendary Eight Carat (Pieces of Eight).

Sunset Boulevard is one of two winners from three named foals out of North of Sunset, who has also been represented by six-race winner Palm Springs (NZ) (Super Easy). The three-year-old Don’t Tell The Mrs (NZ) (Vadamos) has placed in two of his six starts.