Candidature for RWITC Elections 2009.

Dear Member,

Another year has gone by and we once again come to the Royal Western India Turf Club Ltd.’s Elections and the AGM to be held in the Members’ Enclosure at 4:00pm on Thursday, 17th December 2009.

Following my “letter of introduction” dated 27th August 2009, copy of which is enclosed herewith, I write to you this time requesting you for your valuable support and a vote in my favour for the seat on the Managing Committee of the RWITC Ltd. I hope you have been able to spare the time to peruse my earlier letter and consider my candidature.

If elected, I will always remain accessible to all members and racegoers, and will sincerely strive to look after the interests of the members, owners and racegoers who are the very backbone of the sport that we all love so much. I would love to dedicate myself, and pledge my time and effort to the improvement of the game and to propagate the sport in its proper light to bring back the crowds to enjoy the afternoon and give racing the importance and dignity it deserves.

Having been involved with all facets of the sport for over 2 decades along with my past experience of serving on the Managing Committee from 2002-2004 and as a Steward from 1999-2005, I sincerely feel that at 39, with the advantage of age on my side, I can contribute effectively to the working of our club and work towards keeping racing fair and clean.

I earnestly seek your support and will be most grateful for that privilege.

Sincerely yours,

Gautam Lala

Introduction To My Candidature

Dear Club Member,

I write to you today to inform you of my candidature for the RWITC Managing Committee elections to be held in December 2009. The purpose of writing to you this early is to introduce myself, especially for the benefit of our new members who were not there during my earlier term as a Committee Member from 2002-2004. This early correspondence would hopefully give us a chance to get to know each other better before December and moreover, give you enough time to get to know your Candidate.

My introduction to racing turned to a passion while sitting on the children's bench in the Mahalaxmi Race Course car park at a very early age and I have been an avid racegoer and owner as soon as I was of an eligible age in 1988, and continue to own a small string of horses and breed privately/non-commercially in a small way in the name of my racing company Gainsville Stud & Agr. Farm Pvt. Ltd. (www.gainsvillestud.com). My family's association with the sport goes back decades and my parents Laxmi & Partab Lala have had the good fortune to co-own classic winners like Our Select (Indian Derby 1968), Bright Hanovar (Indian Derby 1971) and Bakhtawar (with the late Mr. M.D.Mehta) which set the standards of achievement and moderate success more recently with Minsky, Classic Talk, Starynsky and Star O'War has helped appreciate clean and fair racing.

It was 10 years ago, in 1999 that I was nominated as a "Steward of the Meeting" and served in that position for 2 years, after which, with the overwhelming support of the members, I was elected to the RWITC Managing Committee in 2002 and served in that post for two years, before taking a break. During that period I was also a "Steward of the Club" for 3 years where I have always been fair and unbiased in my decisions in my humble attempt to keep racing fair and clean. Further, I have served and continue to serve on various sub-committees like the Cups & Trophies, Equine Hospital, Studbook, etc. and for the last two years, I have served on the Managing Committee of the Western India Race Horse Owners' Association where along with other members, I believe, we have done a lot for the benefit of racehorse owners. Having been involved with all facets of the sport, I sincerely feel I am in a position to contribute more generously given the responsibility as a member of the Committee once again.

On a personal level, my MBA degree in Marketing has helped me run my packaging business. I hope that in the near future we can connect and share views on our Club and the sport that we all love so much. Thank you for your time and looking forward to talking with you soon.

Sincerely yours,

Gautam Lala

Starynessey And Henrythenavigator

STARYNESSEY

The mating of Kingmambo and Sequoyah which has produced the handsome 2008 dual Guineas hero Henrythenavigator has a lot in common with the 2008 mating of Gainsville's mare Starynessey. Henrythenavigator is by Kingmambo out of the Sadlers Wells mare Sequoyah. Kingmambo's damsire is Nureyev who is a three parts brother to Sadlers Wells. Thus, Henrythenavigator in inbred 3x2 to three parts brothers Nureyev and Sadlers Wells. Besides this fantastic combination, he is also balanced linebred to Raise A Native and Native Dancer.

So why the mention of Starynessey? Starynessey has been retired to the Pratap Stud Farm which is now the home of the Epsom Derby winner Oath (by Fairy King) whom she visited for the 2008 season. Starynessey  is by the Nureyev horse Concordial. This mating combines Nureyev and Fairy King(sire of Oath) who is a full brother to Sadlers Wells resulting in a 2x3 inbreeding to three parts brothers Nureyev and Fairy King. As in the case of Henrythenavigator, we also find balanced linebreeding to Native Dancer.

After the phenomenal success of Henrythenavigator, and the highly successful sons of Fairy King in India, namely Royal Kingdom and Burden of Proof, Gainsville eagerly awaits the produce of this mating to come into training.

Gautam Lala.

Gainsville's Pedigrees

Over a short period of time, we have collected a nice set of broodmares. Some of the major Group winners abroad and in India ever year, come from the same families as some of our broodmares. The 2005 Epsom Derby winner Motivator is from the family of Disobedience and Starynessey. 

Then, the 2004 Epsom Derby winner North Light is from the family of the Gainsville mares Poison Ivy, Starissima and Vandalism. This is the Carpet Slipper branch of the Simons Shoes family. 

The 2004 Kentucky Derby winner Smarty Jones is from the family of the Gainsville mare Halos And Horns. Halos And Horns was not raced as she was bought witht he sole intention of sending her to Warrshan for breeding.

She is now the dam of the class I horse STAR O'WAR by Warrshan[USA]. This colt is linebred 3x5 to full sisters Numbered Account and Fascinating Trick. Also, we find balanced strains of Nasrullah in the 6th remove. 4Sx6D to Ribot and 2Sx4Sx5S Northern Dancer. We also get Poker who is a half brother to Intriguing. Sisters Natalma and Cosmah are combined through the former's son Northern Dancer and the latter's daughter Queen Sucree. Both Warrshan and Halos and Horns are from the same branch of the La Troienne family.

AMATOL, the class I Bangalore horse is bred by Gainsville from our mare Kiss And Tell. Kiss And Tell was a good juvenile filly in Bombay finishing 2nd to Cape Dance, Mariana, etc. and was then sent to Calcutta where she won 6 races in all of which 4 in a row and was nominated for the Sprinters' Cup. She was retired to Chanhill Farm specifically to visit the dual 2000 Guineas winner Tirol. This mating was planned by Gautam Lala and AMATOL is the second foal of this mating, the first being the retained Eglevsky. The Tirol-Kiss And Tell mating is not fluke. If you look at the six generation pedigree, it has all the right ingredients for success. AMATOL is inbred 4x4 to Forli through sons, 4x4 to siblings Great Nephew and Close Relation through their dam Sybil's Niece. Further back, he is linebred 6Dx5Sx6D to Nearco. In the sixth remove we have six strains of Hyperion, 5 of which through his sons and one through his daughter. Also, there are three strains of sister Sarah of which two from her daughter Sybil's Sister and the third from her daughter Lady Angela. This mating is also based on the famous Northern Dancer-Forli nick which produced Nureyev. AMATOL has placed 3rd in the Chief Minister's Cup Gr.3 at Bangalore on his first attempt at a group race facing older horses.

In the same crop, Gainsville produced the smart juvenile STARYNSKY by Warrshan - Poison Ivy. Poison Ivy was purchased as a yearling from Equus Stud and she raced only thrice. The retained STARYNSKY is the second foal of this planned mating and is Group placed winner of 3 races and over Rs.9,00,000.

Gainsville owned a mare named Devil's Been Busy. She produced the winner Hell Freezes Over by Tirol before she was sold to Pratap Stud farm where she has gone on to produce the very useful colt TALK OF THE DEVIL. 

Another addition to the broodmare band is the bred in purple Radical Velocity. She is by Placerville ex Speedbird by Malvado ex Charenzaccio. Speedbird is the dam of Esterelli and is a half sister to Divine Light. Divine Light produced Mystic Memory (by Malvado) who has gone on to produce the sensational Mystical (by Alnasr Alwasheek). This is the Schiaparelli family of Smart Chieftan, Classical Act, Star Supreme, Londonderry, Kazakh, Sassafras, etc. She visits Warrshan[USA] for 2006. With this mating we inbreed 4x5 to Numbered Account through her daughter Secret Asset and her son Private Account. 4x5 to Native Dancer through his daughter Natalma and son Raise A Native. We linebreed 5x6x6x6 to Hyperion with two strains through Lady Angela, one through his daughter Barley Corn and one through his son Alibhai. Finally, balanced linebreeding to Nasrullah occurs in the 6th remove though his daughter Glamour and son Nashua.

In 2008, we have acquired 3 nice brrodmares alongwith our sparingly raced Starynessey who also retired to stud. She visited Oath[USA] for the 2008 season. other mares that were added are Dancing Bride by Concordial[USA] ex Flyaway Bride[USA] by Blushing Groom. She comes from the one and only PRETTY POLLY family. Next comes Apassionata by Black Cash[USA] - Donatella by Broto[USA] and Creme Brulee by Puerto Madero[CHI] - Pure Cream by Broto[USA]. Both from the SCHIAPARELLI family that has done so well in India. Both their dams are full sisters. 


Gautam Lala

Galileo - In The Limelight.

GALILEO

Sometime ago I had written an article on Sadlers Wells and his new sons at stud. His son Galileo, winner of the Derby at Epsom had just entered stud at the time. In the article I wrote about how these new sons of his will make an impact and its only a matter of time before it happens.Happen it will. 
Sure enough, happen it did. 

Last week at Churchill Downs, Galileo's 3 year old son, Red Rocks won the Breeders Cup Turf Gr.1. What is interesting in this pedigree is that Galileo is by Sadlers Wells, and Red Rocks' 2nd dam Pharaohs Delight is by Fairy King who is a full brother to Sadlers Wells. Hence, Red Rocks is inbred 2x3 to full brothers through a son and a daughter. Furthermore, his dam is by Machiavellian, whose 2nd dam Raise The Standard is a half sister to Northern Dancer, sire of both Sadlers Wells and Fairy King. Machiavellian's damsire is Halo, whose dam Cosmah is a half sister to Natalma, the dam of Northern Dancer and Raise The Standard

Gautam Lala

 

Montjeu and Giant's Causeway - A Sensational Start

MONTJEU

Northern Dancer would easily be one of the greatest sire and sire of sires in recent years. He was a fantastic race horse, a prepotent sire and has proven to be a great sire of sires. However, after his death in 1990 his legacy lives on through his sons, grandsons and great grandsons. There are hundreds of his sons.grandsons/great grandsons at stud worldwide, but worldover, the major stakes winners seem to be coming from only two branches, namely, Sadlers Wells and Storm Cat (by Storm Bird).

Sadlers Wells needs no introduction. He has sired 67 individual Gr.1. winners and over 200 Stakes winners incl. Montjeu, Galileo, High Chapparal, etc.This commands respect. With Montjeu siring the Epsom Derby winner Motivator and runner up Walk In The Park from his first crop, this freshman sire son of Sadlers Wells has certainly arrived. Montjeu has had 15 stakes horses from his very first crop and standing at a farm like Coolmore gives him that extra edge to establish himself as a frontline classic sire. He himself is a dual Derby(French & Irish) winner who also won the Arc and the King George and was rated 137.

GIANT'S CAUSEWAY

On the other hand, there is this son of Storm Cat who can do NO wrong. In his racing days he won six Group 1 races. In his first crop has sired a Derby winner, a 2000 Guineas winner, a Group 1 Royal Ascot winner and 4 stakes winners and 8 stakes horses. He is ofcourse none other than the spectacular Giant's Causeway. Hi sire Storm Cat has become a legend. He is one of the most highly priced stallions in the world today and continues to justify his USD500000 covering fee. He has sired 30 Gr.1 and 86 Graded stakes winners of which many have retired to stud as stallions. His son Giant's Causeway from his first crop has sired the French 2000 Guineas and Derby winner Shamardal who also won The St. James Palace Stakes Gr.1 at Royal Ascot. Another Royal Ascot winner came when his daughter Maid's Causeway won the Coronation Stakes Gr.1.after running second in the English 1000 Guineas. He is also the sire of Footstepsinthesand, winner of the English 2000 Guineas Gr.1. Giant's Causeway stands at Ashford, KY for a fee of USD200000.
With Montjeu at Coolmore Ireland and Giant's Causeway at Ashford Kentucky(Coolmore America), Coolmore seems to have not one but two aces up their sleeve. Both have had a sensational start to their stud careers and are definitely bound for greater heights. These two seem the likely ones who will keep the Northern Dancer sire line flying.

Gautam Lala

Sadlers Wells, Coolmore and The Epsom Derby

SADLERS WELLS

A lot of people have been of the opinion that the great Coolmore stallion Sadlers Wells, although a champion sire on many occasions isn't a sire of sires. Also, the son of Northern Dancer topped the sire list many times but failed for many years to get the ultimate in racing…a winner of the Epsom Derby. This jinx was broken in 2001 when the Mick Kinane ridden Galileo come out and won the Derby at Epsom. The following year his son High Chaparral won the same race, thus establishing Sadlers Wells as a Derby sire.
So far, none of his stakes winning sons had made a major impact at stud, although some of them(Barathea, In The Wings, El Prado, etc.) have had their moments. But the best was yet to come.
In 1998 his son Montjeu made an appearance as a 2 yr old and won both his starts incl. a listed race at Longchamp over 9f. The following year he did even better by winning two Derbies(Irish and French) and the Arc. He didn't stop here. Next year he won another three Group 1 races incl. the King George(beating Fantastic Light), the Tattersalls Gold Cup and the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud. Sounds easy doesn't it? But it's this kind of stuff that earns you a timeform rating of 137.

Retired to Coolmore, home of his illustrious sire, all eyes were set on this Derby winning son of champion sire Sadlers Wells. He was the first really classy colt by Sadlers Wells going to stud. The other two Derby winners Galileo and High Chaparral came a few years later. At Coolmore Montjeu has wasted no time. In his very first crop he has sired Motivator - the winner of the Epsom derby. Incidentally, the runner up - Walk In The Park is also sired by him. Motivator is from the first crop of Montjeu from which there are a total of 15 stakes horses including Hurricane Run, Staglelight, Kings Quay, Dash To The Top, Falstaff, etc.

Motivator is out of the Gone West mare Out West who is by Sharpen Up ex Uncommitted by Buckpasser ex Lady Be Good by Better Self ex Past Eight by Eight Thirty. 3rd foal of his dam, he is the best and the only Group horse she has produced so far. Motivator is linebred 5Dx5Sx5S to Native Dancer and 6Dx6S to Hyperion. In the first six removes, there is no other inbreeding in his pedigree. His dosage profile is 8-1-14-5-0 and dosage index is 1.33. This is the same family in India of Shamaal, Warsaw Pact, Flowersoftheforest, etc.

What a fantastic stallion roster Coolmore has created. Between Coolmore Ireland and their U.S. counterpart Ashford, it would be safe to say that they stand the best stallions in the world today. Some of the stallions they stand at Coolmore Ireland are Danehill Dancer(Danehill), Fasliyev(Nureyev), the Derby winner Galileo(Sadlers Wells), 2000 Guineas and King George winner Golan(Spectrum), Eclipse Stakes winner Hawk Wing(Woodman), Derby winner High Chaparral(Sadlers Wells), French Derby, King George and Arc winner Montjeu(Sadlers Wells), French Derby and Arc winner Peintre Celebre(Nureyev), the dual 2000 Guineas and seven times Gr.1 winner Rock of Gibraltar(Danehill), and ofcourse the champion sire Sadlers Wells(Northern Dancer), Irish 2000 Guineas and Breeders' Cup Mile winner Spinning World(Nureyev) and Statue Of Liberty(Storm Cat).

At Ashford, Kentucky, their U.S. counterpart, they stand the Irish 2000 Guineas winner Black Minnaloushe(Storm Cat), Kentucky Derby winner Fusachi Pegasus(Mr. Prospector), the great Eclipse Stakes winner Giant's Causeway(Storm Cat), Grand Slam(Gone West, Hennessy(Storm Cat), High Yield(Storm Cat), Johannesburg(Hennessy), Gr.1 winner Lionheart(Tale of the cat), champion juvenile sire Tale of the cat(Storm Cat), Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winner Thunder Gulch(Gulch), etc. It is interesting to note how this group has cornered the Northern Dancer sire line in Europe through Sadlers Wells and his sons and through sons of Nureyev. Years back, they lost Nureyev to Stavros Niarchos at the Keeneland yearling sales in Lexington. They seem to have more than made up for it now. In the U.S. they stand some of the best sons of the great Storm Cat and the only Kentucky Derby winning son of Mr. Prospector - Fusaichi Pegasus. Hatsoff to John Magnier, the master of Coolmore for his foresight and stallion acquisition skills.

Gautam Lala

Thanks - 2002.

Dear Member,

The RWITC Elections are now behind us and I write this letter to thank you for your overwhelming support, which got me elected to the Committee.

Words cannot express my gratitude, and I look forward to the year ahead in the hope that I can make a significant contribution to the betterment of the sport.

Your suggestions are always welcome and would be much appreciated. I am always available to you at the above mentioned numbers should you want to contact me.

Sincerely Yours,

Gautam Lala.

Election Result:

Vivek Jain 467

Khushroo Dhunjibhoy 376

Gautam Lala 370

Shyam Ruia 368

Vijay Shirke 266

Champaklal Zaveri 364

Shivlal Daga 355

Diwan Arun Nanda 353

Ram Shroff 331

The First Election - 2002

Dear Member,

It’s the end of another year and we once again come to the RWITC elections and the AGM to be held in the Members’ Enclosure at 4:50pm on Thursday, 19^th December 2002.

As we all know, racing is not going through the happiest of times. It is at this difficult juncture that I wish to offer myself as a member of the committee and do my humble best to strive to get racing back to the height it once commanded. In my modest capacity, I have served the Club as a Nominated Steward of the Meeting for the last two seasons in Mumbai. During this period I gained invaluable experience and got a closer look at the workings of the Club.

My introduction to racing turned to a passion while sitting on the children’s bench in the Mahalaxmi Race Course car park at a very early age and I have been an avid racegoer and owner as soon as I was of an eligible age. My parents Laxmi & Partab Lala have had the good fortune to own classic winners like Our Select, Bright Hanovar and Bakhtawar which set the standards of achievement and moderate success more recently with Minsky, Classic Talk and Louis Cyphre has helped appreciate clean and fair racing.

While the Supreme Court of India has determined that horse racing is a “game of skill”, we must propagate the sport in its proper light to bring back the crowds to enjoy the afternoon and give racing the importance and dignity it deserves. On a personal level, my MBA degree in Marketing has helped me run my packaging business and I sincerely feel I am in a position to contribute more generously given the responsibility as a member of the Committee.

My candidature has been proposed by Mr. Shapoor P. Mistry and seconded by Mr. Mahesh N. Thakkar. At 32, with the advantage and enthusiasm of age on my side, I would love to dedicate myself to the improvement of the game. I earnestly seek your support and will be most grateful for that privilege.

Sincerely yours,

Gautam Lala

Vandalism



VANDALISM



Ever since I was a kid, first time winners fascinated me. I always wanted that the first time a horse runs in my name, he should win. Silver Glow(Riyahi-Petite Aureole) was my first runner on 26th February 1989. Trained by Imtiaz A. Sait, he won the sponsored Classic Impression Trophy.

In April 1999, on one of the last days of the Bombay season, my trainer and friend Narendra Lagad came and sat with me in my box to watch a race. A very well bred filly named La-Bella was running and she ran a dead last. She had never won a race till then. She was by Portroe out of Watt-a-Lott, a full sister to the good juvenile filly Untold Story, from the Carpet Slipper branch of the Simon's Shoes family.  I very casually asked Naren to go and ask the owners if they would sell, as I wanted her for breeding. Naren came back in sometime and informed me that they were willing to sell the filly. After some negotiations with the owner and trainer(who also had some interest in the filly), we bought her for a song.

By the time she came to us, it was already too late for the breeding season. She was to go to Nirmal Ruia's Ruia Stud Farm to be covered by Warrshan. She took time to let down and didn't come into season in time for the covering season. We left here there for a couple of months and brought her back into training to see if we could pick up a race before the end of the year and then send her back to stud as she was still a maiden.

She came back into training in the following Pune season and strangely enough turned out to be the first runner under the Gainsville banner. She was also the first runner I would have with Naren as my trainer. Surprisingly she had worked very well, but we didn't know her habits. She had never won a race. Harish Rathod, Naren's stable jockey who had been working her was chosen to ride the filly who was renamed Vandalism. She comes from the Carpet Slipper branch of the Simon's Shoes family with Vali, Valinksy, etc. very close up in the pedigree. With so many V's, it was only fair to name her Vandalism.

Naren chose the sponsored 7 furlongs Everready Trophy for her. At that point I thought that Naren got over ambitious to run her in a big race. Her final spurt for the race had been very nice. Naren felt she had worked very well and actually had a chance. Hearing this, my hopes went up too. I remember telling Naren that it would mean a great deal and it would be a dream come true if she could win since she was the first runner for Gainsville. That morning, Naren keyed up Rathod and charged him up like he had never done before. In the paddock, apart from the usual instructions, the same words were repeated. He told him how much it would mean to both of us if Vandalism won considering she was my first runner with him and the first for Gainsville. She looked a picture in the paddock. A big dark bay filly, big bright star on the forehead, sheep skin noseband, she looked breathtaking. However, because of her past record, she was totally out of the betting and was available at 80 to1, the longest priced in the field. She jumped out last in a field of 12 runners and trailed the field till the bend. Into the short Pune straight, she was still last and then suddenly, Naren's magic started working. Rathod, who by now was riding her like a man possessed, brought her to the outside and Vandalism flew. Naren jumped out of his box screaming, "go Harish go". Harish I'm sure must have heard his master screaming as Naren's box is close to the track and he was loud…as loud as one can be. She covered the whole field in the straight and at the post she met the favorite Rodeo Star, and the two were locked together. The judge called for a photo. She had finished on the outside so it was even more difficult to judge from the television. I refused to go down to lead till the result was announced. We waited for the result of the photofinish and after a never ending 5 or 7 minutes, the judge announced….Vandalism had won by a short head. It was truly a dream come true.

Gautam Lala

Achates, Kiss And Tell & Idar.

ACHATES after winning the Colts'
Handicap Stakes.

Achates was one of the first horses selected by me. I studied the 1990 auction catalog and came across this horse by the new stallion Tecorno out of Smooching. Smooching I saw was from the Pretty Polly family and her dam Close Relation was a sister to Great Nephew. In 1990 you couldn't get better than this. The first evening when we went to the roll, I dragged my parents(as at the time, they used to do the buying!) straight to the Pratap Stud ring, owned by my now dearest friend Maharaja of Idar. I clearly remember his lot number was 555. We pulled him out and there came this small little fellow with his head held low. A bay colt, very plain looking with no markings except a white right hind pastern. He was a very correct individual but very plain and very very small. Our trainer Magansingh Jodha checked him out and approved it, but didn't seem very keen. We didn't finalize it and went looking elsewhere.

My mind was set on him. Although he was small, he was a correct individual with a flawless pedigree. We walked around for 2 or 3 evenings in that sale and Magan suggested some other horses too but then finally said that if I was so keen on that little Tecorno colt, we should go in for him. He agreed that he was exceptionally bred and very correct conformationally. He said most horses from Pratap Stud were small so it was of no consequence. When we approached Idar, he quoted a rather high price and refused to budge from it. Some common friends advised him to sell but he just wouldn't come down. But then, that's Idar for you.

Around the same time, a Tecorno 3 year old named Ashwamedha was making waves. He won his maiden by a street and his second win was very impressive too. He was now aimed for the then biggest baby race, the Breeders' Produce Stakes. Idar argued that he would keep all his horses till after Ashwamedha wins the big race and that, that would fetch him big money for all his Tecornos. On the 4th or 5th day, we went back to him as I was hell bent on getting him. We went to him, increased our offer, and also told him that if Ashwamedha won the big race, we would throw in something extra. He didn't agree to that, but finally did agree to a price and shook hands. The following week, Ashwamedha won the Breeders' Produce Stakes in scintillating style. Here was the start to the Pratap Stud-Tecorno era, the rise of the Pratap Stud, and a friendship that I truly treasure today.

The horse was named Achates after a Greek warrior in the Trojan War and also means "faithful friend". Mid way during the following Pune season Magan called up and informed us that Achates had improved tremendously. Back to the following Bombay season, he didn't race in the early part. However, he was ready to run just after the last day of the Auction Sales in February. He made his debut on 8th February 1991 in the 5 furlong Hindu Trophy. Magan said that he was not yet ready to win but would run a good race. So he went in without any expectations. In the race, he jumped out slow and lost about 4-5 lengths at the start. For a baby who is running for the first time, it is very difficult to make up lost ground. We all thought it was all over for him. Then suddenly, past the 800 marker, I saw him passing the others as if they were standing. Into the straight, he had not only caught up with the field, he was mid bunch. That second, I realized he was a decent horse. He had caught up with the field and so it was a decent run. But Achates didn't stop there. He continued his flight into the straight and went past every one in the field and won the race. The whole racecourse was talking about him, there were calls from all over that evening telling us what a good horse he was. He went on to win the Colts' Handicap Stakes in Pune, again unfancied to win in a strong set of runners. Subesequently, he didn't do that well with us. We sold him the following year and with his new owners, he won his first 2, and 2 more for them the following season. In all he won 11 races and more than Rs.7,00,000=00 in stakes.

The Kiss and Tell Story

The same year when we sold Achates, I bought his half sister by Lingot d'Or from Idar. I met Idar in August at a party in Pune and inquired about the filly and learned that she was not sold at the Auctions in February. I offered him terms, which no one had ever heard of, but which I had worked out and rehearsed to strike a deal when the time was right. So I told him I would give him one foal from the filly when I bred with her and also 50% of all the stakes that she earned. The following day, I called him and after a brief discussion agreed on the terms and bought the filly. She was named Kiss and Tell. A filly bred like this is hard to come by. Kiss and Tell showed early promise as a 2 year old in her morning workouts. She was put into all the big baby races and placed in all of them, earning black type in the Bahrain Trophy finishing behind Romantic Harmony and finishing 2nd to Mariana in the Royal Honk Kong Jockey Club Trophy. She also ran 3rd to Cape Dance that season. In Pune she suffered a slight set back and raced only once. The following Bombay season, her debut run over 7 furlongs suggested that she doesn't stay, so the Indian 1000 Guineas was ruled out. However, she didn't do too well that year till February, so we flew her to Calcutta during the Invitation weekend. The flight was arranged by a dear friend Mr. Mahesh Thakkar. She ran a 6 furlong race on the Invitation weekend and was the only Bombay contender, other than Elusive Pimpernel to win on the Invitation weekend. She stayed back as planned in Calcutta with Vijay Singh. Vijay Singh is the son of jockey Jagdish who won most of our classic races for us back in the 60's. in Calcutta, she won us almost Rs.7,00,000=00 is stakes, 6 races, 4 in a row, got invited for the Sprinters' Cup. When I retired her to stud, I bought over that foal which I was to give Idar. She is now the dam of winners Egelvsky and Amatol.

Gautam Lala

Mr. Prospector - 1970-1999

MR. PROSPECTOR

Mr. Prospector would easily be one of the best sires of all time. His total of 165 stakes winners is a record. He was leading sire and broodmare sire twice during his stud career from 1977 to 1999. There is no doubt that his influence as a stallion and as a broodmare sire will last for years to come in the thoroughbred industry. His sons and grandsons as well as his daughters have already made an impact on the racetracks as well as at stud.

Mr. Prospector was bred by Leslie Combs II at the Spendthrift Farm in Kentucky and was sent to the Keeneland July Yearling sale of 1971. Bought by Mr. Savin in 1971 at the Keeneland July Yearling sale, Mr. Prospector was the sale topper that year at $2,20,000. Later at the Keeneland July Yearling sales, he was leading sire by average 5 times.

By Raise A Native, whose son Majestic Prince had won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes in 1969, out of Gold Digger, who was a stakes winner by the great Nashua. Gold Digger visited Raise A Native 7 times. The last 4 foals were cripples, the first foal ran once and broke down. The third won only once. The second result of the mating was the swan among the ducklings - Mr. Prospector!.

As a racehorse, he was unraced at 2. At 3 and 4, he went on to win 7 races and $1,12,171 when a fractured sesamoid ended his racing career.

He started his stud career in Florida in 1977 Mr. Prospector wasted no time in getting stakes horses and in his very first crop came the stakes filly Its In The Air, who went on to win a Group 1 race at Saratoga the following year.

In 1980 he was relocated to Seth Hancock's Claiborne Farm in Kentucky. The man responsible for the move was Peter Brant who owned a couple of shares in the horse at that time, which he had bought on the retirement of the horse in 1977, the year when he stood for $7,500. At Claiborne, he went from strength to strength siring the likes of Conquistador Cielo(Belmont Stakes Gr.1), Gold Beauty(Fall Highweight Handicap Gr.2). Conquistador Cielo was voted Horse of the Year and champion 3 year old and syndicated for a record $36 million at Claiborne!. Soon came Woodman, a $3 million yearling at Keeneland who went on to be champion 2yr old 1985 in Ireland. Mr. Prospector has had a great record in the Kentucky Derby this decade with Forty Niner, Unbridled, Thunder Gulch, Grindstone, Real Quiet all being sons or grandsons of Mr. Prospector. In 2000, Fusaichi Pegasus, a direct son of Mr. Prospector , the 1998 $4 million record priced yearling at the Keeneland July Yearling Sale went on to win the 126th running of the Kentucky Derby justifying his purchase price. Mr. Prospector's fee rose from $7,500 in 1977 to $40,000 in 1980, a $1,00,000 in 1981, to $3,25,000 in 1986.

For a long time, there was a prejudice against him in Europe where some of his earlier progeny didn't do too well. Mr. Prospectors are very plain looking and not very well conformed and tended to be slightly soft. Although later on some of his horses like Machiavellian, Woodman etc did do well in Europe, the best were seen in North America.

His influence reached India a little late, in fact as late as 1988, 11 years after he stood at stud, when his first son Meteorologist arrived. A winner of one race, he managed to get only handicappers and one black type placed horse down south. It was only recently  when the Poonawalla Stud, Usha Stud, Manjri Stud, Nanoli Stud brought down sons or grandsons of Mr. Prospector, have we felt the impact of this genetic dynamo.

The well bred, well performed Poonawalla horse Placerville was bred by the Juddmonte Farm, Kentucky. His Dam is the Gr.1 winner Classy Cathy. Placerville himself won 3 races out of 5 starts in England at 2 and 3, from 7 to 10 furlongs incl. a Gr.2 race. He has had a phenomenal start at stud siring the likes of the Vijay Mallya-Poonawalla  owned unbeaten Continual(Indian 2000 Guineas Gr.1) who unfortunately brokedown few weeks after his sensational 2000 Guineas victory. Then the ill-fated Indian 1000 Guineas winner Her Excellency, who had an accident after the Guineas triumph. The Y2K saw him sire the breathtaking horse Smart Chieftain, who with his blinding turn of foot, conquered the Indian Triple Crown. Placerville has already topped the sires lists on various counts and has sired host of other Group horses. No bounds are set to the extent of Placerville's impact on Indian racing and breeding in the years to come.

The Manjri owned Gr.3 winner Portroe was a good horse and sired the 1999 Pune Derby Gr.1 winner Ray of Light and this year's good juvenile filly Starshine and a host of other good horses. Sadly though, Portroe died prematurely earlier this year, as did the dual Gr.1 winning Kehelan Stud horse, Procida, who has only 3 crops in the pipeline. Procida stood at stud abroad before being relocated to stand in India, where he sired the Gr.1 winners Partipral, Shanghai etc. However, his Indian born foals are yet to make an impact for him to be really missed.

Steinbeck is another well bred son of Mr. Prospector who has made an impressive start to his stud career at the leading Usha Stud. His dam is the Gr.1 winner Femme Elite who comes from the family of the great Native Dancer, Bold Lad etc. Steinbeck himself won 3 races at 2 and 3 in France, from 5 to 9.5 furlongs incl. 2 Gr.3 races. With 2 crops of racing age, he has already sired the superb filly Running Flame who won the Kingfisher Indian Oaks Gr.1 and the Wills Indian Turf Invitation Gr.1 among other group races. Steinbeck's other group winners include Forest Treasure, Star Fortune, Averoff, Secret Treasure, Kamarg, etc. With the good fortune of standing at the legendary Usha Stud, home of Grey Gaston, Razeen, etc, a lot will be heard of Steinbeck.

Nanoli Stud's Cristofori, a son of Mr. Prospector's Gr.1 winning son Fappiano, out of Somfas which makes him a half brother to Snadee, won 2 races himself at 2 incl a Gr.3 and ran 4th in the last leg of the American Triple Crown - The Belmont Stakes Gr.1. Cristofori had a bright future and started off well by siring Absolute Power and the speedy Prince Nicholas, but unfortunately his stud career has been hampered by bad health.

The other son of Mr. Prospector in India is Bin Hussain Stud's Hadaaf, himself a maiden, and never really amounted to much at stud either.

Then we have 2 Listed winners from the Mr. Prospector sire line. The Nakul Stud Machiavellian horse Don Micheletto whose first crop are foals of 2000 and the Sholavaram Stud horse Always A Rainbow, by Mr. Prospector,  a listed winner himself, is out of the Halo mare Rainbow Connection.

A new one from this sireline is Western Verse who is by Gone West by Mr. Prospector.

It is interesting to note that Mr. Prospector's full brother stands at stud in India. Vaal Reef (Raise A Native-Gold Digger), who did not race, retired to stud in the U.S. in 1988 at the age of 4. He sired 3 black type performers from 6 crops and 73 foals in the U.S. and was then relocated to India in 1994, where he has managed to sire a handful of handicappers!.

Mr. Prospector was put down at Claiborne Farm on June 1st, 1999 due to chronic peritonitis at the age of 29.

Mr. Prospector's impact on the thoroughbred industry has been phenomenal. He is a brilliant source of speed and precocity. Mr. Prospector is the all-time U.S. leader by progeny earnings in excess of $80 million. In India, horses like Placerville, Steinbeck will keep the fire burning for years to come. His influence the world over will live on for years to come through his many stallion sons/grandsons and also his daughters.

Mr. Prospector has shown that he can upgrade his mares to a large extent. He has nicked particularly well with Northern Dancer and his sons. It would be interesting to see what Placerville would sire from a Razeen/Warrshan mare, whereby we introduce Northern Dancer as well as Numbered Account - second dam of Razeen/Warrshan and also the dam of Placerville's damsire - Private Account !. With  Always A Rainbow it would be interesting to see the produce from a Batzushka mare, where we introduce Northern Dancer as well as Always A Rainbow's damsire's half sister Queen Sucree and also have 3 strains of the one and only blue hen Almahmoud!.

Gautam Lala