Derby delight

A female defeating her closest competitor, a male, in a 2,400 m race is admirable. When she does it in a record time of 2:28.54 (less than two-and-a-half minutes) it is even more commendable. That the Parsi community rejoices in filly Jacqueline’s accomplishments at the McDowell Signature Indian Derby is justifiable for her trainer is Pesi Shroff and she is half owned by Berjis Desai and Khushroo Dhunjibhoy (quarter ownership vests with each of them and the remaining half with Vijay Shirke of Poona).

At the Mahalaxmi Race Course in Bombay on February 7, 2010 the crowd was delirious for Jacqueline had broken the jinx faced by nine earlier Derby favorites who had been unable to win the Indian Derby between 2001 and 2009. Irish jockey Richard Hughes who rode Jacqueline to victory and fame was coincidentally the same jockey who had ridden the then favorite to emerge victor at the 2000 Indian Derby. Besides Jacqueline there were four other horses trained by Shroff who were among the "classy dozen” who faced the starter’s flag for the most glamorous event in the Indian racing calendar, the 2010 Derby. At the finish Shroff trained Onassis secured the fourth place, Star Alliance, fifth, Astral Flash, seventh and Bruckner, eighth position.

It was in the last 25 meters of the race that Jacqueline was able to inch past her nearest rival, Becket. According to a detailed report in the Hindustan Times of February 8, "With hardly any room in between the rail and Becket, Hughes asked his filly to find more and go through. And like a true champion she found it. The filly put her head down and went into overdrive… This could have been costly as not many horses can take the narrow opening that was presented to Jacqueline. But then again, this filly is as brave as she is clever and as determined as she is competitive.”

"We had 27,148 people coming in, almost 10 percent more than last year. The total betting was up by over four crore rupees or 33 percent,” Vivek Jain, chairman of the Royal Western India Turf Club, was quoted in DNA, February 8, 2010. As per a report in the Mid Day of the same day, "Such was the faith put by the crowd in Jacqueline that 50 percent of the win pool was bet on her...”

Jacqueline earned her owners Rs 1,27,38,000, reported The Times of India. When Parsiana sought to confirm the figure with Desai he explained that from this sum, 10 percent goes to the trainer, eight percent to the jockey, 33 percent as income tax deduction. "What really comes to the owners is around 60 lakhs.” It is more for "the passion” than the money that the owners show an interest. On Jacqueline’s training he personally expends Rs 5,000 each month.

"This horse has created a world record by winning four classics in a row: 1000 Guineas, 2000 Guineas, The Indian Oaks, The Indian Derby,” beams Desai referring to Jacqueline recording the first Grand Slam in the annals of Indian racing. She will next show her prowess at the Invitation Club on March 7 and thereafter at the fifth classic, The Indian St Leger which is the longest race, on March 28.

While Jacqueline gave Desai his first taste of a Derby win, Dhunjibhoy’s horse Indictment had won a Derby in 1997 as had Shirke’s horse Noble Eagle in 2003. Other Parsi owners who have also won the Derby in the past are the Poonawallas and the late Noshir Irani, conveyed Desai.

Jacqueline was bought two years ago. Desai recalls Shirke having then purchased around 10 horses and offering to share ownership of Jacqueline. At that time she was among "the cheapest and least fancied,” says Desai who has "an interest in 20 horses.”

"I first look at the pedigree of the horse. The next logical step is to check its confirmation (shape and physical attributes). Only if both the requirements are met” would Dhunjibhoy consider buying a horse. Speaking to Parsiana on the phone, Dhunjibhoy, who owns around 50 horses, mentioned that the yearlings (one-year-olds) can be bought for five to eight lakh rupees.

At the age of two they start training with a professional appointed by the owners and the following year they are into competitive racing, Shirke gave Parsiana further details. After five years their performance declines and they are sent to a stud farm for breeding potential champions. There is no known winning formula. "Nobody knows. It depends quite a lot on luck,” says Shirke who owns about 40 horses, mainly purchased on the recommendations of his two trainers — Shroff and M. K. Jadhav.

Jacqueline, daughter of King Char­lemagne, was bought from the Sohna Stud Farm in Delhi, says Desai. It was on the suggestion of Pesi’s wife Tina that they decided to name her Jacqueline. Since Shroff already had a horse Onassis training with him, they felt it was apt. Desai alludes to two other horses in the running circuit named after the once first couple of USA, Hillary and Clinton!

"She is a very special horse,” Shirke appreciates Jacqueline especially since "no other horse anywhere in the world” has been able to match her success. He refers to Her Majesty whose performance in 1947 could be considered "closest to her” but she had lost the Indian Derby.

But that does not mean she is mollycoddled by her champion trainer. "Pesi does not treat his Derby winner differently from others,” attests Desai mentioning that Shroff is "the only person in the world to have won the Derby as a jockey as also a trainer.” Having already recorded 50 wins at half season in India he has surpassed the Indian record for the number of wins in a season.

"We like to believe that all our horses are treated the same, whether they win a prize or not,” observed Shroff who views Jacqueline as "always being very honest, intelligent, sensible, very straightforward.” That she had the makings of a champion he noticed about a year-and-a-half ago in Poona, Shroff who presently trains 76 horses conveyed to Parsiana.

After the current racing season in India the owners, in consultation with the trainer, will "look to her future” to decide whether to send her abroad for racing at the international circuit or to Dhunjibhoy’s Stud Farm to enjoy motherhood. For the present, jockey Hughes whose wife delivered a daughter a couple of days before the Derby has named the baby Phoebe Jacqueline saying, "Jacqueline is now a part of my life.”