Frida Kahlo gives a thrashing to her rivals despite bursting her blood vessels 
By Usman Rangila

Mumbai
April 11, 2004

Such was the impression created by the bay three-year-old filly Frida Kahlo (Alnasr Alwasheek-Rahy’s Serenade) on her maiden victory on debut that the market forces were captivated by her performance. This resulted in the Cooji Katrak-trained filly being installed as the overwhelming favourite to win the Gool S. Poonawalla Million (Gr.3), the last of the sponsored races of the current season, despite the presence of several good type of youngsters also staking their claim for the prime honours. 

Frida Kahlo didn’t take off very smoothly from the barriers but her saddle partner Malesh Narredu quickly brought her to be in close range of Daughterofcharity and Mr. Darcy the duo which had seized the initiative at the start. The S.M. Johnson-trained and Bajrang Singh-ridden Daughterofcharity, a winner in both her last starts, was very much in the reckoning till about the last furlong where Malesh asked Frida Kahlo the question. The reply came in the form of exploding velocity. Frida Kahlo waltzed away for a majestic triumph over the late finishing Adam’s Star who nudged back Daughterofcharity to the third spot. 

It would not be an exaggerated claim to predict that Frida Kahlo has a bright future after knowing that she was one of the many victims of the soaring temperatures. Malesh dismounted Frida Kahlo on his way back to the winner’s enclosure and her bleeding nostrils told the story of the fate suffered by her blood vessels. The mercury is rising in the city by the day and many a thoroughbred is becoming a victim of the soaring temperatures. The late rally of Adam’s Star did not go unnoticed and this Placerville progeny is surely very talented. Frida Kahlo’s barn-mate Rivage also bled after being in the contention till close home.

Malesh had earlier steered the second favourite Star King (Excalibur’s Lake-Town Flower) to a comprehensive win over Highness in the Cursetjee Dhunjishaw Trophy. The grey gelding from Shiraz Sunderji’s yards was very keen in the initial stages of the seven-furlong journey but Malesh was successful in holding him on a leash as the no-hoper Money Star bowled along merrily in front. Malesh gave Star King his head only when the final journey for home began and Money Star had started his retreat. Imtiaz Sait-saddled favourite Highness (Conquering Hero-Scossa), who had ended a creditable third behind Fair Always in the 1000 Guineas, let down a large following as she refused to gather momentum when alerted by Pesi Shroff. Meanwhile Star King got going and stretched away from Highness for his third win this season.

After Malesh it was Cooji’s turn to celebrate a back-to-back double with Rigged, who bagged the Indian Navy Trophy. Rigged (No Louder-Newhalem), however, was made to sweat hard by Classy Devil. The grey mare sent out by Sorab Jilla was being hailed as a winner till the last two strides where Rigged moved up under P. Kamlesh’s whip to measure her and put his nose ahead to record his third straight success. Although he was right there in the vanguard all the way, Special Place did not show any overt interest in the race and was more than happy to fill the frame along with Mr. Music.

Earlier in the day, the chestnut three-year-old colt Staranzano (Burden of Proof-Summer Dust) completed the formality of writing his name on the Satinello Trophy with consummate ease. The margin of Staranzano’s victory over Liesl and Anaroma, however, does not reflect the facile manner in which Jaggy Dhariwal’s protégé earned his maiden success in the confident hands of Pesi Shroff.

Handsome Lad earned his corn bill when the Dr Anil Kumar trainee responded to the call given by jockey A.R. Mani and held on gallantly to ward off the threat posed by runner-up Victory Queen. As the day came to a close, Magansingh Jodha-trained Charging Rhino defied the handicapper to register an encore in association with Pramod Belose. Favourite Aerobic’s tried runaway tactics but lost steam as the winning post neared.

Everlasting Joy finally notched her maiden win despite going wide under pressure in the straight. The Ivor Fernandes-nurtured filly by Bee’s Prospector out of Penine’s Daughter followed Grand Finale, who appeared to be making the pace for the winner, for the first two furlongs and then surged ahead to oblige her followers. Dancing Eve ran a tame second ahead of So Shocking, who warmed up late to her task but managed to finish ahead of Saphire Princess.