I have less than four weeks left in India. I have not written a piece in ten days. There were family events that kept me occupied. There was a wedding to go to. We went to an eating place or two in Chennai that I used to frequent in my teens. We watched two Tamil movies from the 60s and it brought back a lot of memories. Life has been good. Now it’s time to get into the groove. The Invitation Cup is a week away. There is a lot of news to report.

Let us begin with an item from Australia. Danny Nikolic is a leading jockey in Victoria, Australia. He has been charged by the stewards for disregarding their instructions about use of cell phones. The investigation began after Betfair, the exchange wagering behemoth, had brought Nikolic’s cell phone use to the attention of the authorities. Neville Clements, a professional gambler and an agent, has also been charged. It has been alleged that Nikolic and Clements used Betfair to make money by stopping horses.

Jockey Nikolic has defended himself vigorously. “It is the perception that I have stopped horses. I have not. It’s totally unfair. It is ruining my career. I have done nothing wrong.”

Zayat Stables got a big boost over last weekend. The first piece of good news came from the courts. Fifth Third Bank sued Zayat for non-payment of 34 million dollars and had asked the court to appoint a trustee to oversee the stable’s operations. The bank has had a change of heart. It has told the judge that it is withdrawing its request. The other piece of good news came in the form of a victory for a Zayat-owned horse in a major race for three year-olds. Eskendereya was a laughing winner in the Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream Park last Saturday. The margin was eight and one half lengths and Eskendereya ran the 1,800 metres in 1 48.87 seconds. The tote returned $9.80 on a two-dollar ticket. Buddy’s Saint, the 9-5 favourite, had trouble in the first turn and did not recover.

The victory in the $250,000 Grade II Fountain of Youth was the first graded stakes win for Eskendereya. Giant’s Causeway is the sire and the dam is Aldebaran Light by Seattle Slew. Eskendereya won his last (allowance) race (one turn mile) on January 7 at Gulfstream Park. The Fountain of Youth is a major prep for the Grade I $750,000 Florida Derby on March 20.

Winning trainer Todd Pletcher spoke: “You have to be excited when they perform like that. I do not think we gotten to the bottom of this one. Florida Derby is his next race.”

Rachel Alexandra did some serious work on February 24 at Fair Grounds. She did 1,200 metres in 1 14 and completed 1,400 in 1 27. It was on the main track. Exercise rider, Dominic Terry was aboard.

Trainer Steve Asmussen was happy. “That was ideal. Dom (Dominic) did it to a T.”

I had written about Lentenor, Barbaro’s full brother, in my last report. A 9-10 favourite, Lentenor, ridden by John Velasquez, failed to hold the late-rushing Doubles Partner in a turf race over 1,800 metres at Gulfstream on February 17. Lentenor stalked Saint Eligius, the pacesetter, and engaged the latter to a duel in the lane. Neither, however, could beat back the bid from Doubles Partner, Chris DeCarlo up. Doubles Partner, a 7-1 chance, bided his time until the final 300 metres and found room along the fence and proved the fastest. Lentenor managed to get his neck in front Saint Eligius for second. Doubles Partner won by one half length in a time of 1 48.41.

Mike Marz, Lentenor’s trainer thought aloud: “It is disappointing. He broke well and ran well. He’s green and needs that experience.”

Todd Pletcher trains Doubles Partner, a Rock Hard Ten colt, who was getting an encore. Doubles Partner graduated on November 28 on the grass in his fourth career start. The Pletcher pupil is a Triple Crown nominee.

Last Saturday, there was another major race for sophomores run at Oaklawn Park. Zabeel Racing International’s Conveyance made it all to make it four for four. Conveyance, from Bob Baffert’s yard, held Dublin and Cardiff Giant in the $250,000 Grade III Southwell Stakes, a 1600-metre race on dirt. The time was 1 36.94 and Conveyance, at one point in front by three, won by three parts of a length. The tote returned $5.60. Dublin, trifle away slowly, came on well to be the bridesmaid.

Conveyance is by Indian Charlie out of Emptythetill by Holy Bull. Trainer Baffert said that there are several options and the Florida Derby would be at the top.

Dublin, at two, won Saratoga’s Hopeful. He had surgery to treat an entrapped epiglottis. Dublin was ridden by Terry Thompson for the first time.

In the Risen Star at the Fair Grounds on February 20, Todd Pletcher’s Discreetly Mine came away victorious. The son of Mineshaft made it all. The time was 1 44.88 for the 1700-metre race on the dirt track. Discreetly Mine won by a length and a half. He was a 5-2 chance. This win in the Risen Star thrusts Discreetly Mine into the Derby picture.

Javier Castellano, Discreetly Mine’s jockey, explained his ride. “I expected him to be on the lead. He broke well. He was happy to be galloping along. We got good position, relaxed, made a move on the backstretch and just continued to the wire.”

Traner Todd Pletcher won three big races last Saturday. He has nine Derby contenders. Eskendereya won the Fountain of Youth. Connemara won the El Camino Real Derby out West. Discreetly Mine took the Risen Star. Pletcher trains Rule (a winner two weeks ago), Super Saver, Mission Impazible, Interactif, Aikenite and Doubles Partner. What a position to be in!

Life is not easy on the Derby trail. Pletcher has too many owners to please. He has to get them to Churchill Downs in good order. The most serious concern is that most of his horses are front runners. In the Derby, Pletcher is 0 for 24.

The sun was setting on February 20. Pletcher had covered himself with glory. Darkness had not settled in and Pletcher began a 10-day ban for use of a prohibited substance on Waitawhile, his runner in the 2008 Filly-Mare Turf Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita. That is a trainer’s life.

D’Funnybone won two graded races as a freshman in 2009. In the BC Juvenile, the Richard Dutrow trainee was a flop on Santa Anita’s pro ride surface. D’Funnybone, a D’Wildcat colt, made his sophomore debut in Gulfstream’s Hutcheson Stakes on February 20. Edgar Prado rode. The pair won by a length in 1 22.14 over the 1400-metre trip. D’Funnybone was the even-money favourite.

Jockey Prado had this to say, “He broke good. I was very comfortable. We had a nice outside post, so he was in good attacking position down the backside. When I turned him loose, he just took off.”

Trainer Dutrow talked about his feelings: “The Santa Anita race, he could not handle the surface. I’m happy to see him run so well after the layoff. He’s our next little Benny The Bull. The Florida Derby, all going well, is his next race.”

Benny The Bull, an outstanding sprinter that Dutrow trained, won the Golden Shaheen in Dubai two years ago.

There was a shocking result in a high profile race at Tampa Bay Downs on February 20. Gio Ponti, the 2009 Eclipse turf winner and the 1-5 favourite, was found inadequate in the $150,000 Tampa Bay Breeders’ Cup. Gio Ponti was prepping for a possible tilt at the Dubai Cup on March 27. Karelian, an eight year-old trained by Rusty Arnold and ridden by Rosemary Homeister Jr, led and kept Gio Ponti at bay down the lane to win in a head bob. The 1700-metre grass race was run in 1 42.61 seconds. Karelian returned $12.80.

Jockey Ramon Dominguez, who rode Gio Ponti, lodged an objection for interference. The tape showed that Karelian was drifting away from the rail. The tape also showed that Gio Ponti was not able to keep a straight path in the closing stages. The stewards did not alter the placings.

Trainer Arnold said, “We did not think there was any speed in the race and that’s why we came here. It worked out by an inch.”

Jockey Homeister Jr expressed her gratitude: “I’m so grateful for this mount. He settled down and I was able to wait until we were challenged. What a nice horse!”

On February 19, Oasis Star, a 2-1 favourite, could do no better than fourth. Global City, a Frankie Dettori mount, won.

Ten days ago, a 61 year-old jockey, Godfrey Maundrell, won a jumps race at Leicester. Lisadell King won by 29 lengths. Maundrell won with the same horse in January. He owns and trains the winner. “I was always happy with where we were. I did not want them to get away from me on soft ground. He picked up well. I could not be happier,” jockey Maundrell exulted.

In the days to come, we will look at the Invitation Cup. Will it be Jacqueline? Can Becket avenge his Derby loss? Will Native Knight find more and be the maiden who won India’s most prestigious race? Is there a knight in shining armour lurking?