For some reason, the Judy Holliday number 'The Party Is Over' from the 1956 Broadway musical 'Bells Are Ringing' suggested the heading for this post-Derby piece. There are many different versions of the song but the Doris Day rendition is as good as any.

It is hard to remember an Indian Derby in the which the pre-race favourite was so staunchly opposed. The purported jinx attached to the Ruia winner may have been one of the reasons but Be Safe was being belittled even before the ABV Indian 2000 Guineas, Gr.1. Why has his trainer not brought him out after the Kingfisher Derby Bangalore, Gr.1 in July ? What's wrong with him ? All that led to Dr. Ramaswamy's seventh Indian Derby winner in his own colours starting at much better odds than pure racing form dictated. The coup de grace which the Holy Roman Emperor delivered with so much panache last Sunday has silenced the anti-Be Safe brigade. As seemed most likely before the race,  Be Safe gave a better return on Tote than on books.

THE RACE

No race adheres strictly to the pre-race script but the 73rd running of the Indian Derby didn't deviate too much from it. Having been drawn No 1, Be Safe actually led the field for about 75 metres and when the no-hoper front runners fell away after rounding the final bend, the favourite found himself in front much earlier than anticipated. It is to the credit of his jockey, seeking his first Indian Derby win, that he never hesitated but set sail for home immediately. Effect of recent travels or change of tactics meant that Tiger Tops was not seen in her customary free-running style while the late finisher Bold Majesty was hustled to move up much too soon. Had they been ridden in their previously customary manner, it would not have altered the result of race in any way for the winner had a stone in hand; but, they may have finished closer. 

With three pacemakers, it was no surprise that the track record was broken. Top Commander was the Ramaswamy camp pacemaker. The General played that role for the Narredu yard while Excelebration's half-brother Shivalik Showers did the duty for C.D. Katrak and Hazara Stud. Be Safe, owned by Dr. Ramaswamy, trained by Narredu and born at Hazara was the common beneficiary. It was Shivalik Showers who led for much of the trip but the other two, always on his heels, kept him honest. 

Seven previous winners of the Indian Derby have won by longer margins. In 1978, Vasant Shinde sent Manitou to the front well before the bend and he romped home a distance clear in a time which bettered the race and track record by almost three seconds. The very next year, Karl Umrigar, riding in his first and alas his only Indian Derby, led his four rivals from the word go and had eight lengths to spare over the runner-up El Bravo. Just three years ago, In The Spotlight slammed  twelve other runners by seven lengths. Prince Pradeep, like Royal Tern, won start to finish in 1964 and won by half a dozen lengths. He was ridden by The Queen's jockey Harry Carr who was the oldest jockey to ride an Indian Derby winner at that time. The same six length margin was registered by Revelation in 1985 - the first sponsored Indian Derby - who beat her stable and bracket mate Eminence. Eminence, ridden by Pesi Shroff, had finished second to Revelation (ridden by Mick Kinane) in the Indian Oaks, Gr.1. In the Indian Derby, Shroff insisted on riding Revelation. Red Rufus (1966, ridden by K Raghunath) and Star Suprme (1998, ridden by Jimmy Fortune) won by five and a half lengths in their years. Both came from behind so their margin of victory was impressive.  

In some ways it was a strange Derby. Dr. Vijay Mallya did not have a runner in the race but that was the case just two years ago when Super Storm won. There was no Poonawalla Farms-bred participant either and you have to go back to 1982 (Track Lightning's year) to find a similar instance.

THE HORSE

Be Safe is certainly one of the most impressive of Indian Derby winners and is a street ahead of his contemporaries. He has yet not been called upon to show the full measure of his potential and undoubtedly, there is much more to come. The leading breeders and trainers were in Pune this week for the Auction Sale and the Derby was a topic which came up often. There was not a single adverse comment as far as Be Safe's conformation is concerned. The horse did sweat up a bit before the race but raced with a cool head.

It was, however, quite amusing to hear of comparison with Secretariat and Cigar and the tag of  "The Greatest" conferred on him hastily in some blogs. In recent years, that tag has been foisted successively on Set Alight, Jacqueline and In The Spotlight, perhaps by new converts to racing who neither saw Her Majesty, Prince Pradeep, Squanderer, Own Opinion, Astonish, Elusive Pimpernel, Continual, Smart Chieftan and Mystical (to mention just a few names), nor, in all probability have heard of some them. 

MEASURE OF GREATNESS

To achieve and deserve the label 'Great', a horse in India must first prove himself to be the best of his generation which Be Safe has most emphatically done. Then, he must give further evidence of his prowess by competing against older horses and, finally prove his calibre against a younger generation or by his exploits abroad. Be Safe has the credentials to do just that but until he actually does it, is there any harm in keeping the adulation within reasonable bounds ?

WHAT NEXT ?

Fortunately, we don't have to wait much for the next chapter in the glittering Be Safe story. On 1 March, in the Omkar Indian Turf Invitation Cup, Gr.1 at Mumbai comes the Armageddon when he faces Amazing Grace and Alaindair. Amazing Grace, rather surprisingly, is not contesting the Byramjee Jeejeebhoy Eclipse Stakes of India, Gr.2 this Sunday. It is a perfect lead-up for the Invitation Cup and since Alaindair is running, we will get to know a bit about his current physical well being.

Dr. Ramaswamy has never been much enthused with the idea of racing abroad before and at his age and in his present fragile health it is unlikely that Be Safe will go abroad unless someone buys him like Mystical was. Be Safe has the performance and pedigree to make a fine stallion and if he is retired to Hazara Stud, he can hold his own against Saamidd and Net Whizz who are currently resident there.

THE DOMINATION

Something happened for the first time in the history of Indian Derby that had not occurred before. It is to be wondered how many people noticed that the first four horses were all 'got-abroads'. The writing is on the wall in bold letters. Hopefully, the Indian breeding industrywill  treat it as something more than just graffiti. 

PAST THE POST

Be Safe has laid the Ruia Cup jinx at rest, at least for the moment. This year's Derby had 13 runners and the association of number 13 with ill luck is far more universal than the hoodoo attached to any race. Interestingly, there have been have been six previous occasions when the Indian Derby had 13 runners.

The first was in 1954 when Commoner was the winner. Commoner went on to become India's first Triple Crown winner. Nine years later in 1963, the photo finish camera failed and the Judge awarded the race to Rocklie. There was a mild uproar but in those days, it was the practice to announce a photo finish in the order the Judge placed them and not in card number precedence as is done now. In the photo finish announcement, Rocklie's number had been called out before that of Mount Everest. The camera malfunction was not known at that time. Mr. F.D. Wadia, breeder of Mount Everest, always maintained that the Judge had got the placings spot on.

The 1970 Derby also had 13 runners and the favourite was Talib-trained Loyal Prince. Talib passed away just before the Derby and it is said that the favourite was so affected by his death that although he ran, his heart was not in the race won by Thunder Storm. Astonish, the next horse to win a 13-runner Derby, went on to bag the Indian Triple Crown and become the first Indian-bred to win a race abroad after Independence. Littleover won the Derby in 1994. She had earlier run fourth in the Indian Oaks but was disqualified for testing positive. In The Spotlight won the 2012 Derby by seven lengths. She is the longest odds favourite to win the race.