It may not be universally known that Ikhtyar, the sire of the recent of Kingfisher Derby Ultra Derby Bangalore, Gr.1 winner Serjeant At Arms, has only one foal to follow. That is a filly out of Flensburg born at a small stud in Punjab. In 2013, the son of Unfuwain covered just three mares at Nanoli Stud, Flensburg being one of them. In December 2014, Ikhtyar was put out of stud. Ikhtyar has sired two Derby winners, Serjeant At Arms's three-parts brother Bruckner (Eveready Calcutta Derby, Gr.1) being the other. He was also the sire of three other black-type winners in Monet (C.N. Wadia Gold Cup, Gr.2), Bespoke (Chief Minister's Cup, Gr.3) and Jersey Shore (Juvenile Sprinters' Million, Gr.3). Five black-type winners from about 160 named foals in eight crops is neither very good nor very bad. In the eyes of his connections, he obviously didn't cut the mustard and hence he was discarded.

What Ikhtyar highlights is that today the stallion power in India is at a very low ebb. With the recent death of Burden of Proof, have just one proven, front line Classic sire  in Multidimensional. To be considered a front line Classic sire, a stallion must get at least ten individual Classic winners. This is an arbitrary yardstick but one which has stood the test of time. Multidimensional, after a sensational start to his career, has tapered off a bit. It needs to be added, though, that Burden of Proof, too, announced himself with five individual Classic winners in his first crop but did not have a single one in his next three. The other successful stallion in the country is China Visit who has eight Classic winners to his credit. The Usha Stud stallion is no spring chicken though -- he will be 20 when new calendars go up on the wall -- and below Multidimensional and the new stallion Speaking of Which in that nursery's pecking order.

Stallions like Kingda Ka, Win Legend and Phoenix Tower have produced Classic winners but while they may eventually get to be regarded as border line Classic sires -- a minimum of six individual Classic winners -- becoming front line Classic sires appears to be a bridge too far.

It hasn't always been so. After the Indian Classics were instituted in 1942-43, there were just five Classics in India for the next 16 years till Madras, Calcutta came up with regional winter Classics and Bangalore added three summer plums. The Renala Stud stallions were at the forefront in this first period with Short Hand topping the list with four individual Classic winners followed his older barn mate Sheridan who had three. After the Partition, Renala Stud became a part of Pakistan and it gave an opportunity to Spadassin, Mas d'Antibes, Steel Helmet, Desert Sunrise and Kimberley to come up with three Classic winners each. Hyder Ali had sired 1956 Indian Derby winner Star of Gwalior. Hyder Ali's full-brother Khaled had already established himself as an influential stallion in U.S.A. Hyder Ali stood at Manjri Stud while the Maharaja of Kashmir had acquired some of the best imported horses of the post-Partition era -- like Ocean Way, Flower Dust and Rock of Gibraltar -- and retired them to Jammu Stud. So, despite the virtual ban on imports, there was talent in the stallion barns round the country.

The 1960 Indian Derby was won by Rose de Bahama, a daughter of Flower Dust  (Pink Flower - Brazen Molly). The following year Alijah, a son of Hyder Ali (Hyperion - Eclair) won that race while another son of Hyder Ali, son Star of Gwalior (ex Lady Emma), came up with the Indian Triple Crown winner Loyal Manzar in 1962. Rock of Gibraltar (Rockefella - Toquade) burst on to the scene when Rocklie, from his first crop, won the 1963 Indian Derby. The 'got-abroad' Prince Pradeep (Migoli - Driving) won the Indian Triple Crown in 1964 and then Flower Dust struck again with Rose Royal in 1965 winning the Indian Derby . Hyder Ali, Flower Dust and Star of Gwalior were established Classic sires. In their times, there were only 15 Classics in India and if the criteria of ten individual Classic winners is relaxed a bit, they could be considered front line Classic sires. There were other stallions like Babbanio (My Babu - Butterfly Blue), Mighty Sparrow (Native Dancer - Kampala), Hervine (Umidwar - New Moon), Asopo (Nimbus - Assamenta) and Young Lochinvar (Elopement - No Angel) who were around at that time and who came with a Classic winner now and then. They formed an excellent support team.

The star of the 1960s, though, was Rock of Gibraltar. The Greenacres stalwart, who had started his career at Jammu Stud, became the first stallion in the country to get ten individual Classic winners. Towards the end of that decade, Prince Pradeep came into the picture and these two stallions dominated the first half of the 1970s. Hyder Ali died in 1965 and Flower Dust departed 1969 while Hervine left in 1971. However, with Rock of Gibraltar and Prince Pradeep in full flow, their absence was not felt. In 1976, both Rock of Gibraltar (19 Classic winners) and Prince Pradeep (18 Classic winners) died within a couple of months of each other, the former at the ripe age of 25 and the latter when a comparatively young 16. At that point of time, their successors were not immediately discernable but they were already in India. Besides, both Rock of Gibraltar and Prince Pradeep had a few crops in the pipeline.

In 1973, two stallions had been imported to India and their first crops, small as they were, had been sold at the Auction Sale in Mumbai just before Prince Pradeep and Rock of Gibraltar died in 1974. The successors were already in place and just waiting for the opportunity. Grey Gaston (Fortino II - Baroda Princess) and Everyday II (Jet Stream II - Tomorrow) were the new stars. Grey Gaston stood at Usha Stud while Everyday II, after initially shuttling between Doaba and Dashmesh, settled down at the first named establishment. They arrived at a time when the number of Classics in India had proliferated. The dry-coated Grey Gaston died just before the 1984 covering season commenced. He had 11 smallish crops which produced around 100 foals and yet he sired 17 individual Classic winners included five winners of the Indian Derby. His early death meant that he could not overtake either Rock of Gibraltar or Prince Pradeep but on sheer percentages, a sound case can be made for him to have been greatest stallion in India; even ahead of Razeen. Everyday II lived for much longer and ended up with 24 individual Classic winners from more than twice the foals that Grey Gaston had.

Common Land (Klairon - Short Commons), Knight of Medina (Sir Ivor - Rose of Medina) and Malvado (Nearctic - Victory Chant) had given a notice of their prowess before Grey Gaston died while Riyahi, Ilheus (Northern Dancer - Homeward Bound II) and Treasure Leaf (Lyphard - Treasure Chest) were to do so before Everyday II's death in 1990. Everyday II ended up with 24 individual Classic winners to eclipse Rock of Gibraltar's record.  If Grey Gaston and Everyday II dominated an era, Malvado and Riyahi (Red God - Ravela II) were to do so in the next epoch. With both of them standing at the same stud, the Poonawalla Farms entered a purple patch. Riyahi, unfortunately, died young like Prince Pradeep and Grey Gaston. He passed away in 1995 at the age of 16 like Prince Pradeep while Grey Gaston was only 15 at the time of his death. Malvado lived longer. Riyahi with 33 individual Classic winners and Malvado with 29 re-wrote the records pushing Everyday II down the ladder. At the time of Riyahi's death, Common Land, Knight of Medina and Malvado were all past 20 while Ilheus and Treasure Leaf were in their mid-teens. Younger successors to Malvado and Riyahi had hence got to be  from the newer imports.

In fact, they were already in India. Razeen (Northern Dancer - Secret Asset) had started his duties at the Usha Stud in 1992 while two years later Placerville (Mr. Prospector - Classy Cathy) did so at Poonawalla Farms. Both of them had produced Classic winners from their first crops before Riyahi's last crop ran its Classics. Both the stallions had shown the early spark but the unprecedented success the two had on either side of the millennium was way beyond expectations. India was fortunate for a son of Northern Dancer and a son of Mr. Prospector --  the most successful stallions in the world in last quarter of the 20th century -- to do so well. Placerville, with greater numbers of his side, won more Champion Sire titles than his foe. Razeen, on the other hand outshone his great rival and ended with 57 individual Classic winners of 110 Classics. Placerville finished with 42 Classic winners of 77 Classics.

Razeen and Placerville died within a few days of each other early in 2012. Though they were far superior to their contemporaries, there were some very good stallions around. Steinbeck (Mr. Prospector - Femme Elite), Alnasr Alwasheek (Sadler's Wells - Someone Special), the short-lived Bold Russian (Persian Bold - Russian Ribbon), Glory of Dancer (Shareef Dancer - Glory of Hera) and Burden of Proof were an excellent support team and had their moments of glory.

Though Burden of Proof is no more, he still has a three year-old crop racing and three more to follow. Multidimensional  is only thirteen. They are the only established, frontline Classic stallions. The year end table will always have a Champion Sire at the top. What one is looking for, though, is the calibre of the Champion Sire. Not every Champion Sire has it in him to define the progress of the breed. Punjab topped the table in 1975-76 but he was no breed-shaper. So far, there has been a steady progression from Rock of Gibraltar's 19 Classic winners to Everyday II's 24 to Riyahi's 33 and finally to Razeen's 57. Maintaining that upward curve is  all important and unless the future Champion Sires can approach a figure of at least  40+, it will be difficult to debate  that Indian breeding is improving.

PAST THE POST

The brief, historical re-cap above shows that the future stars had always been in India when their elders departed. Are the successors to Razeen and Placerville already  in India ? Or, are they yet to arrive ?

Pen pictures of new stallions who progeny starts racing from November onwards have been provided for the last few years around this time. Eight new stallions covered their first mares in India in 2014. Their first crops are now two-year-olds and they will make their first appearances once the winter seasons get underway. Brief details of these eight stallions will be given in the next articles.