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THE KARNATAKA JUVENILE MILLION, Gr.3

By Shashank Dixit | 31 May 2019 |


Shashank Dixit

The Bangalore summer season kicked-off about a fortnight back with promise of an action-packed equine spectacle. The Bangalore summer is definitely the ‘launching pad’ for the three-year old horses whohave classic aspirations. A host of black-type races are run throughout the season, setting the tone for the upcoming monsoon and winter classics. These races help the classic aspirants get their act together in the run up to the Kingfisher Derby Bangalore (Gr.1).The Karnataka Juvenile Million, Gr.3 is one such race, which offers that launching pad to some of the finest juvenile thoroughbreds.What has changed however is the downgrading of its Group status, with the one on Sunday being run now as a Gr.3 race. However, demotion of Group status hasn’t dissuaded some exceptional horses from being a part of it. Speed Six, Murioi, Be Safe, Whomakestherules, Tutankhamun & Sir Cecil are some recent winners of this race and hence The Karnataka Juvenile Million,Gr.2 gives morereasons than one to be thrilled about. This renewalfeatures representation from across the country with raiders coming from Mumbai, Kolkata & Hyderabad. 

The Poonawalla Breeders Multi Million, Gr.1 regarded as the “Juvenile Derby” and it’s 2019 winner Missing You (Arazan – Change Of Luck) is Primus Inter Pares in this race. Missing You started her career earlier this year and was the second best in her initialcouple of runs. She chose the PBMM to shed her maiden tag and did it in such splendid fashion that it grabbed the imagination of the racing fraternity instantly. In that race, Missing You jumped well from the gates and was in the front bunch all throughout the 7 furlongs and held her breath to pass the post first. Jockey David Allan had whipped her in excess of prescribed limit and it gives an indication that she found 1400m a little too short for her comfort. Missing You is out of Change Of Luck, who won the Indian St. Leger (Gr.1) in 2010 and was a full-sister to the last Indian Triple Crown winner Smart Chieftain. Her full sister Unforgettable You also showed the tendency to improve with an increase in distance. Missing You thus surely will improve as we head towards the Derby.She had a few morning trials and seems to have caught the eye. Missing You will carry 53.5kgs on Sunday with Suraj Narredu in the saddle.

Mumbai challenger from Pesi Shroff yard Hunt For Gold (Leitir Mor – Pleasure Hunt) won both her starts, with latter being The Ebco Worksmart Breeders’ Produce Stakes, Gr.3. She won it by 1 3/4 lengths beating Trouvaille & Kariega, who respectively won the Colts & Fillies Championship races run later at Mumbai. Hunt For Gold started as favorite for The PBMM, but only managed to finish 3rd to Missing You. She was trailing Missing You by the same distance almost all throughout the race and showed no improvement till the finish line. Hunt For Gold would surely need a better ride on Sunday to be able to reverse that placing, given that she carries an addition 2kgs over the probable favorite Missing You. This is the first crop of Leitir Mor and there is very little that can be commentedat the moment about the staying abilities of his progeny. Nonetheless, 1400m should not be a cause for concern for her. Neeraj Rawal will ride her for the first time and hoping to return to winning ways.

The local challenger comes from War Hammer (Air Support – Soviet Lake). He has won both his starts, over 1400m and both at Bangalore! This assures that War Hammer carries an edge over the outstation challengers. He won The February Plate by 5 1/2 lengths and later The Bangalore Juvenile Million, Gr.3 by 6 lengths. Though the field in both races was quite sub-standard, still winning in the early part of his career by such margins assures that the horse has tremendous potential. He is a Kunigal-bred out of Soviet Lake, who produced horses like Sovetskaya, Nobu & Leopard Creek who won most of their races at 1200m. While there are staying influences in his pedigree further back it is to be seen how War Hammer tackles the longer distances such as the Derby and the extent of his sires’ influence. However, he surely will be a force to reckon with at 1400m on Sunday and enjoys advantage over Missing You and Hunt For Gold, who have not yet raced here.War Hammer finds a new partner in P Trevor and will carry 56kgs.

Kariega (Kingda Ka – Smoke Ring) is the winner of The Forbes Breeders’ Juvenile Fillies’ Championship in Mumbai. She won it convincingly by 4 lengths and announced her arrival in the list of classic aspirants. She earlier ran 5th to Hunt For Gold in the Breeders’ Produce Stakes, Gr.3 by 3 1/2 lengths at level weights – over the same trip. Going by that run, Kariega might again find it tough to go past Hunt For Gold. Her half-sister Sakura won three races at 1400m and Kariega too will find this distance within her compass. Her bloodlines can be traced to Europe and Kariega’s true potential might be seen only beyond 1600m.

The 2019 Invitation Cup winning trainer JE McKeown has come to Bangalore with the unbeaten Calcutta colt Trafalgar (Western Aristocrat – Bluegrass Phenom). Trafalgar won both his starts, at 1400m & 1600m with ease. Calcutta based horses rarely travel so early in their career and Trafalgar’s voyage seems to be one on the lines of her stable-mate Adjudicate. How well a Calcutta based challenger takes up these excellent Mumbai & Bangalore horses is something that remains to be seen. He might target The Colts Championship, Gr.1 next on the way to the Derby. A.Sandesh will partner Trafalgar on Sunday.

Hyderabad challenger Blazer (Lucifer Sam – One Track Minded) has won his last two starts after coming 2nd in his first two. Blazer won The Alcock Arabian Million, Gr.3at 1400m in Hyderabad by 1 1/2 lengths. He has been in Bangalore for quite some time now and had as lung-opener in a mock race too. Blazer might be in the fight for the minor placings.
A winner of his only start Mystic Bay (Leitir Mor – Memory Bay) seems like the dark horse here. He won the Keukenhof Plate at 1400m in Mumbai by 2 1/4 lengths clocking a smart timing of 01:23.48. He seems to be up against a tough bunch of horses; however, this run should help him set the tone for the Pune monsoon. Malwa (Whatsthescript – One Punch) ran 3rd to Hunt For Gold in The Breeders’ Produce Stakes, Gr.3. Earlier he had won as a 2-year old in Bangalore by 1 3/4 lengths.

The rest of the field stands an outside chance. Hyderabad-based Agni (Burden Of Proof – Auxiliary) won his first start in October last year and later placed in a couple of Group races. Royal Crystal (Western Aristocrat – Sparkling Crystal) placed in few Group races in Mumbai and has had a change of stables over to Arjun Mangalorkar recently for the Bangalore summer. Princess Annabel (Arazan – Princess Glory) won her first race in Mumbai by 3/4 lengths before being withdrawn in her subsequent start.

Long stuff short, The Karnataka Juvenile Million, Gr.3 seems like a contest between the local War Hammer and three western India fillies Missing You, Hunt For Gold & Kariega. Whoever gets past the post first on Sunday, this race will surely get the ball rolling as the summer season heads towards the Fillies & Colts Championships on the way to The Kingfisher Ultra Derby Bangalore, Gr.1.