On the February 23, 2018 in a minor mile and one eighteenth Allowance race on the turf at Tampa Bay racetrack in Florida and compact, muscular 5 year old entire Graham Motion-trained Serjeant At Arms made his debut on US soil running a brave race to go down fighting to stablemate Scholar Athlete. The news probably just merited a mention in the sports pages of the local papers, but elicited plenty of excitement in India where the SerjeantAt Arms story began.
Rahy’s Serenade a fairly plain mare by the celebrated Rahy was imported to India in 1999 in foal to Allied Forces and the result of that mating Allies Serenade became the first of her 5 Graded stakes winners. On abright spring day,the 5th of March 2013 at the Nanoli Stud close to Pune Rahy’s Serenade had her 11th foal, a bright bay colt by the group race placed Ikhtyar(by Unfuwain ex Sabria) a stallion imported to India in 2005.He was useful, but hadn’t quite lived up to the lofty expectations of him considering the class of mares that he covered. The new colt who was considered a bit on the small side though very correct was retained by Khushroo and DeepaDhunjibhoywho let close friend and associate Vispi Patel have a share. He was sent to Bangalore to trainer Suleiman Attaollahiand named SerjeantAt Arms.
The Nanoli Stud was founded in 1995 by Khushroo whose vision turned a patch of barren rock into one of India’s most beautiful and successful breeding nurseries in an extremely short span of time with some extremely astute choices of stallions and broodmares from Europe andNorth America. A great number of Indian champions have raced in the colours of Khushroo and his partners, but obviously the Nanolibreds are the ones that are closest to his heart.
In a manner of speaking Khushroo was “bred” to ‘breed and race’ coming from a family that has been racing from the early 1960s. Vispi Patel was “bred” on similar lines and after years of owning some seriously good horses, ‘Serjeant’ came along and has been the apple of his eye in every which way ever since.
SerjeantAt Arms made his debut in Bangalore on the 26th of February 2016 under reigning champion jockey Trevor Patel and he advertised himself as something special that very day itself winning on tight reins by nearly 7 lengths in a smart time. This was followed by another 5 length romp in graded stakes company three weeks later.
In the summer of that year Serjeant At Arms now partnered by SandeshAkhade who would ride him in every subsequent race he ran in India landed the rich double of the Colts Championship (Gr I) and The Kingfisher Ultra Bangalore Derby (Gr I). Though imperious in the first race, he was asked a few questions over the longer 2000 metre trip, but once in full flow he quickly put that race to bed as well.
Serjeant was so well within himself that he travelled to Mysore for the 2000 Guineas and the Mysore Derby. It eventually proved a bridge too far for the champion and he tasted defeat for the first time in the latter race going down fighting to the stoutly bred Ice Glacier. Whether it was tactics, fatigue or a lack of stamina that contributed to this defeat one could only contemplate at this stage of his career, but he wasn’t quite as invincible as everyone thought.
Though disappointed, Serjeant’s connections didn’t waver from his intended campaign in Mumbai in the winter and he reappeared in the Indian 2000 Guineas (Gr I) without a preparatory run. Though it is commonly believed that Sandesh pressed the button much too early, to the untrained eye he won very smartly. He reappeared a month later in the Ruia Cup (Gr II) a popular 2000 metre long prep for the Indian Derby.Nothing could be gleaned of his stamina limitations as he cleaned up two unworthy opponents in a common canter without as much raising a sweat. One positive that came of this run was that he settled really well.
The Indian Derby (Gr I) is arguably one of the most glamorous and prestigious events on the Indian sporting calendar and a veritable who's who of Mumbai's glitterati and a capacity crowd makes the Mahalaxmi Racecourse it's singular destination on the first Sunday in February. The big day dawned and Serjeant At Arms was up against a choice set including the stablemates Mrs. Patmore and Temerity winners of the Indian 1000 Guineas (Gr I) and the Indian Oaks (Gr I) respectively, Golconda Derby (Gr I) and South India Derby (Gr I) victorsGermanicus andSalaazar, the multi Calcutta classic winner Silver Beauty and Hall Of Famer who’d run away with the Calcutta Derby (Gr I) and was the only one offering him any opposition in the betting as the huge Derby day crowd emptied their purses on Serjeant. There was no shortage of horses to test Serjeant’s suspect staying capabilities in that lot. After the controversial withdrawal of one of the other fancies Mathaiyus at the start, the select field of 13 was off and after Lucas (ColmO’Donoghue) swerved away and took no further part, David Allan took Hall Of Famer to the front to test the stamina of each of her opponents over the grueling 2400 metre Derby trip. The wily Englishman was able to dictate things to a nicety with no serious challenge coming till well after they straightened in the long Mumbai straight. Sandesh had Serjeant beautifully poised in fifth or sixth position and moved up to the leading group in a trice much to delight of his vocal supporters who roared their approval. He put his handsome head down and came to within half a length of the long time leader before the reserves ran out and he hung left in a right handed drive from Sandesh to eventually go down gallantly by just a length to Hall Of Famer who just stayed better. He was hardly disgraced and though his legions of supporters (including the writer) were bereft, he had done his best and gone down in a blaze of glory.
Team Serjeant returned to his home base Bangalore with their heads held high in pursuit of greater glory which was to come in just a month’s time in the Major P.K. Mehra Memorial Super Mile (Gr I) run on the same day as the Invitation Turf Invitation Cup (Gr I). It was decided to miss the big one and return him to in his comfort zone and we were treated to another tour de force by 5 ½ easy lengths before the superstar was given a break before the summer. Just for the record, the Invitation Cup an all aged championship event over the Derby trip was won by Temerity who finished a head behindSerjeant in the Derby.
A flawless summer campaign in Bangalore followed for Serjeant At Arms as he racked up a sequence of four wins carrying a crippling 60kg in each of those races and giving weight and a thrashing to all those that dared oppose him. And just for good measure he broke the course timing record for the 1400 metre trip.
Now was the time for some quiet reflection. Serjeant had done all that was asked of him in his native land. Where was he to go to conquer new horizons? The Far East was discussed as an option, but the USA won out as the more suitable destination because of the ludicrous international regulations regarding quarantining of horses. Serjeant was eventually placed in quarantine in October to begin the most exciting journey of his life.
This wasn't Khushroo's first foray abroad. His champions Zurbaran, Venus Arising and Berlioz were all campaigned in Dubai. In fact Zurbaran was one of the first Indian horses to go to Dubai.
SerjeantAt Arms though quite headstrong in his early starts, eventually learnt to settle beautifully which possibly contributed to the fact that he still went soclose in the Indian Derby. He is a complete gentleman and his temperament is flawless. He is a picture of relaxation pre race and at exercise. Being a champion athlete, he hasn’t been completely free of minor niggles along the way which his trainer Suleiman says he makes much fuss about and is quite a drama queen.
SerjeantAt Arms quickly became a much loved character at his new home the Herringswell Stables of Graham Motion of Dubai World Cup winning Animal Kingdom fame. His very encouraging debut brought great joy and satisfaction to the team and to Vispi Patel and KhushrooDhunjibhoy’sneice’s husband pedigree guru EruchMody who were on hand to cheer their champion on.
After his very impressive first US start, there is much anticipation as he reappears in April at Keeneland racecourse. May the SerjeantAt Arms fairy tale continue ever after.