The Aga Khan and the Breeders’ Cup
Joseph Di Rienzi
(AKDN photo) |
His Highness Prince Karim Al-Husseini, The Aga Khan IV passed away on February 4th, 2025 at the age of 88 in Lisbon, Portugal. To chronicle this extraordinary man’s full life is above the scope of this essay. This Harvard educated historian, Olympic skier, media magnate, developer, humanitarian and Iman (spiritual leader) of over 20 million Ismailia Muslims, nonetheless spent a good deal of his time nurturing the thoroughbred dynasty he inherited from his father Prince Aly who died in a car crash in 1960. The spectacular success of the fabled green and red stable colors in Europe has been detailed elsewhere. Winning milestone races such as the English Derby (five times), the Irish Derby (six times), the Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby, eight times) and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (four times), the stable has etched an indelible mark on European thoroughbred racing history. However, the Aga Khan’s horses have also had an impact on U. S. racing as well.
It is the aim of this
piece to summarize the success of the Aga Khan’s horses in the Breeders’ Cup.
Overall horses owned by the stable have won three Breeders’ Cup Turf contests
(a fourth was bred by the Aga Khan but was sold by the time of the horse’s
victory). In total, 16 of The Aga Khan’s horses have raced in the Breeders’ Cup
and 19 have been bred by him. Let’s exam in turn each of these Breeders’ Cup
heroes.
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Lashkari in the 1984 Breeders' Cup winner's circle (breederscup.com) |
The betting public
settled on the dependable Northern American based Majesty’s Prince as the
favorite with All Along the second choice. The French mare ran her best race of
the year, sitting mid-pack off Strawberry Road’s pace until gaining a clear
lead on the stretch turn. However, it was the Aga Khan’s Lashkari, a 53-1 shot,
under jockey Yves Saint-Martin, racing in sixth place early, who caught All
Along close to the finish to win by a neck. In third place, was Raami, a ½
length behind All Along, Strawberry Road finished a good fourth with Majesty’s
Prince a non-threatening sixth.
The winner, a
British born three-year-old dark bay son of the imperial Mill Reef produced by
the mare Larannda (his name, an Aga Khan tradition giving horses a one word
name with the first letter identical to the corresponding dam’s initial letter)
was a late developer for trainer Alain de Royer-Dupré. He was not ready for the European classics
but had tuned up for his American foray with a victory in a mid-level French
stakes race. Kept in training as a four-year-old, Lashkari, tried for a repeat
in the following year’s Breeders’ Cup Turf, but finished fourth at Aqueduct
Racetrack to the filly Pebbles.
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Kalanisi winning the 2000 Breeders' Cup Turf (bloodhorse.com) |
In the 2000 Turf,
run on a firm course, Montjeu was
the betting favorite over Kalanisi, despite fears that he was “over the top” in
his best form. The most fancied U. S. raced competitors were nine-year-old
John’s Call, and imports Ciro, and Manndar (initially owned by the Aga Khan).
Johnny Murtagh aboard
Kalanisi had his mount “covered up” among horses, running in ninth place in the
first half of the race, while Mick Kinane had
Montjeu dead last in thirteenth place. As the tempo of the race increased,
Murtagh steered his mount toward the outside on the far turn. Coming into the
stretch there was a battle for the lead among several horses, but Kalanisi’s
closing charge was inexorable as he passed all to win by a ½ length. Finishing
second in a giant effort was the Canadian raced 42-1 shot Quiet Resolve who had
a nose on John’s Call. Montjeu, obviously not at his best, closed some ground
in the stretch, but could do no better than eighth place.
As a result of this
victory in the Breeders’ Cup Turf, and the lack of any consistent U. S. turf
performer, Kalanisi was
voted the Eclipse Award for Male Turf Horse. He stayed in training as a
five-year-old but was not able to defend his Breeders’ Cup victor in 2001
having suffered a career ending injury finishing second in the Prince of Wales
Stakes during the Royal Ascot meeting.
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Tarnawa winning the 2020 Breeders' Cup Turf (bloodhorse.com) |
Among the ten
entries of the 2020 Breeders’ Cup Turf run that year at Keeneland Racetrack was
the celebrated Magical a seven time major stakes winner in Europe who was a
gallant second to the incomparable Enable in the 2018 Turf. She was part of the
Coolmore group owned, Aidan O’Brien trained entry with Mogul, both progeny of
the super stallion Galileo. Both Irish based runners were well fancied with the
five-year-old mare favored with the three-year-old accorded the second choice.
Also entered was H. H. Aga Khan’s Tarnawa, a four-year-old chestnut daughter of
Shamardal and Tarana, who though always held in high esteem by trainer Dermot
Weld, really had come into her own in the fall. Winner of three consecutive
races: the Give Thanks Stakes, Prix Vermeille and Prix de l’Opera, she was a
strong third choice at 9-2 odds. The only other single digit odds runners were
the leading North American campaigners Channel Maker and United.
Ridden by a late substitute
rider as Colin Keane was deputized in place of Christophe Soumillon who failed
a Covid-19 test, Tarnawa turned in, in my opinion, the most scintillating
performance of all the Aga Khan’s Breeders’ Cup winners. Channel Maker and
United went to the front early with the former setting glacial early fractions.
Magical was tucked in fifth place under jockey Ryan Moore while Tarnawa, after
losing her footing at the start, raced three from last. The slow pace continued
around the second turn, making the case for the U. S. trained leaders stronger.
Mogul made a premature move from last place to reach contention on the third
turn but would falter in the drive. At the top of the stretch, Channel Maker
kicked clear as United fell back. Magical was grinding away inching closer, but
the eye was caught by Tarnawa, who once swung to the outside by Keane seemed
propelled. The Aga Khan color bearer powered past everyone to gain the lead
inside the last ½ furlong and was a length ahead at the finish. Magical nosed
out Channel Maker for second, while British based Lord North was 1¾ lengths
back in fourth place.
Representing the
winning connections was Dermot Weld’s son Mark who likened Tarnawa’s closing
kick to a rocket ship.
Tarnawa stayed in
training as a five-year-old and came close to winning both the Irish Champion
Stakes and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. Seeking a repeat in the Breeders’ Cup
Turf of 2021, she was accorded favoritism, but her European efforts had
evidently gotten the best of her, and she finished eleventh in her final career
start.
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Daylami winning the Breeders' Cup Turf (bloodhorse.com) |
A year later Daylami
would enter the Breeders’ Cup records book. The field for the 1999 Turf seemed
particularly strong and included last year’s victor, Buck’s Boy. The horse Buck’s Boy finished ahead of,
Yagli, was also in the Turf as was international
traveler Royal Anthem who had finished behind Daylami twice in Europe but had
won the Juddmonte International Stakes in England by 7 lengths, two starts back.
However, the consensus pick and clear post time favorite was Daylami. In England and Ireland this year, he had
demonstrated a superiority over his rivals winning three straight major
contests. However, in his last race the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, he had
finished ninth, reportedly not handling the heavy Longchamp Racecourse turf
conditions. The fact, that he had won the 1998 Man o’ War Stakes gave
confidence to his connections that he was adaptable to American grass racing,
and the tight turns of the Gulfstream Park track would pose no impediment.
Under fan favorite
Frankie Dettori, Daylami sat in
mid-pack in the fourteen horse field saving ground as Buck’s Boy set a
fast pace for a 1½ mile race. Around the far turn, Royal Anthem took
flight after Buck’s Boy as Dettori steered Daylami to the outside for a clear
run. Down the stretch Buck’s Boy, Royal Anthem, and Daylami were three across
the track, but it was clear, that the last named was going the strongest. The
gray son of Doyoun quickly drew clear for an authoritative 2½ length victory
over Royal Anthem who had a 2 length margin over the game Buck’s Boy.
Spectators in the
winner’s circle were treated to the now familiar Frankie Dettori flying
dismount. For Sheik Mohammed’s Godolphin Racing stable
and trainer Saeed bin Suroor, this was their first Breeders’ Cup victory,
but Dettori was celebrating his second. So impressive was Daylami’s Breeders’ Cup Turf victory that the
five-year-old was voted the Eclipse Award for Male Turf Horse. Under the terms
of the purchase agreement, Daylami was retired to stand at stud at the Aga
Khan’s farm in Ireland.
With the His
Highness’ passing, it is hoped that his daughter, Princess Zahra, who has
recently assumed a leading role in directing the stable, will continue its
great tradition of producing equines which carry the “Wind of Heaven”.
“The Wind Of Heaven Is That Which Blows Between A Horse’s Ears”
The waves roll in, the power of the waves are
disturbed by the raw power of the horse.
Magnificent in its flight of fancy churning up the wet grains of sand with its hooves
that glimmer like
blue steel tossing its black silky mane back and forth like the sail of a boat
on the horizon as the wind ripples through it.
Thundering across the water as if to show its dominance of power over the
elements.
Confident and harmonious in its tranquil fluidity of movement almost subduing
the incoming waves.
Mighty mother nature in all her magnificence versus the agility and speed of
the most beautiful of beasts.
by
Suna Ahmed