13 February,2011 10:13 AM IST | | Prakash Gosavi
Last Sunday, the horse that won the derby was called Moonlight Romance. Did her amorous name have anything to do with her win, and why do racehorses have identities inspired by love?
It was just eight days before Valentine's Day that a filly named Moonlight Romance won the McDowell Signature Indian Derby 2011 at Mumbai's Mahalaxmi racetrack.
Most of those in the 25,000 strong crowd had lost money on Ocean And Beyond, a favourite who Moonlight Romance beat. And yet, they gave Moonlight Romance a standing ovation when she returned to the paddock. Was it her lovely name that won them over?
Jockey David Allan with Moonlight Romance, the winner of the McDowell
Signature Indian Derby 2011 at Mahalaxmi race course. PIC/ shadab khan
"Quite possible," says Begum Shaherbanoo Lagad, horse owner. "It's such a lovely name. Who will not be charmed by it?"
A descendent of the royal family of the Nizam of Hyderabad, Begum Shaherbanoo has been in love with horses for 30 years, and takes a keen interest in naming her own. "I like to pick names based on their pedigree," she says. "That means taking a cue from the dam's (mother's) and sire's (father's) names. But I try to make sure the name is positive and lovely."
Sherbanoo once owned a baby whose mother's name was Flame of Love. "I wanted the daughter's name to reflect that spirit of love, and so, I thought of Head Over Heels," she smiles. "I also owned a daughter of Knight of Medina, whom I named Arabian Nights; after the epic that celebrates love."
Love, in fact, is a dominant inspiration for racehorse names. This might have to do with the fact that even those horses with male owners tend to be named by the women of the house.
Love Conquers All, Love Me Tender, Love's A Mirage, Loved From Afar, Kiss And Tell, Blush, Red Passion and Tender Romance, all prove the naming trend.
And then there are names like Secret Affair, Kissa Melissa, Memories Of You and Femme Fatale, that hide more than they reveal, or mean more to those who know the story behind the name.
When a filly was recently named Nearness Of You by the illustrious Poonawalla family, one would perhaps be right in assuming that it was an emotional gesture, one that payed tribute to the memory of Viloo Poonawalla (wife of former Royal Western India Turf Club chief Dr Cyrus Poonawalla) who passed away last year.
A quick check will reveal how love, romance, fond memories, even music and dance, account for nearly 20 per cent of names of racehorses all over the world. In fact, the word 'Valentine' figures often too ( You're MyValentine, Valentine Day, Valentine Dance, Be My Valentine).
In the United States, in 1998, a horse was named A P Valentine because he was sired by stallion A P Indy, and was born on February 14.
The racing industry's records reveal how the first horse to ever be named 'Valentine' raced in the 1840 Grand National (then called the Grand Liverpool Steeplechase) at the Aintree racecourse in England. He was ridden by owner and trainer Alan Power, and finished third.
Power however made a fortune since he had placed heavy bets on the fact that his horse, a 25 to 1 shot, would be leading at the halfway mark. Interestingly, horses are supposed to jump over several hurdles during the race, and while negotiating one of them, Valentine shied away, jumping awkwardly over it, almost backwards. But Power managed to remain in the saddle and won huge bets, passing the halfway mark as leader.
Iqbal Nathani, a Western India-based horse owner, has named all his horses after love ufffd Eternal Love, Unique Love, All My Love, Love At First Sight, Love Me Tender and April Love. "It sounds good. Love is a very positive emotion," he says.
Nathani narrates a story about a horse he trained with SS Shah, now a septuagenarian trainer, in a bid to pull the old man's leg. "There were a couple of ladies who used to regularly phone Shah on racing days for tips," Nathani says, "So, I named one of my horses Kiss Me My Love to cause him embarrassment. Imagine Shah telling those ladies, 'Kiss Me My Love' on the phone!"
Lisa's Booby Trap, a racingu00a0 horse from the United States falls in a special category where names are inspired by lovers. Tim Snyder lost his wife Lisa to breast cancer in 2003. Lisa had told Tim she wanted to come back as a racehorse, and when Snyder set his eyes on a Drewman ufffd Ennuhway filly in January 2010, he felt his wife had kept her word.
She had problems. She was blind in the left eye and had an ankle problem (she had to wear a hind shoe on one of her front feet)! But Snyder went ahead and bought her for $6,500, paying an advance of $2,000, promising to pay the balance after her first win.
Interestingly, Lisa's Booby Trap won the first four races on the trot last year, and earned $75,660 as stakes money. Jockey Kent Desormeaux who partnered her during the fourth win, said after the race, "As far as we believe, she (Lisa) is inside ufffd they have the same heart, and she is carrying this horse."
