Mumtaz Mahal Stakes

Grade I
Five and one half furlongs
Firm Turf
$1,000,000
Fillies and mares, 3 years old and up

If you look up the meaning of Mumtaz Mahal you will find it means “Ornament of the Palace”. The name would prove to be fitting for what would end up being the sire “The Tetrarch” most influential mare. The Tetrarch was a top notch sire at his peak when he sired the mare that would change history. Mumtaz Mahal born in 1921 would go on to be one the most important foundation mares in thoroughbred racing, while helping her owner Aga Kahn III build a racing empire. Before Mumtaz Mahal became a great mare though, she would set out to leave her mark on racing history.

On April 7^th 1923 Mumtaz Mahal amazed her trainer Richard C. Dawson with a blazing workout on turf. Carrying a reportedly 28 pounds more than her two year old stable mate, she out dueled the more experienced Friar’s Daughter whom had already won previously that year. The buzz of Mumtaz Mahal’s domination over Friar’s Daughter quickly spread about at Southern England’s Whatcombe Stables in Berkshire. Mumtaz Mahal was fast, real fast!

She was sent to Newmarket on May 16^th. George Hulme was up as she broke with ease from the gate to breeze to a three length win. The results were in as Mumtaz Mahal had spent only: 57 4/5 seconds of the clocks time. That time was good enough to set the track record over five furlongs at Newmarket. She would then go on to Ascot for the Queen Mary Stakes where she would earn her nickname the “Flying Filly”. She destroyed the field there winning by a ridiculous ten lengths. She then won the National Breeders Produce Stakes by four lengths, and then at Molecombe Stakes she again destroyed the field by ten lengths. She then made her first six furlong start in the Champagne Stakes in Doncaster winning by three lengths. In her final start of her two year old campaign, in the Imperial Produce Stakes she felt the whip for the first time losing by a mere half length to the colt Arcade over six furlongs on a track swamped with mud.

Her three year old campaign would prove to be impressive as well. Though she lost a close 1,000 Guineas battle in which she had at one point led by over six lengths, and then lost over a mile in Coronaton Stakes at Ascot. She would return to sprinting to win the King George Stakes (Goodwood), and she finished her career with a resounding six length win over Drake in the Nunthrope Stakes. Mumtaz Mahal finished her race career with seven victories in ten starts. She clearly was deserving of her title as the Flying Filly.

As a mare she would produce six winners from a crop of nine. Her sons proved best on the track. Her daughter Mumtaz Begum was bred to Nearco, and produced Nasrullah the sire of Bold Ruler. As most of you know Bold Ruler sired the great Secretariat. You can also find her influence in other very important horses like Royal Charger, Petite Etoile, Abernant, and Shergar. Mumtaz Mahal will be cemented for all time as a great foundation mare. Her legacy of speed is unparalleled in thoroughbred racing, and it is only fitting that she is honored in the simulation with the Mumtaz Mahal Stakes. After all she is the great Flying Filly! Now to the field: 

PP       HorseID         Horse                                        Owner              Jockey             Odds   

1          26458               AWESOME LESSON(KY)      stungunn          P Cadigan         12/1     

2          138892             BACK IN THE DAY(KY)       weller3            D Zordich         14/1     

3          140673             FIT TO ROMP(KY)                 desimster5       J Sands             28/1     

4          111304             SEVEN BRIDGES(KY)           zwango            G Lupzigg         17/1     

5          89650               ALBERTA FIRE                      oilspill              B Renfroe        5/1       

6          129687             NIGHT WITCH(KY)               wemblem         O A Haack       6/1       

7          96398               GALE WARNING(IRE)           tsunami05        B Coates          99/1     

8          115875             PLANETARIUM(IRE)            fairyking           J Drozd            7/1       

9          133161             SJ’S SJ(KY)                             booberry          Q Miller            7/1       

10         111298             GONE WYLDE                       sarava02         H McCoy          5/1       

11         340                   YRTOYR G(KY)                     zz                   O Pool             31/1     

12         143801             FAIR GO(NZ)                         thematrix          E Seifert          12/1     

13         133626             ASSAULTED(ENG)                simsters8         V Gardner        7/2       

Awesome Lesson

Awesome Again x Kingmambo x Nurveye

Starts: 19 6 1 1 1 $283,356

Here is a fine chestnut mare with mid level gate speed, and outstanding pedigree. Awesome Lesson is just now starting to come into her own after winning the grade II Prancing Ferry Stakes in Japan with a 107 speed figure. She did struggle in her last race in the Shareto Stakes finishing 4^th over six furlongs. If she can rebound here in Pennsylvania she can play a factor. At four she is primed to run nicely. Expect her to spend the earlier parts of the race in the middle of the pack. The question will be whether she finishes with the kick she put on display in Japan. P. Cadigan is up here and he certainly won’t hurt Awesome Lesson’s chances.

Back in the Day

Kingmambo x Danehill x Secretariat

Starts: 16 7 3 3 $248,658

What does a 3 year old filly do after winning three straight regular stakes? She jumps to the Grade I Mumtaz Mahal to see if she can live up to her own Mumtaz Mahal pedigree rich roots. She did fine in those races taking early leads and winning with solid speed figures from 101 to 106. The question will be whether she really has the early speed here to take the lead and win this thing. I expect she will need a great deal more opening speed for the lead to go wire to wire in this one. It might be best to let standout jockey Zordich run the race he sees fit.

Fit to Romp 

Cryptoclearance x Danzig x Verbatim

Starts: 17 7 2 0 $265,630

Fit to Romp doesn’t have the early speed to steal this race, and she doesn’t have the speed to finish it. She is going to have her work cut out for her here, and I expect she will finish the race exhausted. No Romping victory here. 

Seven Bridges

Storm Cat x Forty Niner x Blushing Groom

Starts: 13 4 1 2 $161,335

Seven Bridges has outstanding speed in her pedigree with the cross of Storm Cat/Mr. Prospector. The Blushing Groom certainly doesn’t hurt either. She is just three with very quick gate speed, and the potential to take the early lead in this one. I don’t think she will though. She did run a huge race in August in Texas. In that race she ran a 108 speed figure for the stakes victory. She needs to get the lead and go with it, though the lead won’t be easy in this one, but won’t be impossible.

Alberta Fire

Seeking the Gold x Gone West x Secretariat

Starts: 43 16 7 6 $1,602,277

The Breeders Bowl Turf Sprint was a memory Alberta Fire may wish to forget after finishing 14^th, but she did finish 2^nd in August at the G1 Hoover Handicap with a very respectable 109. The six year old veteran may benefit from what may be a slower pace in this one. She is a contender to take home Mumtaz Mahal Stakes winning honors.

Night Witch

Pulpit x Unfuwain x Mr. Prospector

Starts: 25 9 7 4 $525,750

Night Witch is coming off three straight victories in an allowance race, grade III race, and stakes level race. She is red hot, and had a tendency in those races to grab the lead early here. I don’t think she should or will grab the lead early here. I do think she will stalk two or three lengths off in this one for a bit before she attempts to pounce. She can and may just do that.

Gale Warning

Monashee Mountain x Storm Cat x Thatch

Starts: 50 8 5 4 $128,781

Word on the street is she is just grabbing 10 free BP’s before heading to the breeding shed. At 99-1 she is a major long shot, but hey that is a lot of pesos if she does win!

Planetarium

Galileo x Kris S. x Storm Bird

Starts: 17 7 4 2 $273,240

Her pedigree makes you think she will like a lot longer, as she has loved eight furlongs in the past. She does have the early speed to hang in there not too far back early, and I think she has the speed to close. She needs to be careful not to move too late in this one, or she will be buried behind the likes of Awesome Lesson, SJ’S SJ and Gone Wyld. The four year old mare certainly has a lot of great racing ahead. She is a contender to make noise here in Pennsylvania.

SJ’s SJ

Smarty Jones x Northern Dancer x Full Out

Starts: 23 7 5 1 $920,995

This Chestnut mare comes into the Mumtaz Mahal with an impressive resume. She already won this year’s Equinics Sprint for older gals, and now she will look to notch another big victory. She did struggle in the recent Prancing Ferry Stakes that Awesome Lesson won, but I think she learned her lesson. She failed to get the lead in that race, but I don’t see her struggling to grab hold of this race early. I expect she holds off all the late chargers not named Assaulted.

Gone Wylde

Gone West x Northern Dancer x Seattle Slew

Starts: 36 11 6 4 $1,704,740

Gone Wylde more than likely won’t fall victim to a huge early lead by the rabbit, unless SJ’S SJ does just that. The others in this race don’t have the potential to breakaway too much too early. She won this year’s G1 Queen Ascot Stakes, she won at smackdown, and now she is going to attempt to win here running 5.5 furlongs for the first time. If she can rally big to the wire, she can beat the likes of SJ’S SJ, and Awesome Lesson.

YRTOYR G

Dixieland Band x Forty Niner x Storm Bird

Starts: 9 3 1 1 $53,246

This three year old is just getting her career off the ground. She ran a nice race in allowances last time out. I think she will become a real nice sprinter over time, but her time has not come yet. She won’t be far off the early lead, but the question is whether she will have the speed to finish.

Fair Go

Zabeel x King’s Best x Diesis

Starts: 14 8 4 2 $963,650

Fair Go won the Shareto Special in which Awesome Lesson recently struggled in with a 103 speed figure. She won her six furlong Equinics race earlier this year, and has been in the money in all her races this year. This three year old mare is just taking off. She will be really tough to beat. Expect Fair Go to sit back early, and then pounce late.

Assaulted

Red Ransom x Caerleon x Secretariat

Starts: 24 11 3 2 $819,166

Assaulted is one of those mares who starts extremely slow coming out of the gate. Once she hits stride though watch out! If this pace is slow early she will benefit the most. I think that could be the case. She is a very strong contender who should do well as long as she is not suffering from burnout. She showed signs of burnout in her last start, but 24 starts is not a bad total for a four year old. Assaulted may very well rebound, and rebound big here in Pennsylvania. She has the most impressive speed figures of this group with recent results of 96, 111, 105, 111, 109, 115, 107, 111, and 108.

Lebowski’s Selections: 13, 9, 1, 10, 11

References

http://www.tbheritage.com/Portraits/MumtazMahal.htm

www.wikipedia.com

…and as always the sim!