In a classic case of “bake it till you make it,” M K Jadhav’s Miss American Pie whipped up a storm at the Noshir & Dolly Dhunjibhoy Sprint Million, leaving her rivals chewing on their pride at Pune on Sunday. Proving that she’s more than just a catchy name, the filly delivered on expectations, thanks to a favourable weight advantage and a gutsy front-running strategy under jockey N S Parmar’s watchful eye. With an early dash and a final furlong burst that had the rivals stranded, she claimed victory, making it a day to savour for her veteran trainer.

Meanwhile, last season’s darling, Time And Tide, looked more like “time’s up” as he scrambled to recapture his past glory. After back-to-back lackluster performances this season, his fans hoped for a miracle. Instead, they got another reminder that perhaps the tide has turned—for good. Naturally, Miss American Pie, showing her recent form, attracted the smart money, and Parmar wasted no time putting her out in front, gaining a head start while the rest were still busy figuring out who would play second fiddle.

The real action, however, was unfolding in the chaos behind. Time And Tide, under Sandesh, decided to hold his ground, refusing to give Magileto (with Trevor Patel aboard) the room he desperately needed. The result? A delightful tangle of hooves and egos, with Time And Tide chasing the leader and Magileto, Baby Bazooka, and Snowfall charging late, though not nearly enough to upstage the front-runner. A long neck and a head separated the podium finishers—close enough to claim they were in it but far enough to avoid any real bragging rights.

Patel, ever the drama enthusiast, lodged an objection against Sandesh for interference, but the Stewards, in their infinite wisdom, brushed it off, letting Time And Tide keep his runner-up spot. As for Market King, well, the less said, the better. The once-reliable performer looked like he left his game plan at home, folding up after showing brief promise until the final bend. It’s a rare off day for Market King, but given his track record of being the perpetual bridesmaid, the winning post has eluded him for well over 300 days.

Prasanna Kumar’s In Thy Light, who was tipped to keep the winning streak alive in the 1600 meters Pioneer Trophy, instead found himself lost in the dim corners. The Imtiaz Sait-trained Christophany, on the other hand, seized the spotlight, pulling off a delightful upset with an emphatic performance, much to the chagrin of those who had bet on the favorite to dazzle once more.

As the race unfolded, Vincent Van Gogh set the early tempo, with jockey Anthony Raj wisely positioning Christophany in a comfortable second, biding his time. Meanwhile, the favorite, In Thy Light, seemed to have already conceded defeat, perhaps saving energy for another day—or another sport entirely. When Vincent Van Gogh decided to take the scenic route wide at the final turn, Christophany seized the golden opportunity, darting inside and sprinting clear. The Planetaire progeny burst away to win by over three lengths.

Fast Pace did its best to keep up and managed a commendable second, while the ever-moody Tehani, still reminiscing about her glory days, settled for third. In Thy Light was a disappointing fifth.

Narendra Lagad’s Come September delivered a nail-biter of a finish in the 1400 meters Jimmy Umrigar Trophy for maiden three-year-olds, just managing to edge past Mumtaz in the dying moments. Knight Crusader led the way early on with Mumtaz hot on his tail, while Come September played it cool, sitting comfortably behind the frontrunners.

In the final furlong, Mumtaz seemed to have the race all wrapped up after shrugging off a weary Knight Crusader. But just when it looked like a done deal, jockey C S Jodha decided to turn Come September into a high-speed bullet, thundering down the track like he was late for an urgent rendezvous. With a perfectly timed surge, Come September snatched victory right from Mumtaz’s grasp, leaving her staring at the finish line, wondering what just happened. Star Impact settled for third, while Knight Crusader, after a brief flash of enthusiasm, faded to a forgettable fourth—perhaps realizing early on that the day’s glory was not meant for him.

Meanwhile, Pesi Shroff’s highly-touted debutant Blue Bird failed to take flight. Despite the hype, the favorite veered off at the jump, unceremoniously ejecting jockey Saqlain. Luckily, the jockey walked away unscathed, though the same can’t be said for those who backed Blue Bird, now left to ponder what could have been.

Adhirajsingh Jodha’s Aperol lived up to the betting buzz in the 1200 meters Pune Police Commissioner’s Trophy (Div I) with a bold start-to-finish effort. Jodha urged the horse to seize control early, zipping past Lord and Master and refusing to relinquish the lead, cruising home comfortably while Pure made a late, but insufficient, rally for second. Lord Eric stayed on to claim third place, proving good for little more than a podium finish.

Not to be outdone, Jodha bagged the lower division of the race too, courtesy of Escape Velocity. This one won by a decisive four-length margin over Silver Maid, with Toscana taking third. As for Ariyana Star, the odds drift was a dead giveaway—confidence was clearly lacking, and the performance reflected it. The horse’s no-show made it abundantly clear that the stable was just as skeptical as the market.

In the 2400 meters Jayant M Shah & Champak M Shah Gold Trophy, Pesi Shroff sent out two contenders: the favorite Bugatti and his stablemate Doron. With Saqlain aboard, Doron led for most of the race, gallantly holding his position until the final moments. Vivek G gave Bugatti the green light for a last-second dash, and the favorite roared past, clinching victory by a neck. Divine Hope settled for third, making it clear that hope wasn’t quite enough when up against horsepower.

Money flowed like a river onto Whatsinaname in the 1400 meters Vinayak Trophy, a race for the bottom-tier battlers. Despite the horse’s year-plus hiatus from the winner’s circle, punters were swayed by whispers of impressive workouts and market hype. And while Whatsinaname did indeed justify favoritism under jockey Saqlain’s guidance, it wasn’t exactly the commanding performance one might expect from a horse that suddenly found a legion of backers after over 400 days of doing absolutely nothing remarkable.

In the end, Whatsinaname just managed to fend off the late threats from She’s A Teaser (living up to her name) and Sorrento Secret, clinging to victory as if its career depended on it—which, let’s face it, it probably did. Meanwhile, Showman, another horse with some buzz, apparently shuffled in a lackluster fourth, leaving his supporters shrugging their shoulders and looking for the exit.