January—the season when Oaks races sprout across the country like post-monsoon mushrooms. Yet, much like mushrooms, not all are worth savouring. India’s dearth of genuine stayers ensures that the Oaks have devolved into a bit of a farce, often won by horses with ratings low enough to cause vertigo if you look down. Call it what you will—an Oaks or, as it increasingly resembles, a classic hoax. With maiden horses and rating-bottom dwellers clinching these supposed “classics,” one has to wonder if the term "classic" has lost all meaning. Maybe the Turf Authorities should consolidate the chaos and host a single Oaks in the winter, sparing us from these glorified lower-category marathons.

Case in point: Saturday’s Bangalore Oaks went to Queen of Kings, a 28-rated maiden whose accomplishment was likely greeted with a shrug by the racing gods. Fast forward to Sunday, where White Pearl, a rank outsider from K Satheesh’s stables, galloped her way to glory in the Golconda Oaks. Sure, White Pearl had technically won two races before, but her victory came in an excruciatingly slow time of 2 minutes 39.7 seconds—almost 12 seconds slower than the course record. That’s not a finish; that’s an endurance test for spectators. When the timing is this slow, “winning” feels more like an accidental survival.

The pre-race favourite, Srinivas Reddy’s Maigira, carried the hopes of logical bettors. She’d run respectably in the Guineas and, being the progeny of Cougar Mountain, was bred to stay. All seemed on track for Maigira until the final 100 meters when White Pearl decided she’d had enough of the others’ mediocrity and unleashed a finishing gallop. Her jockey, K Mukesh Kumar—winning his first classic—celebrated early by standing in his stirrups like a rodeo cowboy. While charming in spirit, such antics could lead to fines, suspensions, or worse—a mid-race tumble if the horse decides to channel its inner ballerina with an unexpected misstep.

The race itself was a tactical snooze-fest. Freedom Touch, under jockey Aashad Asbar, bolted to the front like she’d heard the buffet was closing soon. She eventually calmed down, towing along Maigira, Nyx, White Pearl, and the Bangalore challenger, Disciple. Freedom Touch led gamely until 300 meters from home, where her legs apparently received an urgent memo to stop functioning. Maigira surged ahead, seemingly poised to justify her favouritism, but White Pearl had other ideas. Under Mukesh’s vigorous ride (celebration aside), she overpowered Maigira in the dying strides. Nyx, ridden by Akshay Kumar, finished with a strong late charge but could only manage third, while Maigira clung to second like a toddler clinging to their last piece of candy.

Punters Redemption Day

After the chaotic drama of the Golconda Oaks left punters nursing their wallets and their pride, Sunday turned into a veritable day of atonement as fancied horses, or dare we say, favourites, finally decided to behave like good citizens of the turf. The collective sigh of relief from punters was almost audible, as the day unfolded with a parade of predictability that was as rare as a unicorn sighting at a betting ring.

Hugh Capet, who had burned punters’ pockets on his previous outing, made a royal comeback in the Gajasimha Rao Memorial Cup. In the capable hands of Akshay Kumar, the Sandeep-trained gelding looked anything but promising early on, with Decoy storming off like a getaway car, building a lead that would have impressed even Usain Bolt. By the final turn, Decoy had such a commanding lead that spectators began questioning whether Hugh Capet would even finish in the same time zone. But racing gods have a flair for drama. Decoy, running on fumes, started faltering in the dying moments, and Hugh Capet swept past with all the grace of a horse that suddenly remembered it was supposed to win. Dali’s Destiny also decided to make a late appearance to grab third, though by that point, the real show was already over.

In the Adala Raghava Reddy Memorial Million, it was a déjà vu showdown between Pleasant Star and Uchchaihshravas. The latter, a hot favourite, was out for revenge after narrowly losing the last time they met. But Pleasant Star, living up to its name only for its connections, had other plans. In a nail-biting finish, the gutsy galloper, ridden by Akshay Kumar, dug deep and pulled away by half a length, leaving Uchchaihshravas pondering what went wrong. Clara, meanwhile, stayed out of the fight entirely, trotting home a distant third, seemingly more interested in sightseeing than racing.

Bharath Singh-trained Secret Saint turned the Anmol Ratan Plate into a one-horse show. Trevor Patel gave a masterclass in timing, bringing the favourite into the mix at the perfect moment. As Yesterday bravely held on at the front, Secret Saint breezed past with a power move that made the rest look like statues. The six-length margin at the finish was more of a mic drop than a win. Carnival Lady grabbed third, but only after making sure everyone knew she wasn’t here to break a sweat.

Nine-year-old Sun Dancer proved that old dogs (or horses) can still learn new tricks by claiming the day’s opener, the Agostini Plate (Div I). Jockey Saqlain pushed the seasoned gelding to the front in the homestretch, holding off a late bid by Clefairy to win. Jungle Girl completed the placings.

The lower division of the Agostini Plate saw Colt Pistol redeem his reputation after misfiring spectacularly as a favourite last time out. This time, he showed up locked, loaded, and ready, effortlessly brushing aside Dream to Fly and Nkalanzinzi. It was less a race and more of a public service to punters who’d backed him last time and left with nothing but heartache.

Donald Netto’s Mikimoto not only carried the weight of expectations but also the burden of money as punters placed their faith squarely on her. Thankfully, jockey Kuldeep Singh was not in the mood to disappoint. Staying sharp as a tack, Kuldeep made his move early in the straight during the Deccan Prince Plate (Div I), a 1200-meter dash for horses rated 60 to 85. By the final furlong, Mikimoto looked every bit the winner, cruising along with an air of inevitability.

Enter D Minchu, who decided that a little drama was in order. Charging late from the back, the challenger momentarily made Mikimoto’s supporters question their life choices, but the front-runner held on firmly to seal the deal. Gatiman plugged away for third, while Minecraft, clearly unimpressed by the proceedings, withdrew at the gates, possibly deciding that gaming was a better career option.

The day ended with Vittal Deshmukh’s Lashka bringing the house down in the Deccan Prince Plate (Div II), proving why she was the favourite. Trevor Patel, calm and collected as ever, let the pace-setter Runlikethewind do exactly that—burn herself out in front. As they entered the straight, Lashka swept wide like a queen surveying her domain, effortlessly passing Runlikethewind with a move so smooth it could have been choreographed.

From there, it was a one-horse show, with Lashka galloping away to an easy and emphatic win. Behind her, Adbhut and Calista Girl had a private duel for second, with Adbhut emerging victorious by a whisker. Runlikethewind, having spent all her energy pretending she was in a sprint, faded out to finish fourth, clearly in need of a better strategy—or stamina.

And so, the day ended with punters basking in the rare glow of a Sunday where the favourites actually did what they were paid to do: win. If only every race day could be this generous, the bookmakers might have to start selling lemonade on the side. But alas, this is horse racing—where hope gallops eternal, and chaos always lurks around the next corner.