Pesi Shroff’s King Ke came to the 2000 metres Teena Katrak Memorial Independence Million with solid preparation. The progeny of Multitude had won his last start at Chennai in March and maintained that winning run. He was well prepared with the help of a mock race and had the services of in-form jockey Vivek G who bided his time in third while Sands of Dubai and Beyond Stars burned all their petrol by the final turn. That’s when King Ke slipped into top gear, giving Black Thunder a glimmer of hope before closing the door politely but firmly to win the 2000 metres Teena Katrak Memorial Independence Day Million, a race for horses rated 20 to 45, the feature event of Friday’s Pune races.

Nostalgia held Bugatti for third by a neck, no small feat considering Bugatti fluffed the start so badly he was practically waving to the crowd when the rest had already turned the bend. Even so, he made up a truckload of ground late. As for last start winner Esconido, she blew her chances in the gates and stayed there in spirit. Lady of Plenty, the second favourite, apparently left her form back in Mumbai, running a joyless sixth, barely mentioned in dispatches.

Vivek G was in no mood to settle for a single headline. In the 1000 metres Thanda Plate for maiden three-year-olds, he piloted Hosidar Daji’s Foujita to a debut win so dramatic you’d think it was scripted. The money was firmly on Dreamer, a filly with two runner-up finishes, but she found new ways to disappoint, losing not only to Foujita but to Foxy, who nicked second.

Early on, Foxy and Dreamer were neck-and-neck with Aeon Flux hovering in their slipstream, while Foujita, looked as though he’d missed the start and stopped for coffee. Then, in the straight, he exploded on the wide outside like a guided missile, swooping past the fighting pair and leaving them stunned. Foxy clung to second, while Dreamer is now compiling a sequel titled “Always the Bridesmaid, Never the Bride.”

The Lucky Luciano Trophy — for horses in the lowest category — looked like it belonged to Yuletide, who went haring off in front with a lead large enough to make the others look like they’d missed the start. The mare wasn’t slowing, and only Marlboro Man seemed mildly interested in chasing. Then apprentice Aditya Waydande on Cascade decided enough was enough.

From dead last at the turn, Cascade swung wide and unleashed a finish so fierce it washed away Yuletide’s hopes in a heartbeat. She bounded clear to win by four lengths, proving that two promising Mumbai runs weren’t a fluke. Marlboro Man and the rest were left trying to remember the colour of the winner’s silks.

If debut seconds count for anything, Arrived’s close miss at Bangalore was a huge warning to his Mayor’s Trophy rivals. Sent off at short odds, Nirad Karanjawalla’s charge sat handy for Sandesh, watching Caradoc do the heavy lifting up front. Once in the straight, Arrived breezed past without needing the whip, stretching away for a four-length win in a canter. Heart beat Dexterity for third, proving yet again that raw effort without raw speed only gets you so far.

The 1400 metres Unforgettable Plate, a race for horses rated 40 to 66 lived up to its name — unless you were on Spanish Eyes. Fable led them into the straight, but Anthony Raj had Nirad Karanjawalla trained Ghirardelli primed to pounce. The favourite, Spanish Eyes, responded to Sandesh’s urgings, only for Opus Dei to appear from the clouds with the sort of turn of foot that makes you rethink theology.

The trio thundered to the line together, Ghirardelli holding on by a neck from Opus Dei, who in turn nosed out Spanish Eyes. On this run, Opus Dei is one to pencil in for redemption next time.

In the 1000 metres B K Lagad Salver, Esperanza came with big backing to repeat her last start win. Unfortunately, Turn And Burn had other ideas. Sitting on Esperanza’s flank, the challenger moved past in the final 300 metres and never looked back. Cellini ran on for second along the rails, while Esperanza was left to ponder the cruel reality that in racing, no lead is sacred.

Trainer M K Jadhav and jockey Parmar capped their day with a double when Kavya, a heavy favourite, treated the 1100 metres Sentosa Cove Plate like a warm-up gallop. Settled fifth early, she slipped through in the straight and put the race to bed in a matter of strides. Cindrella’s Dream tried valiantly for second, but the real drama came from Scaramouche, who started with an awkward leap that unbalanced his apprentice jockey and left him tailed off. From there, he flew home to grab third, leaving everyone to wonder — with a clean break, could he have actually pulled it off?