Horse racing is a sport that has given birth to various champion jockeys over time and one name that tops the list of these champions is Pesi Shroff. The most remarkable and recognizable face in the realm of horse racing in India, he ranked among the world’s top jockeys by winning the Indian Derby three times consecutively. His first derby win was on Exilaration trained by Imtiaz Sait in 1989 followed by Dessert Warrior in 1990 and Starfire Girl in 1991 both trained by Altaf Hussain. The man clinched victory in these derbies by leaving behind the top three international jockeys- Legendary Lester Piggot, M J Kinane, and Walter Swinburn. Pesi’s commitment to horse racing and his creativity ensured that hurdles were just another opportunity to learn and be more creative. Pesi Shroff’s devotion to the “Sport of Kings” made him reach heights that no one else could, even if there were better jockeys than him. Some of the other top jockeys from his golden era include Vasant Shinde, Aslam Kader, R Corner, M Narredu, Satish Narredu, Bajrang Singh, C Ruzzan, Warren Singh, B Mathews, L Marshall, D Netto and K P G Appu.
Born in 1965, Pesi Shroff belonged to an upper-middle-class Parsi Family. At the young age of 16, the young lad began walking towards being the most recognizable jockey in India, getting licensed by RWITC IN 1981. With his outstanding skills, Pesi won his first race on “My Squaw”.
His impressive talent caught the eyes of liquor baron Vijay Mallya who retained him for several years. Pesi Shroff won a number of races for the owner and retainer Vijay Mallya under the training of R R Byramji. The riding skills and temperament showcased by Pesi not only caught the attention of Vijay Mallya but also several big owners he rode for such as MAM Ramaswamy, D Kahitan, Poonawallas, and K Dhunjibhoy. During his tenure as a jockey, he rode 5,614 races and won 1,751 races with more than 100 classic wins which include 29 derives (out of which 8 were Indian derbies and 21 were derby wins from other centers). He also won 7 Invitation Cups along with two Sprinter Cup races.
He won the Hyderabad fillies, 1000 Guineas and Mysore 1000 Guineas on City Girl in 1990; Hyderabad colts trial stakes on Delgae in 1990; won Golconda Oaks in 1991 with Scaglieti; won the Bengaluru Derby in 1991 and 1992 with Bugs Bunny along with Invitation cup race and Bengaluru Oaks in 1992 as well. His last classic win was the derby race on Psychic Flame. His other derby winners include Enterprising (1984), Revelation (1985), Littleover (1994), and Storm Again (2001). The list of his Invitation Cup winners includes Revelation (1985), Amorous Knight (1986), Exhilaration 1989), Desert Warrior (1990), Bugs Bunny (1992), Adler (1993), and Storm Again (2001). His winners of the Sprint Cup are Ricardo and Albertini.
Pesi Shroff is married to his childhood sweetheart and Karl Umrigar’s sister Tina and has two children named Yohan and Anya. Shroff has always been known for his cool temperament and soft-spoken nature. Unlike Vasant Shinde, he was not a natural rider, but his determination allowed him to become the best of his time.
Pesi’s first Derby winning was on Sikander-E-Azam trained by Shamshuddin for a small middle-class owner late P Pentaiah at Hyderabad in 1990. For the owner, it was his last classic derby win which was given to him by Pesi’s remarkable performance.
The Major Hurdles For Shroff
Pesi Shroff dedicated himself to the realm of horse racing which spurred lasting relationships and prevented him from indulging in any controversies. However, his career witnessed hurdles in the year 1996, when he was suspended for 13 months on the charges of reckless mounting of his mount Sea Gazer at Madras Race Club. This decision sparked an outrageous debate which led the matter to the Hon’ble High Court of Madras. Other than that he was involved in a controversy in 1992 and a few drug-positive cases after his retirement in 2011 on BolDenone and one in 2013 on Bullseye. However, he was not much a part of many controversies.
After dedicating his life to horse racing, Pesi Shroff announced his retirement as a jockey in 2004 and decided to become a trainer. Even though his time as a jockey ended, his love for horse racing never did. Therefore, in the desire to be associated with the fascinating sport of horse racing, he continued to be part by taking up a license as a racehorse trainer.
Every trainer’s unfulfilled dream is to win a derby as it is the most prestigious race in the Indian Classic series. After becoming a trainer, Pesi waited for five long years until he got his first derby win through “Jacqueline” ridden by R Hughes in 2010, who later on won four classic races for him. Some other jockey-turned-trainers who have won the Indian Derbies include J S Dhariwal on Chaitanya Chakram in 1987 and again on Storm Again in 2001, Karan Singh ( many quoted as J H Foley also, so it is to be verified ) on Smart Chieftan in 2000, S Narredu on Super Storm in 2013 ( ridden by J Fortune ) and M Narredu on Be Safe in 2015 ( ridden by Suraj Narredu ).
Throughout his career as a jockey, Pesi Shroff achieved various milestones, while overcoming various obstacles. Many jockeys can only dream of walking on the path walked by Pesi Shroff and achieving the legendary status of the top jockey. The determination and commitment showcased by Pesi Shroff is not something that anyone can do. Pesi has managed to create records that have not yet been broken by anyone after so many years and has marked his name in history in Golden words. By becoming a trainer, Pesi has chosen a path to bring out the potential of new horses and jockeys by contributing to the horse racing world through his outstanding skills and unmatched commitment.
