Pandu Khade

Pandu Khade was an Indian ace jockey. He has been a winner of many prestigious races in the past when India was under British rule.

If i am not mistaken, there was some controversy about him sometime in 1960s i think it was Mogul Plate / Moghul Cup. He is from a small village called Vadgaon in Kolhapur District, Maharashtra State. After the race he had to flee Mumbai and was in his home village for couple of weeks. What happened to him after that is not known

Pandu Khade was one of the greatest jockeys that ever rode in India and was based at the premier Royal Western India Turf Club that compromised India's top racing circuit -- Mahalaxmi Race Course in Bombay and Poona Race Course near Empress Garden. He rode many classic winners in the Indian 1000 Guineas, Indian 2000 Guineas, Indian Derby, Indian Oaks and India St. Leger. He was an apprentice and had some of his biggest successes with the champion trainer of that time -- Maj. K. P. Jadhav.He had a keen judgement of pace and an extraordinary ability to optimally position his horses for victory -- almost every time they came thundering around the bend and into the home stretch. A skill second to none that was acknowledged by champion English and Irish riders of that time who come down to ride in India. He made up for his lack of physical skills with his intelligence and tactical riding. He was a trainers delight -- keenly following their race instructions yet dynamically improvising the gameplan if needed. Even when he was older and near retirement in the late 70s, he displayed his smart riding skills when he rode Wild Blossom (trained by M.K. Jadhav, son of Maj. Jadhav) and nearly beat Squanderer (ridden by Vasant Shinde -- Indian's all time great jockey) in one of Pune racing seasons longest race (anyone remember the name of that race?). That race was one of the most memorable ever run on Indian turf with Wild Blossom almost taking a furlong lead mid-way through the race (a tactic that momentarily confounded everyone participating in as well as watching that race) -- and then allowing Squanderer to catch up near the bend. Shinde was thrown off his usual gameplan of riding close behind the leader -- he was hesitant to follow Wild Blossom closely at first as the pace was too fast but had to hurry up a bit after the lead appeared unusually large at the end of the backstretch which was all uphill. Just as Shinde pushed Squanderer to catch up (came a length or two closer) near the bend and was about to settle him into a close second position, Pandu Khade got Wild Blossom to re-accelerate again (having allowed the horse to catch a second wind) and created another massive 15 length lead as they came into the home stretch. Shinde was forced to pull out his whip and ride a tired Squander all out to again try to catch up and ultimately did manage to beat the completely exhausted Wild Blossom -- just at the post.

Squanderer retired as one of the greatest horses India had ever produced and Pandu Khade nearly beat him on that glorious day, putting up the greatest show on turf outside of the Barnum and Bailey circus act in the U.S. That day he outclassed India's champion rider who was half his age and displayed riding skills that others could only dream of - no one had ever come close to beating or even matching strides with Squanderer prior to that race or thereafter. Shinde often compared Squanderer to a Ferrari, that could change gears with a simple nudge or pressure release of the reins -- and he never used the whip until that day. Shinde would later add the better horse won but not the rider! The thunderous applause from the crowd for both those horses and respective riders and trainers (Squanderer was trained by the legendary R.R. Byramji) as they came back to the paddock was a memorable moment -- a breath taking event in the annals of Indian thoroughbred racing history that happen few and far apart.