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Aga Khans World Influence on Sports SportsSires Sires and Descendants From Stud Internationally Famous Sold Gallant Man to Lowe LoweBy By LEON RASMUSSEN RASMUSSENIf If one had to name the one man who has exerted the greatest worldwide in ¬ fluence on racing and breeding as it ex ¬ ists today it would be difficult not to give that crowning honor to H H Aga Khan the fabulous Indian potentate potentateIn In 1956 sires bred by him or descend ¬ ing from sires bred by him set the pace in the worlds leading racing countries In the United States Nasrullah Khaled and Alibhai all bred by him were one two five in money won by get they were one two three in 1955 in Australia and New Zealandj3elville Wood Star Kingdom and Nilo all bearing the Aga Khan stamp were one two and six in Sweden Darb hanga was the leading sire once again while such Aga Khanbreds as Claro Badruddin and Hasty Shot were well placed in South American statistics Claro is sire of El Chama the 1955 Washington D C International winner winnerAlso Also in the U S such Aga Khan prod ¬ ucts as Blenheim H Mahmoud Noor Nathoo Royal Charger Hairan and Ni zami are either siring quality stock or are proving their indelible worth as broodmare sires siresBlenheim Blenheim It Sired Whirlaway WhirlawayThe The Aga Khan has also wielded a terrific influence on the magnificent Churchill Downs classic the Kentucky Derby ever since 1941 when Blenheim II who won an Epsom Derby for the Aga sired Calu ¬ mets Derby and Triple Crown winner Whirlaway In 1947 the same Blenheim II sired the Derby victor Jet Pilot while Determine by the Aga Khanbred Alibhai won the blue ribband of the American turf in 1954 and Khaled bred by the Aga sired Swaps to win the 1955 edition of this mile and a quarter withoujb any water from Nashua who eventually became the worlds richest race horse and who was sired by the Aga Khanbred Nasrullah NasrullahIn In 1953 when Dark Star managed the defeat that was felt around the racing world that of the previously and subse ¬ quently invincible Native Dancer the Aga Khans impact was there for Dark Star is by Royal Gem IE a son of Dhoti an Aga Khanbred Calumets Hill Gail the ram ¬ paging winner of 1952 was out of a Blen ¬ heim n mare mareToday Today the Aga Khans influence will once again be threatening at the Downs Bold Ruler regarded by most prerace ob ¬ servers as the main contention to the Calu CaluContinueJ ContinueJ on Page 29 D Ago Khans Worldwide Influence in Turf Sport SportSires Sires and Their Descendants From Stud Are Internationally Famous FamousContinued Continued from Page 18 D Dmet met Farm duo is by the Aga Khanbred Nasrullah while Gallant Man the Migoli Majideh by Mahmoud colt who forced Bold Ruler to a recordshattering effort in the Wood Memorial was actually bred by the Aga and his son Aly Khan as were Gallant Mans parents and his dams grandsire Indian Creek one of the out ¬ siders is out of a Blenheim H matron matronIn In 1955 twentyfour horses bred by the Aga Khan sired one or more winners in England and Ireland the list including Palestine Migoli and Tehran In that same year he also was breeder of 26 sires of dams of winners including such unforgetable names as Nasrullah Blenheim II Mah ¬ moud and Bahram the latter the unbeaten English Triple Crown winner and perhaps the most superb runner ever bred by the Aga AgaConsidering Considering the Aga has only been breed ¬ ing thoroughbreds for 35 years the pro ¬ found and pronounced influence he has had and is having is exceptional His con ¬ tribution has been one of the greatest in all turf history historyWhat What is the policy of this man who has proved so successful He has not only been guided by a determination to obtain the best blood to serve at his many farms which has given him a solid foundation that has paid off in rich dividends but Jie has practiced intentionally a constant rhythm of buying and selling which many credit with being one of the primary fac ¬ tors in his continual and ramifying success successHis His victories in the daddy of all Derbys the one at Epsom matches that of Calumet in the rose run Five times have his green and brown silks hit the wire f jrst with Blenheim H in 1930 with Bah ¬ ram in 1935 Mahmoud in 1936 My Love Coowner in 1948 and in 1952 with the mighty unbeaten Tulyar What is the Agas formula for breeding such classic winners as Nthese and such classic sires as Nasrullah NasrullahHe He has never bred exclusively for stam ¬ ina He believes that there must be some stamina in a potential classic winners pedi ¬ gree but he breeds essentially for speed He has always felt that a horse with sufficient speed will go any distance because while he is enjoying himself out in front the others will be straining to catch up with him himThe The ga Khan believes that the ideal horse is the one that can get a mile and a quarter at high speed the sort that can beat both sprinters and stayers stayersThe The Aga Khans goal in breeding is ob ¬ viously identical with our American classic distance No wonder his influence pervades our classic races especially the Derby with the extraordinary effectiveness that it does
