Ten years ago, RAJENDRA MAHARAJH raced his first horse at Woodbine, RUNFOR RO, and she was placed first through disqualification in a maiden event. Runfor Ro was ridden by Justin Stein.
A decade later, Stein guided Maharajh’s Ontario-bred 3-year-old filly MUNNYFOR RO to the biggest win of the Trinidadian’s years as a Thoroughbred owner, the $500,000 Woodbine Oaks.
Trained by Kevin Attard, who started up the Munnings filly last year as a juvenile and then handed over the reins this winter to former Woodbine trainer Brian Lynch, a friend of Maharajh, MUNNYFOR RO went around her rivals three and four wide throughout and won the 1 1/8 mile classic by 1 1/4 lengths.
The early fractions and final time of 1:50.31 were all significantly faster than the clockings of the Plate Trial earlier in the day. It would seem likely that Maharajh and Attard will elect to race the filly in the Aug. 22 Queen’s Plate since fillies tend to do well in the prestigious race (Wonder Gadot, Holy Helena, Lexie Lou, Inglorious, etc).
Munnyfor Ro was only third choice in the Oaks behind favoured CURLIN’S CATCH, from the Mark Casse barn and undefeated stakes winner LORENA. It was Lorena, who was stretching out to a route distance for the first time, who set the pace but ultimately could not stay the distance. Curlin’s Catch raced in the back of the field on the rail but failed to fire while pace pressers EMMELINE (Violence), a maiden, and IL MALOCCHIO (Souper Speedy) stayed on for second and third.
Maharajh’s Raroma Stable Inc. races horses in Ontario and in the U.S. and has family in Toronto. He names most of his horses after his son Rowan and celebrated his mother’s 80th birthday on Oaks day.
The stable’s 2021 season is now up to 10 wins, more than any other season and the $300,000 (Can) in purse money from the Oaks has made this easily the owner’s best year.
Munnyfor Ro was bred by Mark Dodson’s DayBar Ltd. and brought $65,000 at the 2019 Keeneland September sale, consigned by Woods Edge Farm. “My good buddy Art Fisher from Ocala picked her out for me,” said Maharajh. “She came up here [last year] and ran two races. She was a little immature at the time. We sent her down to Florida and gave her the winter off and then with COVID, my other trainer, Brian Lynch, took her over and prepped her up and we were always planning for this race. Brian did a fabulous job getting her ready and then she came over just about a month ago and Kevin did the final touches on her and he did a fabulous job.”
Maharajh admits he was a bit nervous when his filly raced for a $35,000 claiming price on Jan. 15 in a turf race at Gulfstream.
“Yes I was worried, I have always loved this filly but my adventurous trainer Brian Lynch convinced me to take a chance and fortunately for me it all worked out.”
The filly was second that day, the third before finally winning her maiden in a 1 1/8 mile grass race at Keeneland over fellow Ontario-bred Third Draft who did not come up for the Oaks. Munnyfor Ro then landed third in an allowance race and sixth in the Grade 3 Regret Stakes before heading back to Woodbine.
Her return outing for Attard was solid as she was a clear second in the Grade 3 Selene Stakes.
The filly’s dam, the placed REPARTEE by Distorted Humor, was bred by Darley and bought for $34,000 in foal to Discreet Cat in 2016 by Ben McElroy Agent.
There are just three weeks to the Plate, so not a lot of time for Maharajh and Attard to bask in the glory of the Oaks win.
The desire is to run the gal back in the Plate if all goes well leading up to the race.
But Maharajh would have to put up $25,000 to supplement her as she was not originally eligible.
Attard could have a herd of horses in the Plate from HADDASSAH, HARLAN ESTATE, H C HOLIDAY, TRUFFLE KING and LENNY K, in addition to MUNNYFOR RO.
Oh, and son Joshua has his own Plate horse – KEEP GRINDING, trained by his grandpa Tino.
Raroma Stable Stats from Equibase
Career 223 39 34 38 $1,877,411
2021 32 10 5 5 $598,983
2020 31 4 5 5 $155,471
2019 39 7 8 5 $231,288
2018 29 3 4 6 $95,237
2017 14 3 1 2 $141,647
2016 4 1 1 0 $31,210
2015 11 1 1 1 $57,232
2014 18 4 1 6 $171,646
2013 21 2 5 4 $148,886
2012 16 2 2 2 $134,407
2011 8 2 1 2 $111,404
More from Horses:
