Breaking fresh ground, the Pune-based Yeravada Stud & Agricultural Farm has acquired the Brazilian champion New Famous(BRZ) for stud duties at that historic nursery. Since the death of Prince Pradeep in 1976, this is perhaps the best prospect acquired by the farm, which has over half a dozen Indian Derby winners to its credit.

Bred in Brazil at the well-known Haras Santa Maria de Araras, New Famous(BRZ) went into training with leading schooler Mario Campos in his native land, where he raced exclusively at Rio de Janeiro`s premier racetrack, Gávea. Here he won on debut over 1100 m. and went on to score a total of 5 times from his first 6 starts, four of which came on turf and two on dirt. His sole defeat came in extremely heavy going on sodden turf. His victories included the Gran Premio Estado do Rio de Janeiro, G1, (1600 m. in a sizzling 1:34.0 by almost 4 lengths), the Gran Premio José Buarque de Macedo, G3, (1600 m.), the Clásico Júlio Capua, L. (1600 m.) and the Premio Especial Carlos Belmiro Rodrigues (1300 m.). In both his Graded Stakes victories he defeated Novellista, subsequently a G1 winner. At his only other start at Gávea, New Famous(BRZ) was narrowly beaten into second place over a trip too far in the 2000 m. Gran Premio Francisco Eduardo de Paula Machado, G1.

As a result of his sterling performances, New Famous (BRZ) was accorded the title of "Champion 3-y-o colt" and "Champion Miler in Brazil". Incidentally, he is the only horse in India descending from Mr. Prospector to have rated a mention in the text of Avalyn Hunter`s recent book "Gold Rush: How Mr. Prospector Became Racing`s Billion-Dollar Sire" (Eclipse Press, October 2007).

New Famous(BRZ) is a son of the ill-fated Jules (by Mr. Prospector`s outstanding son Forty Niner out of a grand-daughter of Natalma), whose other leading progeny include $ 3,000,000 earner Peace Rules, False Promises, The Name`s Bond, etc., in the Northern Hemisphere and Must Be Flying, Notificado, Novellista (all G1 winners), etc., in the Southern Hemisphere. His dam is a winning daughter of champion sire Ghadeer, and is half-sister to Galanta (dam of Moon Berry, G3 winner in Brazil and stakes performer in 2007 in the USA). The next dam Salandra (multiple Gr.2 winner) was a daughter of Argentine champion New Dandy.

The outstanding efforts of Sandpit (over $ 3,000,000) and Siphon (over $ 2,000,000) in the USA in the `nineties first heralded the value of Brazilian bloodstock in open company outside their native land. These scintillating performers have been followed more recently by the likes of Hard Buck (G1 winner in the USA and second in the G1 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes in England, earning an Annual Timeform rating of 127), while Pico Central warranted a mark of 126.

A study of the leading sires in India over the years reveals that stallions who commence their stud careers in India have always done better than those who have stood abroad previously; the champion sire in India in the past decade or so has always belonged to this group e.g. Placerville[USA], Razeen[USA], Riyahi[IRE] and Malvado[CAN], to name the last four individual horses to have occupied that position. With his relatively outcross pedigree, New Famous (BRZ) is poised to add further pages of glory to the Yeravada story.