The Poonawalla Stud Farms has been a leader in horse racing and breeding in India for the past fifty years. The farm has achieved many prominent honors such as the “Champion Breeders” Award for its rich legacy of producing champion stallions from the Turf Authorities of India.
It was 1946 when the late Soli Poonawlla, the grandfather of Yohan Poonawalla, started the Poonawalla Stud Farm with a little collection of about twelve mares and a horse. Now, the farms accommodate 137 broodmares and 3 resident stallions in Leitir Mor (from Holy Roman Emperor), freshman sires Satono Impresa (from Deep Impact), and Baratti (from Frankel).
Under the management of Yohan Poonawalla, the farm is pushing its boundaries to become one of the best breeding and training centers worldwide.
Yohan Poonawalla and His Journey to Managing Director of the Poonawalla Stud Farms
Yohan Poonawalla has an innate affection and passion for horses since his grandfather was a renowned horse breeder and trainer. He grew up among these beautiful creatures that represent freedom and adventure. His love for the stud and stallions only deepened as he grew older. Yohan Poonawalla’s dedication and passion for horses earned him recognition, therefore, today he is managing the Poonawalla Stud Farms along with his other business ventures in distinct industries.
Yohan Poonawalla’s hard work and strategic planning led him to manage the Poonawalla Stud Farms where he plans strategies and envisions the farm’s growth with his dedicated staff. He aims to get the Poonawalla Stud Farms recognized all around the world and produce more race-winning stallions to continue his grandfather’s legacy.
The Poonawalla Stud Farms- The Leading Stud Farm in India
The Poonawalla Stud Farms is located in the Pune district of Maharashtra. It has three branches including two youngstock areas at Theur (24 km from Pune) and Hadapsar (10 km from Pune) and a breeding area at Theur.
The Poonawalla Stud Farm holds the tag of the best stud farm in India with 15 “Champion Breeders’ Awards” from the Indian Turf Authorities. Additionally, the farm has reared the winners of 385 Classics and 710 Group wins till December 2024 which includes winners of 71 Indian Classics and 10 Indian Derbies.
Most of the horses born yearly are sold, however, a few are raised by the Poonawalla family for racing purposes. For the past few years, every horse has proven his worth at the Poonawalla Stud Farms and raised trust in them. Explore their impressive achievements in detail on the WEBSITE.
Dedication and Vision of the Poonawalla Stud Farms
The Poonawalla family considers the late Soli A. Poonawalla as the focal point of their inspiration and success in the present. When horse breeding was not popular in India, over 65 years ago, he established the Poona Stud Farm. At that time, he only bred pure Indian horse breeds which led to the entrance of Indian pedigree to the international racing arenas.
Dedicated to the late Soli A. Poonawalla’s dreams, Poonawalla Stud Farms have made several new records in racing history. They sponsored the most affluent juvenile race in India named “The Group One Poonawalla Breeders’ Multi-Million” and expanded the levels of the Indian pure-blooded stallions.
Modern thoroughbred breeding with scientific operations is becoming popular worldwide. However, the Poonawalla Stud Farms is stepping toward success with experience and insight. The Poonawalla family has taken immense pride in expanding the Indian breeding industry for the past sixty-five years.
The Poonawalla Stud Farm sustains the traditions of breeding Indian thoroughbreds with innovation and excellence. The farm envisions a greatly anticipated and hopeful future dedicating themselves to producing the most wonderful creatures.
Facilities Available at the Poonawalla Stud Farms
Equine Viewing Gallery
It is the main area where one can see the glorious bloodstock from the Poonawalla Stud Farms. Additionally, the gallery entertains the guests with comfortable seating areas and has business rooms Astonish and Adler named after the champions of the farms. The equine viewing gallery offers a unique experience for horse enthusiasts. One can enjoy the view of lush green grassland, tracks, and horses in a natural habitat. People can thoroughly learn about how the champions are managed at the Poonawalla Stud Farms through the glimpses provided at the gallery.
Horse Walkers
The stud farms possesses six computerized horse walkers with wonderful structural facilities including complete safety, proper ventilation, and ground built with appropriate material facilitating exercise in any weather condition. These horse walkers provide a controlled environment for horses to move freely with safety and security. Additionally, the spacious walkers are connected to various bays providing horses with natural movements of exercises and physical therapy. This helps improve horses’ fitness and strengthen their muscles.
Race Tracks
The stud farms have two turf tracks to provide world-class training to the young horses. Several sand and grass tracks on the farm provide a safe and consistent surface for the stallions to exercise. The tracks are designed to offer racing venue conditions helping trainers improve their horses’ racing performance and prepare them for future races.
Stabling Facilities
The Poonawalla Stud Farms has a safe and healthy environment for its champion stallions with various modern stabling blocks. Every block is air-conditioned and insect-resistant to meet the unique requirements of every horse. Additionally, the blocks are equipped with a dispensary, a restroom, a scanning room, a staff cafeteria, an office, and a wash bay ensuring horses’ safety and hygiene. Here, every horse receives one-on-one attention and care.
Equine Clinic
The clinic at the stud farms is designed to offer comprehensive medical care to the farm’s stallions. It has a sterile laminar pathological laboratory sponsored by the Serum Institute of India where experienced technicians conduct analytical tests. The expert veterinarians at the clinic are always available for routine check-ups and emergency care. Additionally, a well-stocked pharmacy ensures that the horses at the farm receive the appropriate medication in time.
Awards Achieved by the Poonawalla Stud Farms
The Poonawalla Stud Farms received many prestigious awards for its contribution to the Indian breeding industry for over sixty years. Some of these honors are
- 15 times the “Champion Breeders’ Award” winner ( for the years 1997-98, 1999-2000, 2000-01, 2001-02, 2002-03, 2005-06, 2006-07, 2008-09, 2009-2010, 2010-11, 2011-12, 2017-18, 2018-19)
- Mr. Zavaray Poonawalla, the father of Mr. Yohan, was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award (from The Turf Authorities of India) for his contribution to horse racing sport in India
- Mr. Cyrus Poonawalla received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 47th Indian Turf Invitation Cup in 2009 for his outstanding offering to the horse racing industry
- The Lifetime Achievement Award received by Mr. Cyrus Poonawalla at the International Horseracing Conference, Paris in 2009
- Recognition Award at the 32nd Asian Racing Conference, Tokyo, Japan in 2008
- The Hall of Fame Award in 2004
- The Hall of Fame Award received by Mr. Zavaray for the achievements of his stud farms in 1998
- The Vijay Shree Award presented to Mr. Zavaray in 1992 for achievements in horse breeding and animal husbandry
- The Rajiv Gandhi Excellence Award for equine breeding and welfare activities in 1992
Key Achievements by Champions of the Stud Farms
Many stallions from the Poonawalla Stud Farms have made history on the Indian and international racing tracks. The farm has reared several champions including classic winners and derby champions who have created their benchmarks. Some of the prominent achievements are:
- 100th Classic win by Delage in 1990
- 200th Classic win by Moment of Glory in 1997
- 300th Classic win by Noble Prince in 2008
- 3 Derbies in the country and 11 Graded races (8 consecutive times) won by In The Spotlight. Also, he was the highest stakes earner (Rs. 5.26 Crores) in India.
- The Horse of the Year was won by Mystical in 2005-06. Additionally, Mystical became the first-ever Indian horse to win The Dubai International Racing Carnival
- Smart Chieftan Won the Horse of the Year in 2000 and the Indian Triple Crown
- Astonish holds the crown for winning in Class1 Hong Kong as the first Indian horse
- Dancing Green holds the record for the best timing for 1000 m (58.33) in India
- Rambus bay colt holds the record for the best timing for 1200 m (1.10.33) in India
The Poonawalla Breeders Multi-Million Race
The Poonawalla family is well-known for their contribution to the sport of horse racing. The family’s stud farms has also grabbed many awards for its achievements in horse breeding and animal husbandry. To take their passion to the next level, the Poonawalla family successfully organized an event named the “Poonawalla Breeders Multi-Million” inspired by the “Magic Million” in Australia and the “Cartier Million” in Ireland.
At first, the race prize was Rs. 1 Million, however, by the tenth year, the prize surpassed Rs. 5 Million. The race mainly focuses on enhancing Indian thoroughbred racing and breeding and encouraging horse race sport in the country. Now, the race has become the wealthiest race in India second to the Indian Derby. It is organized every year usually on the third Sunday of February at the Mahalakshmi race tracks in Mumbai.
The race is for three-year-olds who run for a distance of 1400 meters to select the “leading juvenile” in India. The event always attracts a large crowd nearly like the Indian Derby. Abundant prizes and attractions are offered to the participants to uplift their spirits and celebrate the festive atmosphere.
The Poonawalla Breeders Multi-Million Race is an all-around event catering to professionals, amateurs, regular race-goers, and fashion lovers with fun and excitement. This unique blend makes it the most appealing event in the entire India.
Unfolding the Ranking Statistics of the Stud Farms
The Stud Farm has always been ranked higher according to the formula opted by the Turf Authorities of India. Here are the rankings describing the farm’s success and achievements in the industry.
- Ranked first with a total of 794 points Including a 2YO race run at Pune on 14 Oct 2023 & races run at Pune on 02 Nov and 03 Nov 2024 (2023- 2024)
- Ranked first in the list of stakes earned with a total earning of Rs. 22,06,63,780 and an average earning of Rs. 7,96,620 per starter
- Ranked first on the list of the number of winners with 67 wins
- Roderic O’Connor [IRE] recorded 109 wins and the highest stake of Rs. 9,11,85,560
- Excellent Art [GB], a juvenile sire, earned Rs. 3,76,87,194 with 22 wins count
- Excellent Lass, a three-year-old, earned Rs. 98,72,449 and recorded 2 wins
Final Words
The Poonawalla Stud Farms is a top-class equine facility that is acknowledged as the best stud farm in India. It has set various benchmarks in horse breeding and racing in the country and worldwide. The Poonawalla Stud Farms and family continues to promote horse racing sports and events to change the facet of the horse rearing and breeding industry in India.
Mr. Yohan Poonawalla is committed to offering unique and enthralling experiences to horse lovers and farm visitors. The Poonawalla Stud Farms marked itself as the leader in the Indian horse breeding field by rearing numerous stake earners and champion stallions.
Also read: Territories To Stand At Poonawalla Stud Farms Next Year