It will be a good story for Dubai if North America wins: Seemar

dubai — The man who surprised professors in his American university by travelling all the way from India to learn about horses, now stands on the cusp of surprising Bob Baffert — one of the greatest trainers in racing history.

Satish Seemar’s has been a remarkable journey, one that could reach its greatest landmark at Meydan on Saturday.

“You know, my professors in the US said, ‘you are the first Indian to come here to learn about horses. Your people always come here to become doctors, engineers.’ They were so surprised and impressed that I was keen on learning about horses,” the Dubai-based Indian trainer recalled when Khaleej Times met him at Zabeel Stables.

It’s at Zabeel Stables, a place that offers a majestic view of some of Dubai’s most iconic skyscrapers, that North America took his first steps as a racehorse. Now Seemar is hoping North America, the six-year-old son of Dubawi, will give him his first win in the $10 million Dubai World Cup race on Saturday.

But North America needs to run the race of his life on Saturday

dubai-based trainer satish seemar.

night as the field also boasts West Coast who has taken America by storm with victories in some of the biggest races.

The Bob Baffert-trained West Coast is the big favourite at Meydan. But it’s a Dubai racecourse where Seemar’s North America is the ‘local boy’ who recorded the most impressive win of his career in the Super Saturday.

Performances like that has now made Seemar confident of causing the biggest upset.

“North America made all his strides in this country. He came as a normal horse and he just improved amazingly. His reach to the top level is a great story,” said — Photo by Dhes Handumon Seemar who has played a key role in Dubai’s rise as a global force in horse racing.

Now victory in one of the biggest races in the world will help this highly successful trainer attain legendary status. “Yes that is a good story for media,” he smiled.

“Of course, it is an ambition. But for me, it’s just a pleasure of having such an amazing animal who has improved in front of our own eyes because of the effort of the amazing team I have here.

“Of course, the glory is always the pinnacle of satisfaction, but just what goes behind the scenes, the hard work in this beautiful

Of course Bob is a legendary trainer. Everybody in the racing world knows him. We haven’t forgotten Arrogate’s mazing run last year. So yes we are going against the giants, but we are ready

Satish Seemar

place is important. So yes, it would be a good story for Dubai racing and for Dubai itself, and it starts from the pedigree of the horse.

“He’s the son of Dubawi which is owned by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. If he wins that night, you know, the horse called North America, son of Dubawi, home bred by His Highness and comes back to Dubai and wins one of the most amazing races for the connections. So it’s a good story and it will be a good crowning of that night.”

But Baffert, a three-time Dubai winner, has never returned emptyhanded from Meydan’s most prestigious race. “Well, as a competitive trainer, I would like to change that,” Seemar said. “Of course, I am saying that in a humorous way. But yes, we all want to win. So, that is why we call it a competitive business,” he said.

“Of course Bob is a legendary trainer. Everybody in the racing world knows him. He has done some amazing things. We haven’t forgotten Arrogate’s mazing run last year. So yes we are going against the giants, but we are ready.”

Seemar then revealed what has helped him rub shoulders with revered trainers like Baffert.

“Look, first of all, you have to be dedicated and passionate. I have always been passionate about horses. Yes, there were ups and downs but my passion was to be just around the horses. So what I have learned from my journey I try to pass that on to the young generation. I always tell them that nothing is impossible in life,” he said.

“Yes I have been fortunate, but you get lucky only when you work hard. If you do that, good things will your way. When I started my journey, I didn’t know I was going to end up standing here and talking to you like this one day,” he said.

He will need talk to a large number of journalists at Meydan if North America does cause the biggest upset on Saturday night.

rituraj@khaleejtimes.com