By Admin 
The Indian horse racing fraternity bid goodbye to one of its most brilliant trainers, S. Padmanabhan, popularly known as Paddy, who passed away on Sunday at Bengaluru. He was 71 and is survived by wife Sharmila Padmanabhan, who was a pillar of support.
Padmanabhan, who began his career in 1981 after obtaining the licence from the Madras Race Club, started training in Chennai before moving his base to the Bangalore Turf Club.
Over a career spanning more than four decades, Padmanabhan sent out over 1,000 winners, including an exceptional 113 Classic and nearly 200 Graded race successes. Among the remarkable achievements were three Indian Derby triumphs and five Indian Turf Invitation Cup wins which cemented his place as a legendary figure in the sport.
His first Derby victory came in 2012 with the brilliant filly In The Spotlight, followed by Desert God in 2016 and Hall Of Famer in 2017. In the Indian Turf Invitation Cup, he saddled five champions — Running Flame (1999), Zurbaran (2003), Becket (2010), In The Spotlight (2012), and Desert God (2016).
Incidentally, Desert God, considered the highest stake-earning racehorse in Indian history, was bred, owned, and trained by Padmanabhan!
One of the most well-known Indian racing figures internationally, Padmanabhan closely followed global trends and studied pedigrees which helped him excel in every area of the sport. Known for his sharp judgment, he had a special talent for selecting the right horses.