Fain (horse)

Fain was an undefeated Argentinian thoroughbred racehorse who was the Argentine Horse of the Year and Champion Stayer in 1986.

Background
Fain was bred and owned by Haras Santa Maria de Araras. He was foaled on August 30, 1982. His sire, Dancing Moss, had raced with some success in his native Great Britain, including winning the Jockey Club Cup, before being exported to Argentina for stud duty. He led the Argentine general sire list in 1973 and was third in 1979.

Fain's dam, Fallow's Sister, was unraced and had produced eight foals prior to Fain. Six of these were full siblings to Fain, including stakes winners Flamigera and Fatly, who would be named the 1983 Argentine Champion Three-Year-Old Male and 1984 Argentine Champion Stayer.

Throughout his career, Fain was trained by Gonzalo Pascual, a regular trainer for Haras Santa Maria de Araras. Fain is the leading horse trained by Pascual by number of Group 1 wins and the second leading horse by earnings.

Racing career
Fain started racing as a three-year-old, running once in 1985 to win an 1800-meter allowance race on the dirt at Hipódromo Argentino de Palermo. He started as the favorite at odds of 3.40 and won by one and a half lengths.

Fain's 1986 campaign opened on February 16 with the Group 3 Premio Buenos Aires, a 2200-meter dirt race against older horses at Hipódomo Argentino de Palermo. He again started as the favorite, at odds of 3.60, and outran 6 rivals to win by 4 lengths.

Fain's first race in Group 1 company was on March 9 in the Gran Premio Comparación over 2500 meters on the dirt. For the first time he didn't start as the favorite. Potrillazo, the undefeated winner of the previous year's Gran Premio Nacional and the 1985 Argentine Horse of the Year, was the favorite. Fain won the race by four lengths. In his next race, the Group 1 Gran Premio República Argentina on April 13, Fain stretched out to 3000 meters. He again started as the favorite, at odds of 3.30, and won by 2 lengths. Fain won his next race, the Group 2 Premio General Belgrano over 2500 meters on June 6.

On October 12, in his first race as a four-year-old, Fain ran in the longest race of his career, the Group 1 Gran Premio de Honor, run over 3500 meters. Fain had already beaten the 4 other horses entered against him and started as the favorite at odds of 2.80. During the race, only one horse seriously challenged Fain, Cabileño. Fain won by a head, with a twelve length gap between Cabileño in second place and the third placed horse.

For his final race, Fain was entered in the Group 1 Gran Premio Carlos Pellegrini, his first race at a track other than Hipódromo Argentino de Palermo and his first race on the turf. The field was considered an exceptional one, with 20 other horses were entered, including Potrillazo, El Serrano, who had won that year's Polla de Potrillos, Gran Premio Jockey Club, and Gran Premio Nacional to win the Argentine Triple Crown, Micenas, coming off of a win in the Group 1 Gran Premio Dardo Rocha, 1985 Gran Premio Jockey Club winner Bonsoir, and Grosor, a multiple Group 1 winner from Chile. El Serrano started as the favorite, with Fain the fourth choice at odds of 4.90.

El Serrano was the fastest to break, taking the lead briefly before being passed by Conguero. Coming into the straight, El Serrano regained the lead. With about 200 meters left in the 2400 meter race, El Serrano began to tire, and Fain passed him on the inside. Fain held off the rest of the field to win by a half length in a time of 2:24 flat.

Based on these wins, Fain was named the Argentine Horse of the Year and Champion Stayer for 1986, and his dam was named the Argentine Broodmare of the Year.

Race record
An asterisk after the odds means Fain was the post time favorite.

Stud career
Fain entered stud in 1987 at Haras San Ignacio De Loyola, covering 60 mares in his first season. He continued to stand stud there until 1991, when he moved to Haras Santa Maria de Araras for one year before returning to Haras San Ignacio de Loyola until his final year at stud, 1993, when he stood at Haras Mariela Y Andrea. He sired 5 stakes winners from 209 foals (2.4%), including Group 1 winners Sally Girl and Good Whisky. He is the damsire of at least 4 stakes winners, including Group 1 winners Safari Girl, Eu Tambem, and Zorro Rojo.