NEWS

Easily recognizable in a sea of bays and grays, Timmy Dutta’s palomino gelding Mr. Musty is not only a standout for his striking gold coat, but for his boundless stamina enabling him to play three or four times per game. In stark contrast to his calm and quiet demeanor in the barn, the 9-year-old gelding is a dynamo on the field, rocketing through Dutta Corp’s stellar 2019 20-goal season with as much force as his teenage owner. Playing what added up to an astounding 11-and-a-half minutes during the 2019 Ylvisaker Cup Final, what Mr. Musty is still developing in open speed he more than makes up for in endurance, allowing Dutta to rely on him when the game gets hard.

Sired by Open Sunset (son of Gonzalo Pieres’ Luna) and out of Martina, Mr. Musty is statuesque in appearance, his poise during the photoshoot indicative of what has propelled his considerable fanbase over the past year. We spoke to both Tim and Timmy Dutta about what to expect from the talented pair as they prepare to compete in their first GAUNTLET OF POLO™ representing the family business.

Where did Mr. Musty get his name?

Tim: “I own a smaller palomino mare named Mostaza (Mustard in Spanish) that we bought from Memo Gracida. Her barn name is “Musty,” but I refer to her as “Mighty Musty” because although she’s tiny she still fights with the big boys on the polo field. When we bought Mr. Musty, whose registered name is Martín with the Asociación Argentina de Criadores de Caballos de Polo, Timmy did not want him to have a common name. Timmy’s idea was that I would have Mrs. Musty and he would have Mr. Musty. They really do look alike except that Mrs. Musty is more blonde than Mr. Musty.”

What is his breeding?

Tim: “His sire is a very good Thoroughbred stallion named Open Sunset. Open Sunset is by Rainbow Corner and out of Luna, the famous Luna of Gonzalo Pieres. Open Sunset has produced quite a lot of top horses and we have four Open Sunsets in our stable: Open Intrussa, Lechuzon, Open Purpura and Mr. Musty. Mr. Musty’s dam is Martina and she played a lot of high-goal polo including the Copa Cámara de Diputados*.”

How did you come to own Mr. Musty?

Tim: “We bought him from Piki and Lucas Diaz Alberdi in Argentina who purchased him thinking of us. When Piki first played Mr. Musty in the pampas he sent me a photo and said ‘this will be Timmy’s next star.’ It was love at first sight and I bought him in the fall of 2018. He was ours less than a minute before Timmy played him.

We watched him play with Lucas in the Copa Cámara de Diputados and Copa Metro Alto. Timmy played him two full chukkers every game in the Copa Presidente (20-goal), Copa Sojo and Copa Amigos. He was on the plane on November 15, 2018, to the United States.”

What did you like about Mr. Musty when you first rode him?

Timmy: “When I first got on Mr. Musty his laterals were amazing. When I played him in Argentina he wasn’t that fast, but he was quick on the field. He has an amazing mouth and he is a very strong horse. I knew if I could bring him to the U.S. he would most likely improve. We brought him to the states and I got him fit again. While playing in the Joe Barry Memorial and Ylvisaker Cup last season he started to improve and increased his speed and he’s become an incredible asset to my string.”

What are Mr. Musty’s strengths on the field?

Timmy: “I’m very comfortable when I get on him for two reasons. First, I win the turns with him because we’re very quick. Also, I know when I get control of the ball even if there is an opponent in front of me the majority of the time if I have enough space I can pass. Mr. Musty has natural timing and he’s very good at passing on the outside. He slides through the pack and horses who can do that are very hard to find. He has a powerful engine and he never runs out of gas. He never runs away with me and he constantly has a soft mouth.”

Which chukker(s) do you typically play him?

Timmy: “This past season in the finals I played him almost three chukkers. I personally enjoy Mr. Musty as a spare because I like to have a good spare just in case the horse I get on in the chukker loses a little bit of mouth or I need to change because they started getting tired. I’ll probably get on Mr. Musty three or four times during the game for a couple minutes each time.”

What is your favorite playing memory on Mr. Musty?

Timmy: “I have two favorite memories. One would be when we played against SD Farms in the 2019 Joe Barry Memorial and I scored one goal coast-to-coast on Mr. Musty and he was amazing. He went through all of his gears and we passed everybody to score. Also, in the 2019 Ylvisaker Cup Final against Pilot Mr. Musty took me to every play. Facundo Pieres passed me, but I was able to catch him and make the hook. Mr. Musty was playing the game himself, following the ball, and he was passing players on the field.”

What are the plans for his future?

Tim: “We’ve received phone calls from people in England and France who saw a photo of him on uspolo.org and wanted to buy him. I’ve had to tell them he’s not for sale. Mr. Musty is going to retire one day at our home and when Timmy’s done playing I’ll enjoy him or hack him. We plan to take him to Argentina to play in the Copa Cámara de Diputados either this year or next.”

Watch Timmy Dutta and Mr. Musty in action throughout the GAUNTLET OF POLO™ livestreamed exclusively on Global Polo TV. The USPA Gold Cup® games can be accessed with free registration on GlobalPolo.com.

*The Copa Cámara de Diputados was first played for in 1924 and is one of the most prestigious tournaments of the Argentine spring season. For many years the winning team earned the right to qualify for the Open Championship. Currently, it is played for by teams rated 24-goals and up.