UAE Oaks

Queen Azteca (Sharp Azteca), victress of last year's G3 UAE Oaks and recent Keeneland allowance winner, is one of five horses supplemented to Keeneland's April Selected Horses of Racing Age Sale which will be held Friday beginning at 6:30 p.m. Also supplemented to the auction are: 2-year-old filly Peak Perspective (Mineshaft), who was third on her debut at Keeneland Apr. 15; Getaholdayourself (Collected); Lack of Riesling (Jimmy Creed), second on debut at Keeneland Apr. 15; and Rose Ruler (American Pharoah), a three-length maiden special weight winner in his first start...

Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum's Labwah (Charlatan) will face some considerable obstacles when she enters the gate for Saturday's $1-million G2 UAE Derby at Meydan Racecourse. Not only will she attempt to become just the second of her sex to beat the boys in the Road to the Kentucky Derby points race (Khawlah, 2011), she will also have to see off an always-deep challenge from Japan, whose runners have taken out the last four runnings. While the filly's Lexington-area breeder Calvin Crain wasn't prepared to make any bold predictions,...

6th-Meydan, Cocoa Beach S. (Cond.), AED400,000, NH/SH3yo, f, 1600m, 1:38.15, ft. QUEEN AZTECA (f, 3, Sharp Azteca--Princesa Helena, by Palace Malice) took advantage of a furious early gallop to storm clear late in this prep for the G3 UAE Oaks on Feb. 21. Void of early speed from the inside gate, the blinkered bay filly was content to race at the tail as Arigatou Gozaimazu (Honest Mischief) blazed a trail through the opening 400 metres in an unsustainable :21.54 while chased by favoured Flama Sunshine (Flameaway). Racing against the rail...

The Dubai Racing Club has announced a new partnership with Churchill Downs which will see the Louisville-based operation sponsor the AED300,000 ($81,660) UAE 2000 Guineas Trial (allowance) to be held Friday, Jan. 3, 2025, at Meydan Racecourse. The 2024 renewal was won by the Michael Costa-trained Ma Yetal (Flameaway). Commenting on the partnership, Erwan Charpy, Manager, Racing Operations & International Relations for Dubai Racing Club, said: "We are constantly inspired by our leaders to set the bar higher and in working with international partners such as Churchill Downs, we are...

Track Phantom (Quality Road) continued his preparation for the GI Kentucky Derby with a five-furlong work in 1:00.80 (6/32) at Churchill Downs Sunday morning. With jockey Tyler Gaffalione in the saddle, Track Phantom worked outside 'TDN Rising Star' and GII Pat Day Mile contender Carbone (Mitole) as the duo cruised an opening quarter-mile in a modest :26.20, but galloped out six furlongs in a solid 1:13.60, according to Churchill Downs clocker John Nichols. Track Phantom's final three furlongs was a sharp :34.60. Track Phantom worked in blinkers Sunday and he...

'TDN Rising Star' Shahama (Munnings), who ran her career record to a perfect four-for-four with an easy two-length victory in the G3 UAE Oaks at Meydan Feb. 18, is reportedly set to give the Mar. 26 G2 UAE Derby a miss and will instead be shipped to trainer Todd Pletcher to prepare for a start in the GI Longines Kentucky Oaks May 6. The news was reported in a tweet from Dubai Racing Channel's Michael Adolphson. A $425,000 purchase out of the 2021 OBS April Sale, the bald-faced chestnut, bred...

It was not a completely straight-forward task for 'TDN Rising Star' Shahama (Munnings), but in the end, her considerable class and talent won out as she ran her record to a perfect four-from-four with a deceptively easy victory in Friday's G3 UAE Oaks at Meydan. Off to an awkward beginning, Shahama was clearly last under the wire the first time around and appeared to be climbing badly into the kickback as Adrie de Vries urged her along. Able to tack onto the back of the pack with 1400 metres to...

Mnasek (Empire Maker), a $15,000 purchase by Al Rashid Stables at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sale last June, continued to write her fairytale story at Meydan on Thursday, posting her second win from three starts and first stakes win with a facile score in the G3 UAE Oaks. A longshot 6 3/4-length winner on debut going seven furlongs at Meydan on Dec. 17, Mnasek had to settle for second, seven lengths behind Saturday's Saudi Derby contender Soft Whisper (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), after missing the break in the Listed UAE 1000 Guineas...

Trainer Saeed bin Suroor is keeping options open for his Listed UAE 1000 Guineas winner Soft Whisper (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), with next week's G3 UAE Oaks and Saudi Derby both still on the table. "She is entered in the UAE Oaks and also the Saudi Derby," bin Suroor said. "She's in both races and we will keep options open. She is a good filly and unbeaten in Dubai. She won the Guineas Trial and also the Guineas under Frankie [Dettori]. She won both races really well and has come back...

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed's Down On Da Bayou (Super Saver) had to play second fiddle to Godolphin fillies in the Listed UAE 1000 Guineas on Jan. 23 and the trial three weeks prior to that, but fortunes were reversed and son prevailed over father in the G3 UAE Oaks at Meydan on Thursday evening, with Down On Da Bayou strolling home by 18 1/2 lengths over Dubai Love (GB) (Night of Thunder {Ire}) while stepping up to 1900 metres for the first time. Breaking well from the extreme outside gate...