UAE: Shahama, one of the stars of the 2022 Dubai World Cup Carnival, is set to join US trainer Todd Pletcher to be prepared for the Kentucky Oaks.
The filly, who is four-out-of-four at Meydan for Bahraini trainer Fawzi Nass, was a possible candidate for the UAE Derby on World Cup night after successes in both the UAE Guineas and Oaks in January and February.
But travel plans are now being made for the daughter of Munnings to fly to Florida to join up with some of the Pletcher string at his Palm Beach base. “She is going to America to join Todd Pletcher who will train her for the Kentucky Oaks,” said Nass. “We are hoping she can get out on March 17 which will give us six weeks to the Oaks.”
Nass paid $425,000 for the half-sister to 2010 Preakness Stakes winner Lookin’ At Lucky at the Ocala Spring Two-Year-Old sale last year after which she was shipped to Dubai.
She made her debut in December, winning her maiden by nine lengths, and then captured the UAE 1,000 Guineas Trial on New Year’s Day, the first of three victories this year.
While Nass’s training involvement is now over, he continues to represent the filly’s owner KHK Racing, the team of Bahrain’s Sheikh Khalid bin Hamad al Khalifa.
“I think she will have a better future in the US,” added Nass. “I wasn’t sure about her facing colts in the Saudi Derby or UAE Derby at this stage of her age.
“I think she is definitely capable of getting some black type, whether it is in the Kentucky Oaks or other races, in the near future, so this seems the best thing to do.
“It’s tough to know how good she is. I don’t think she has beaten much in Dubai, but she can only beat what there is. She did it the hard way last time as well by missing the start, which she needs to improve on. But she should definitely be a black type filly in America.”
Pletcher, who has won the Kentucky Oaks four times including last year with Malathaat, has a host of potential contenders for Churchill Downs for which Shahama earned 50 pts with her latest win to put her third in the standings.
"We're excited about getting her in,” he said. “I believe the plan will be to come to Florida and prepare for the Oaks. I think we would just train up to the Oaks, but we need to see how she is and how quickly she acclimates before making any firm decisions."
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