A $425,000 purchase out of the 2021 OBS April Sale, the bald-faced chestnut, bred by SF Bloodstock, debuted with a nine-length victory in a seven-furlong event at Meydan Dec. 9 and was accorded 'Rising Star' status off a visually impressive 2 1/2-length score in a Jan. 1 allowance. Victorious in the Listed UAE 1000 Guineas Jan. 28, she met with some adversity in the 9 1/2-furlong UAE Oaks, but managed to overcome a poor start and a bit of a wide trip to remain undefeated.

Owned by KHK Racing and trained in Dubai by Fawzi Nass, Shahama is a half-sister to two-time Eclipse Award winner Lookin At Lucky (Smart Strike) and to two-time graded-stakes winner Kensei (Mr. Greeley). Connections paid the $200 nomination fee to make Shahama eligible for the Oaks at its first closing stage Feb. 19.

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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 travel, the May 9 foal was guided out into about the four path as the field reached the halfway point. Four wide at the three-eighths peg, Shahama began to catch the eye and loomed at the top of the straight to make a line of three. Tenderly ridden by de Vries, she was asked to accelerate a bit 300 metres from home and was always holding Arabian Gazelles (Mastery), who gave game chase. Minwah (Cupid) completed a US-bred sweep.

“She was very upset today because of the screen, the music, [the start being in] the straight,” the winning jockey said. “She jumped a bit awkward because she was sitting down in the gate. It was a little bit awkward,` as there were a few horses who couldn't bring me to the leader, so I had to go wide to get her out of the kickback, but she did it very easy.”

Pedigree Notes:

Trainer Fawzi Nass's name appeared on the docket when Shahama–a May 9 foal–was hammered down for $425,000 at last year's OBS April Sale after breezing a quarter-mile in :21 flat. From the same Gone West sire line as the talented multiple graded-stakes winning Kensei and a half to dual Eclipse Award winner Lookin At Lucky, Shahama is out of a daughter of the stakes-winning Regal Feeling, whose Grade III-winning daughter Grand Charmer (Lord Avie) was responsible for GSP juvenile filly True Feelings (Latent Heat). Regal Feeling is also responsible for Flirtatious (A.P. Indy), the dam of champion Wait A While (Maria's Mon). The now 23-year-old Private Feeling is represented by a yearling colt by Catalina Cruiser and is due to Smart Strike's Grade I-winning son Tom's d'Etat this year. Shahama is the 24th graded/group winner for Munnings.

Friday, Meydan, Dubai
UAE OAKS PRESENTED BY JAFZA-G3, $150,000, Meydan, 2-18, 3yo, f, 9 1/2f, 2:02.25, ft.
1–SHAHAMA, 126, f, 3, by Munnings
1st Dam: Private Feeling, by Belong To Me
2nd Dam: Regal Feeling, by Clever Trick
3rd Dam: Sharp Belle, by Native Charger
'TDN Rising Star' 1ST GROUP WIN. ($425,000 2yo '21 OBSAPR). O-KHK Racing; B-SF Bloodstock LLC (KY); T-Fawzi Abdulla Nass; J-Adrie de Vries. $90,000. Lifetime Record: 4-4-0-0, $223,670. *1/2 to Kensei (Mr. Greeley), MGSW, $751,364; and Lookin At Lucky (Smart Strike), Ch. 2yo & 3yo Colt-US, MGISW, $3,307,278. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*.
2–Arabian Gazelles, 126, f, 3, Mastery–Adventure, by Unbridled's Song. ($110,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). 1ST BLACK-TYPE. 1ST GROUP BLACK-TYPE. O-Mrs Fitri Hay; B-AR Enterprises, LLC (KY); T-Bhupat Seemar. $30,000.
3–Minwah, 126, f, 3, Cupid–My Curlina, by Belong To Me. ($130,000 Ylg '20 KEEJAN; $130,000 Ylg '20 FTKSEP; $70,000 2yo '21 FTMMAY). 1ST GROUP BLACK-TYPE. O-Ahmad Bintooq; B-Tom Evans & Pam Clark (KY); T-Doug Watson. $15,000.
Margins: 2, 3 1/4, 2 1/4.
Also Ran: Remas, Uchchaihshravas (Ire), Shadzadi (Ire), Hot Pink (Ire). Click for the Emiratesracing.com result. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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“I was very impressed,” said jockey Adrie De Vries. “The race went totally different than I expected; I thought there would be a really strong pace with three sprinters in there but they all had the same plan. I wanted to take the pace out, which the outside draw helped me do and got me in a handy position. From there it was only a question of pushing the button and she answered every question.

“There's plenty left in the tank. She's only doing what you ask her to do and I haven't got serious with her yet.”

Trained by Fawzi Nass, she has earned $133,484 to date. After speeding an Under Tack quarter in :21 flat, she was purchased for $425,000 by her trainer out of the Eddie Woods consignment at the 2021 OBS April Sale.

While the Saudi Derby might be tempting, connections are leaning towards staying in Dubai with the daughter of Munnings. The Group 3 UAE Oaks looks the next step towards possibly taking on colts in the Group 2 UAE Derby.

“The Oaks looks the obvious next race,” added De Vries. “I'm not afraid about going further; any distance up to a mile and a quarter will suit her.”

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It was a third UAE Oaks success in six years for Dobbs, actually riding this filly for the first time in a race, and Doug Watson who also combined to land the race in 2016 with Polar River and Rayya two years later.

“She just goes out there and and tries hard,” said Watson. “We've done very little with her since she ran. She's a small filly and she has a lot of talent. We worked her in company out of the gate and that helped. Today she didn't enjoy being behind and when she was tipped out you could see it. She was the best filly. I don't know if they'll want to run her in the Derby, but who knows. Fair dues to Shane (Ryan, starter) and the gate crew. The did a great job helping us out. Obviously, she's a little funny in the gate and she broke great tonight. (The owners) should send her to America. That's her second win here. She's got a lot of options over there. If she stays sound and training like she is, she could win over there.”

Owned by Al Rashid Stables, the daughter of Empire Maker won her debut, over 1400m (seven furlongs), in December despite completely blowing the start. She was then very slowly away over 1600m (one mile) in the Listed UAE 1000 Guineas, staying on late to snatch second.

However, she broke on level terms this time and, once switched off the rail about 1200m from home, soon loomed as a massive danger to Godolphin's Last Sunset who hit the front, briefly, leaving the home turn. As soon as Dobbs said 'go' the race was over with Last Sunset losing second place close home to Nayefah who stayed on dourly having been held up in last.

“She's very brave,” jockey Pat Dobbs said of Mnasek. “She didn't enjoy the early part of the race, getting the kickback, but once she got out, she travelled super. She stays very well. She's a little bit light-mouthed, but she's got a big heart and is a lovely mover.”

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Mnasek

Away much more smoothly up to 1900 metres on Thursday, Mnasek broke on top from the rail but soon dropped back to allow Jumeirah Beach (Ire) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) to take up the running. Fourth and about three lengths off the lead rounding the first bend, jockey Pat Dobbs made a deliberate move to put the filly on the outside midway down the backstretch and she was poised ominously four-wide rounding the bend. Shooting to the lead as they straightened, Mnasek drew clear effortlessly to crush her overmatched opposition by 6 1/2 lengths. Nayefah (Super Saver) made eye-catching headway late to be second, while Last Sunset (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) was third.

Winning trainer Doug Watson said, “She just goes out there and tries hard. We've done very little with her since she [last] ran. She's a small filly and she has a lot of talent. We worked her in company out of the gate and that helped. Today she didn't enjoy being behind and when she was tipped out you could see it. She was the best filly. I don't know if they'll want to run her in the [G2 UAE] Derby, but who knows. Fair dues to Shane [Ryan, starter] and the gate crew. They did a great job helping us out. Obviously, she's a little funny in the gate and she broke great tonight. [The owners] should send her to America. That's her second win here. She's got a lot of options over there. If she stays sound and training like she is, she could win over there.”

Dobbs added, “She's very brave. She didn't enjoy the early part of the race, getting the kickback, but once she got out, she travelled super. She stays very well. She's a little bit light-mouthed, but she's got a big heart and is a lovely mover.”

Pedigree Notes

Mnasek is the sixth foal out of her GII Bayakoa H.-winning dam Washington Bridge (Yankee Gentleman), who was bred by Brereton Jones and bought by Don Alberto Corp. for $750,000 at Fasig-Tipton's November sale in 2013 in foal to Tapit, having been bought by Town and Country Farm as a maiden mare for $330,000 at Keeneland January the year prior. Washington Bridge is out of the listed-winning Stirling Bridge (Prized), who has also produced the multiple listed winner Jose Sea View (Badge Of Silver). The third dam is the GIII Suwannee River H. scorer Early Lunch (Noble Table). Washington Bridge, who was offered at Keeneland November last year but led out unsold at $37,000, has a 2-year-old filly by Street Sense named West Love, a yearling full-sister to Mnasek and was bred to Liam's Map for 2021.

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“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 good from her last race. We're looking forward to the future with her.”

Soft Whisper has not been worse than second in six starts and has won her last four straight. She took the UAE 1000 Guineas Trial on Jan. 7 by 2 1/2 lengths before winning the main event itself by seven three weeks later.

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