Louisiana-bred Manama Gold stays undefeated in UAE Oaks

Feb 23, 2024 Kellie Reilly/Brisnet.com

Victorious Racing’s Manama Gold continued her sparkling run in Dubai on Friday, extending her record to a perfect 3-for-3 in the $190,620 UAE Oaks (G3). The about 1 3/16-mile test at Meydan offers points toward the Kentucky Oaks (G1) on a scale of 50-25-15-10-5 to the top five finishers.

Although her name refers to her Bahraini connections, Manama Gold hails from a different Gulf coast state – Louisiana. She was bred by the same Brittlyn Stable that also campaigned her sire, Louisiana-bred celebrity Star Guitar, and her full sister, eight-time stakes heroine Ova Charged. Manama Gold and Ova Charged, who recently dominated the Mardi Gras S. at Fair Grounds, are both out of Charged Cotton, a mare by champion Dehere.

Purchased for $200,000 as a two-year-old in training at OBS last April, Manama Gold has been a revelation at the Dubai Carnival. The Fawzi Nass trainee scored decisively in her first start at about seven furlongs on Dec. 22, and romped by more than nine lengths in the Jan. 19 Cocoa Beach S. over a metric mile.

The step up in distance for the UAE Oaks was the new variable. If not as flashy, Manama Gold nevertheless handled the added ground to stay undefeated.

Under a well-judged ride by regular pilot Adrie de Vries, the heavy favorite grabbed the lead from the gate and never relinquished it. Manama Gold maintained a 1 1/4-length margin while finishing the course in 2:00.81.

Mizzyaan, a daughter of Triple Crown champion Justify, stalked closely throughout and held second. The Doug Watson filly, a slow-starting fourth behind Manama Gold last time, narrowed the gap substantially here. Mizzyaan was emulating her dam (mother), multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire Vale Dori, who was runner-up in the 2016 UAE Oaks.

Lightning Paradise, Manama Gold’s stablemate, checked in third. Next came Kibo Misaki, Fatinah, and Sensatiable.

None of Friday’s UAE Oaks runners was nominated to the Kentucky Oaks by the early deadline, but there’s still time to make a nomination by April 10.

“I’m very pleased,” de Vries said of Manama Gold postrace. “I have a lot to do with her in the mornings, and she’s a very special filly.

“At the moment, I think she’s not at her best – she’s growing a lot – but she has a lot of class.

“I didn’t really have a plan to make (the running), but no one really wanted it. You can see when she gets in front she pricks her ears. I think she’ll be a better filly next year, but I’ll leave it to Fawzi and (owner) Sheikh Nasser to make a plan.”

The past two UAE Oaks winners did advance to Churchill Downs. Shahama, who was originally trained by Nass, switched to Todd Pletcher and finished sixth in the 2022 Kentucky Oaks. Last season, the Salem bin Ghadayer-trained Mimi Kakushi reported home eighth beneath the Twin Spires.