Munnings Half-Sister To Lookin At Lucky Becomes 'Rising Star'

by Alan Carasso

Shahama (Munnings), who bolted up by nine lengths on her 1400-metre debut at Meydan Dec. 9, endured a much more troubled passage in Saturday's UAE 1000 Guineas Trial, a conditions event over the same course and distance, but exhibited her considerable class in the final stages to score by 2 1/2 lengths en route to 'TDN Rising Star'-dom. She is the eighth 'Rising Star' for her sire.

Off slowly and ridden along from gate five racing over a rare sloppy main track in this jurisdiction, the $425,000 OBS April graduate (:21 flat) was forced to sit in behind the contested pace, but traveled well a handful of lengths behind. Shaken up with a bit more than a quarter-mile to travel, the half-sister to multiple champion Lookin At Lucky (Smart Strike), Ch. 2yo & 3yo Colt, MGISW, $3,307,278, hit the gap hard one off the fence at the 300-metre marker and galloped home a much-the-best winner.

“Seven furlongs is the minimum for her, she's got a big stride,” said winning rider Adrie de Vries. “I was never in trouble, I was following William Buick's horse, I was in a pocket, but she learned a lot today. Today she did it the hard way. I thought today when she hit the front, she was waiting. I was a bit afraid for the conditions, as the ground gets firm with the rain. A mile and even further will be better for her.”

Shahama, also a half-sister to Kensei (Mr. Greeley), MGSW, $751,364, is a logical candidate for the $150,000 Listed UAE 1000 Guineas over 1600 metres Jan. 28. SF Bloodstock acquired Shahama's dam–a foal of 1999–for $40,000 with this filly in utero at the 2018 Keeneland November Sale. Private Feeling did not produce a foal in 2020, but her now-yearling son of Catalina Cruiser fetched $200,000 from First Finds at last year's November Sale and she was most recently covered by Smart Strike's Grade I-winning son Tom's d'Etat.

5th-Meydan, UAE 1000 Guineas Trial (Cond.), AED183,650, 3yo, f, 1400m, 1:25.93, sy.
SHAHAMA, 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
Sales history: $425,000 2yo '21 OBSAPR. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $43,483. Click for the Emirates Racing.com chart. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
O-KHK Racing; B-SF Bloodstock LLC (KY); T-Fawzi Nass.