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 six, Down On Da Bayou bounded past her rivals in a matter of strides and crossed over to grab the lead on the rail by the time they passed the finish line the first time. Dubai Love breathed down her rival's neck down the backstretch but Down On Da Bayou shook off the challenge, kicking clear at the quarter pole as Dubai Love chased in vain. The American-bred, Japanese-trained filly Serein (Uncle Mo) put in a mild rally to be third.
A soundly beaten fourth behind
'TDN Rising Star' Rio Angie (Honor Code) on debut after blowing the break going seven furlongs at Meydan on Nov. 7, Down On Da Bayou bounced back to air by eight lengths going gate to wire on Dec. 19. The bay set the tempo once again in the Guineas trial on opening night of the carnival on Jan. 2 before Final Song (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) collared her in the closing stages, and it was a similar story three weeks later in the Guineas with Dubai Love. Trainer Salem bin Ghadayer revealed the filly will back up in next weekend's $800,000 Saudi Derby over a mile.
“She's an amazing filly,” he said. “Before we had the question mark about the distance, but she showed her class. We knew she should get at least nine furlongs, so it was only a question of the final 100 metres.
“It's the owner's decision [where she goes next]. We entered her in the Saudi Derby and I asked my boss if we should go to this race and he said no problem. The next and last step for her this season I think will be next week [in the Saudi Derby]. She always recovers quickly; one day after a race, she needs two people [to lead her]. I hope everything goes well and she'll be fine and sound and in good health.”
Pedigree Notes
Down On Da Bayou is the second winner of the UAE Oaks for the Empire Maker mare Bayou Tortuga, with Polar River (Congrats) having won it in 2016 for owners Valentin Bukhtoyarov and Evgeny Kappushev and trainer Doug Watson. Polar River had been a $25,000 yearling turned $40,000 2-year-old, while Down On Da Bayou was bought by Tally-Ho Stud for $150,000 as a yearling and sold for €190,000 to Rabbah at Arqana's May Breeze-Up Sale last year.
Bayou Tortuga has a 2-year-old colt by Orb that was bought by Powerstown Stud for $30,000 as a yearling at Keeneland September, a yearling filly by Gun Runner and was bred to Blame for 2020. Bayou Tortuga, who has also produced the Grade III-placed Rare Form (The Factor), is a half-sister to three state-bred stakes winners.
Thursday, Meydan, Middle East
UAE OAKS (SPONSORED BY RANGE ROVER)-G3, $250,000, Meydan, 2-20, NH3yo & SH3yo, f, 1900m, 1:58.35, ft.
1–DOWN ON DA BAYOU, 126, f, 3, by Super Saver
1st Dam: Bayou Tortuga, by Empire Maker
2nd Dam: Tortuga Band, by Dixieland Band
3rd Dam: Super Fan, by Lear Fan
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. 1ST GROUP WIN. ($220,000 RNA Wlg
'17 KEENOV; $150,000 Ylg '18 KEESEP; €190,000 2yo '19
ARQMAY). O-Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum;
B-McCann Bloodstock, Mark Kelder & Doug Richards (KY);
T-Salem bin Ghadayer; J-Mickael Barzalona. $150,000. Lifetime
Record: 5-2-2-0, $249,654. *1/2 to Polar River (Congrats),
GSW-UAE, $771,139; and Rare Form (The Factor), GSP,
$192,835. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Werk Nick Rating: A+.
2–Dubai Love (GB), 126, f, 3, Night of Thunder (Ire)–Devotion
(Ire), by Dylan Thomas (Ire). (120,000gns Wlg '17 TATDEC).
O-Godolphin; B-Petches Farm Ltd (GB); T-Saeed bin Suroor.
$50,000.
3–Serein, 126, f, 3, Uncle Mo–Tiz Miz Sue, by Tiznow. ($500,000
Ylg '18 KEESEP). O-Koji Maeda; B-Cres Ran LLC (KY); T-Mikio
Matsunaga. $25,000.
Margins: 18HF, 4HF, 1 1/4.
Also Ran: Ascot Brass (Swe), Careless Whisper (Swe), Tapi Sioux.
Click for the Racing Post result or the Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO.
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