Local Time Continues Meydan Dominance
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Godolphin Racing's Local Time extended her win streak to six races, including three straight on the dirt at Meydan Racecourse, with a 4 3/4-length victory over four overmatched 3-year-old fillies in the $250,000 UAE Oaks Sponsored by Saeed & Mohammed Al Naboodah Group (UAE-III) Feb. 26.
The daughter of Invincible Spirit stood out on a Meydan card that featured three stakes. Volatile won the Meydan Classic Sponsored by Al Naboodah Commercial Group and Safety Check powered home in the Zabeel Mile Sponsored by Al Naboodah Construction Group (UAE-III).
The UAE Oaks score by Local Time followed her easy 3 1/4-length victory in the UAE 1000 Guineas Sponsored by Nova an IPIC Empowered Company Feb. 5, a race contested at about one mile. Local Time opened the year with a narrow victory Jan. 15 at about seven furlongs at Meydan, a start that marked her first career trip on dirt.
Local Time closed out her juvenile season with three straight victories in Europe, including a narrow win in the Triconnex Oh So Sharp Stakes (Eng-III) at Newmarket to close out the season.
Sent off as the 2-5 favorite in U.S. pari-mutuel poolsThursday, English-bred Local Time successfully stretched out to her longest distance yet in the 1,900-meter (about 1 3/16 miles) UAE Oaks, cruising home under James Doyle in 2:00.9 on the fast track. The victory gave trainer Saeed bin Suroor his 10th victory in the race.
Rounding out the top three in the five-horse field were Shahrasal and Runner Runner.
Bin Suroor said Godolphin are exploring various options for the Oaks winner.
"She has shown that she is extremely tough and I am very happy with the way she finished her race tonight," the trainer said. "She is a very good filly and we will keep the options open regarding whether to go for the UAE Derby (UAE-II) on Dubai World Cup Night (March 28) or the English One Thousand Guineas (Eng-I) at Newmarket (May 3). We will see but we have no plans for her at the moment."
"I was delighted with the way things unfolded. Local Time is very uncomplicated and has got a good turn of foot, so I wasn't fazed by the slow gallop at all," Doyle said. "It's her attitude that makes her so good and you can't fault the way she did it. We went very steady and it was a dash in the straight but she is a cut above the rest of the field and hopefully she can progress.
"It wasn't a true test of stamina, so we didn't learn a lot from that point of view but she has got a bit of stamina on her dam's side, even though she is by Invincible Spirit. She is probably contesting weaker races out here than she did at home. She won her group III at Newmarket nicely, when she toughed it out well, and has taken each step within her grasp.
"The UAE Derby has been mentioned and I think her attitude says a lot about her. She is very straightforward and her ability to handle dirt is a big plus."
Godolphin swept the two group III races on the card, when, later in the day, Irish-bred Safety Check delivered a powerful stretch run to register a one-length victory over Dark Emerald in the $250,000 Zabeel Mile.
Sent off as the even-money favorite in U.S. pari-mutuel pools, Safety Check improved to 3-for-3 this season on the turf at Meydan. Guided by William Buick, the Dubawi colt picked up his second straight group score as he entered off a four-length victory in the Al Fahidi Fort Sponsored by Gulf News (UAE-II) Jan. 22.
Thursday's victory at 1,600 meters (about one mile) in the race for 3-year-olds and older, saw him stretch out after winning at about seven furlongs in his previous two starts. He completed the race in 1:35.53 on good turf. Earnshaw rounded out the top three finishers.
A race after Local Time cruised to victory, Volatile posted a clear win in the $125,000 Meydan Classic, when he tracked just off the lead and proved powerful in the stretch to take command 100 meters from the wire under William Buick.
Bred in Sweden, the 3-year-old Strategic Prince gelding completed the 1,400-meter (about seven furlongs) turf race in 1:23.16 to top 10 other 3-year-olds and secure the first stakes win of his career.