Danuta wires UAE Oaks

Danuta could be on her way to Churchill Downs for the Kentucky Oaks following a handy score in the UAE Oaks at Nad Al Sheba Thursday night.

Ridden by Frankie Dettori and trained by Saeed bin Suroor for Godolphin, Danuta led throughout the 1 1/8-mile race, which carried a purse of $250,000. In defeating Desert Glow by 4 3/4 lengths, she extended her winning streak to three; she won a one-mile maiden race at Belmont last September before winning the Moonshell Mile by 7 3/4 lengths over Ashraaf on Feb. 20. Ashraaf was 7 1/2 lengths behind Danuta in third Thursday.

The time of 1:49.69 was just .08 seconds behind that posted by last year's winner, Imperial Gesture, and 1.15 seconds faster than was run by 3-year-old colts in an allowance race run earlier on the card.

Simon Crisford, Godolphin's racing manager, said on the stable's website that "no decision has been made on whether Danuta will run in the Kentucky Oaks."