Gulfstream: Perfect Shirl set for The Very One

HALLANDALE BEAch, fLA. - Breeders’ Cup winner Perfect Shirl will use a race at Gulfstream to prep for her trip to Dubai later next month. Perfect Shirl, upset winner of the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare turf, will make her 2012 debut a week from Saturday in the Grade 3 The Very One as a prelude to a start against males in the 1 1/2-mile Sheema Classic on the World Cup undercard on March 31.

Perfect Shirl has not started since her three-quarter-length triumph at 27-1 in the Breeders’ Cup. She had been scheduled to run in the Group 1 Gran Premio Internacional Pelligrini at San Isidro Race Course in Argentina on Dec. 17, but that trip had to be canceled because of travel issues.

Perfect Shirl turned in her final major prep for The Very One on Tuesday morning at Payson Park, working five furlongs in 59.20 seconds in company with stablemate Simmard.

“After the trip to Argentina was canceled we just backed off her for a while, gave her an easy time, with the intention of going to Dubai with her this spring,” said trainer Roger Attfield. “I was really looking forward to taking her to Argentina, the filly was doing great at the time, but we wound up having to deal with canceled flights and broken-down planes for five days and eventually had to cancel the trip. The whole thing was a nightmare.”

Attfield said Perfect Shirl will have one more light breeze before The Very One.