Shahama has classic pedigree for Kentucky Oaks

There are several undefeated fillies in a deep group preparing to contest this Kentucky Oaks - and of those, Shahama is flying under the radar.

The filly, a half-sister to Preakness Stakes winner Lookin At Lucky, has won all four of her starts in Dubai for KHK Racing and trainer Fawzi Nass, and has since been transferred to Todd Pletcher to target the Oaks. The filly classic will be her first U.S. start, and her first start since Feb. 18.

"She's been really straightforward," Pletcher said. "She's been super professional since she came in. She's trained impressively."

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Shahama, by Munnings, is out of the winning Belong to Me mare Private Feeling, the dam of two-time Eclipse Award champion Lookin At Lucky, whose five Grade 1 wins included the 2010 Preakness, as well as multiple graded stakes winner Kensei. Private Feeling was purchased for $40,000 out of the 2018 Keeneland November breeding stock sale while carrying Shahama by SF Bloodstock, which is the breeder of record for her resulting filly. Shahama was foaled in May 2019, and was raised at Hartwell Farm in Kentucky.

“Shahama was always the pick of the paddock,” SF Bloodstock’s Tom Ryan said. “She was an eye-catching filly with that big white blaze.”

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Now, a win by Shahama would make Private Feeling the third mare since the turn of the century to produce both an Oaks winner and the winner of a Triple Crown race. Dear Birdie produced 2003 Oaks winner Bird Town and 2004 Belmont winner Birdstone; Better Than Honour produced 2006 Belmont winner Jazil and 2007 Oaks and Belmont heroine Rags to Riches.

Shahama was offered at the 2021 Ocala Breeders' Sales Co.'s spring sale of 2-year-olds in training, where she breezed a quarter-mile in 21 seconds on a synthetic surface during the presale under-tack show. She drew a spot relatively early on the first day of the sale, while the market was still establishing momentum, and sold for $425,000 to Nass.

Shahama has won her four starts, all at Meydan, by a combined 17 1/4 lengths. Those included the UAE 1000 Guineas and, most recently, the Group 3 UAE Oaks at 1 3/16 miles, a sixteenth longer than the Kentucky Oaks.

“We're not sure of what she's been running against, necessarily, from a competition standpoint,” Pletcher said. “But she’s 4 for 4, and that’s hard to do no matter where you’re running.”

Shahama joined Pletcher's string in Florida in March, and breezed three times at Palm Beach Downs before shipping to Churchill Downs this month. She breezed here last Friday with Flavien Prat, who Pletcher said has the call in the Oaks, aboard.