Kentucky Oaks trail: Queen Azteca rallies to win UAE prep

In what looked like a two-horse race at the end, it was 1-2 favorite Queen Azteca who outlasted Arigatou Gozaimasu to win the Group 3 UAE Oaks at Meydan on Friday. The $217,806 race offered 50-25-25-20-5 points on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks.

Arigatou Gozaimasu was keen to the lead into the first turn of the 1 1/8-mile race, with Tasawaheen and Salsabil Princess attending two and three wide. Queen Azteca bided her time, saving ground while tracking behind that leading group.

Arigatou Gozaimasu continued to set the pace down the back straight, with Salsabil Princess in closest range. Queen Azteca continued comfortably in close range along the rail. Into the turn Arigatou Gozaimasu began to open a lead, and jockey Carlos Lopez began to ask Queen Azteca for her run.

Queen Azteca switched out into the lane with aim on the leader and no other horses looking a threat. Arigatou Gozaimasu was four lengths ahead into the final furlong, but she was flattening and Queen Azteca was coming on. She got there just in time, overtaking Arigatou Gozaimasu to win by three-quarters of a length.

It was another 16 1/2 lengths back to Taswaheen for the show, who in turn finished 7 3/4 lengths clear of a weakening Salsabil Princess. Mistysea, Ruby Hamilton and Parisian Beauty completed the order of finish. Reina Rosso was scratched.

Queen Azteca is a 3-year-old daughter of Sharp Azteca out of the Palace Malice mare Princesa Helena. She was bred in Kentucky, but after selling twice at auction she began her career in a turf sprint in Norway for trainer Niels Petersen, who is based in the country. She was defeated then, as well as in a second-out turf sprit try in Sweden. She then broke her maiden by 20 lengths on Sept. 22 when switched to the dirt at Jagersro in Sweden.

After that Petersen brought her to Dubai, where she was defeated by two lengths in a seven-furlong conditions race Dec. 20, but scored an eight-length victory going a mile at that level Jan. 17. The UAE Oaks was Queen Azteca's group-level debut.