Mimi Kakushi aims to break new ground on the first weekend of May when she carries the hopes of Dubai in the Gr1 Kentucky Oaks.
Trained in Dubai by Salem Bin Ghadayer, the daughter of City Of Light bids to follow up her G3 UAE Oaks win at Meydan Racecourse with success in the Run For The Lilies on May 5th. Shahama, winner of the same UAE Classic in 2022, went on to run sixth at Churchill Downs after transferring to the Todd Pletcher barn.
There’s no connection switch for Mimi Kakushi, who is owned by Dubai’s Crown Prince, HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, son of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
“Mimi Kakushi left Dubai on Wednesday morning [April 19th] and flies to Chicago,” said Bin Ghadayer, for whom this is a first runner outside of the Middle East. “She spends 48 hours in quarantine there and then vans to Churchill Downs where she’ll just walk for the first day. She won’t be on the track before Monday [April 24th].”
Bin Ghadayer, who flies to the States on Saturday, is keeping the team around his star filly the same as she is used to at home. Dubai World Cup-winning rider Mickael Barzalona keeps the ride and Xavier Ziani, a French jockey based in Dubai who was onboard the filly for her debut, partners her in the mornings.
“She did her last gallop yesterday and I’m so happy about her work; we couldn’t be any happier,” added the trainer. “She’s fit, she has the ability and the class. She had a two week break after the Oaks [Feb 17th] and then went back to normal training. We are keeping everything as normal as possible for her, and Xavier rides her every day at home.”
“I always ask Sheikh Hamdan everything to do with his horses. We wanted to choose between this race and the UAE Derby and he was very happy to go for this race.”
The seven-length UAE Oaks win, in which she beat the Doug O’Neill-trained Ami Please, was Mimi Kakushi’s third win in a row. A $250,000 purchase by Woodrow Call at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sale in May 22, she was beaten in her first two starts at Meydan, before combining with Barzalona for a seven furlong maiden win followed by success the Listed UAE 1000 Guineas.
“Mickael knows her well, he’s ridden her three times,” continued Bin Ghadayer. “If I didn’t feel like she can run top three I wouldn’t be going. We had the invitation two years ago with [UAE Derby runner-up] Panadol for the Kentucky Derby and we decided not to go.”
Mimi Kakushi, who is a named after a Japanese restaurant of the same name in Dubai, is yet to face a field greater than 11 in her five-race career. However, Bin Ghadayer doesn’t see a potential wide draw as a problem.
“I don’t mind drawing 18,19 or 20 as she has no problem going behind in her races; she hasn’t led for any of her wins,” he added. “I just fear a muddy track as it will be different to what she knows. I have a private track here in Dubai and we did put some extra water on it one day to try and get her used to it, although I wouldn’t say it was muddy.”
An American win at the first attempt would be huge for Bin Ghadayer, who has Group 1 successes to his name courtesy of Hypothetical, Long River and Matterhorn, all of whom won G1 Maktoum Challenge Round 3 at Meydan.
“It’s just nice for me and my team to have a runner in the premier American three-year-old fillies’ race,” continued the trainer, who also owns a string of horses in training in the UK. “I’ve studied all the field and I don’t think there will be a hot favourite; it’s open. But there are no guarantees in any race, not even a maiden.”
