By Heather Anderson
Labwah gifted her sire Charlatan the first graded/group winner of his young stallion career when running off with the G3 UAE Oaks at Meydan on Friday. Thanks to her 7 1/2-length victory, the Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum-owned filly earned 50 points toward a start in the GI Kentucky Oaks in May.
One of the quickest away, the bay set out under pressure from Pretty And Famous (Known Agenda) to her outside. Able to walk the dog through the early stages, Labwah was still under fire with less than 800 metres to travel. Extending on the final turn, she coasted away to win easily. Yuno (Rock Your World) kept at it doggedly, but was outclassed. Dozalla (Upstart) completed the top three finishers.
“She broke well and I got into a good pace, everything went very well,” said Bernardo Pinheiro, riding his 37th winner of the season and 190th in the UAE. “Thank you to the whole team who put a lot of work in – I'm glad to be a part of it.
“I got a soft lead, to be honest, but she has a wonderful mind – she sits, relaxes, does everything I ask. She has a bright future as she's proved she stays the distance. It will be interesting to see how far she goes.”
“She's out of a middle-distance dam and a ten-furlong stallion so the distance was an advantage for her – we came here confident,” said trainer Salem bin Ghadayer after his third UAE Oaks win.
On whether the filly will pursue the Kentucky Oaks or face colts in the G2 UAE Derby, he said, “I will go back to His Highness Sheikh Hamdan [bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, owner] as she was his pick from the breeze-up sale. I will ask him what he wants to do, but she is ready for both options.”
Fourth to Friday's runner-up Yuno in a maiden locally back in November, Labwah rattled off victories in conditions races over 1400 metres (December 19) and 1600 meters (January 16) prior to her UAE Oaks heroics.
Pedigree Notes:
Labwah is the first graded/group winner for her second-crop sire Charlatan, who stands at Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa for $25,000 this term. The sire of three stakes winners overall, Charlatan is also responsible for listed winners Little Miss Curlin and Hammond. His Princess Moko was second at listed level in Japan.
The ninth foal out of Caressing Handicap heroine War Tigress (War Chant), Labwah is also related to half-sister War Heroine (Lonhro {Aus}), who claimed the GII San Clemente Stakes.
Friday, Meydan, Middle East
UAE OAKS (SPONSORED BY DEEPAL)-G3, AED800,000, Meydan, 2-20, 3yo, f, 1900m, 2:00.57, ft.
1–LABWAH, 126, f, 3, by Charlatan
1st Dam: War Tigress (SW-US, $171,293),
by War Chant
2nd Dam: Tigresa, by Tejano
3rd Dam: Tiff's Decorated, by Well Decorated
*1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. 1ST GROUP WIN. ($125,000 2yo '25
OBSAPR). O-Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum;
B-Calvin Crain (KY); T-Salem bin Ghadayer; J-Bernardo
Pinheiro. AED480,000. Lifetime Record: 4-3-0-0, AED854,250.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
Werk Nick Rating: B. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Yuno, 126, f, 3, Rock Your World–Touch Of Gray, by Graydar.
*1ST BLACK TYPE. 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. ($33,000 Ylg '24
KEESEP; $230,000 2yo '25 OBSAPR). O-Mohammed Ahmad Ali
Al Subousi; B-Brownstead Farm (KY); T-Ahmad bin Harmash.
AED160,000.
3–Dozalla, 126, f, 3, Upstart–World Tour, by Tourist. *1ST
BLACK TYPE. 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. ($65,000 Ylg '24
KEESEP). O-Akhmat Racing; B-Matthew Davis (KY); T-Bhupat
Seemar. AED80,000.
Margins: 7HF, 4 1/4, NK. Odds: 2.30, 7.50, 7.50.
Also Ran: Pretty And Famous, Auntie Fair, Dialed To Dubai, Tjareed. Click for the ERA chart & video.
Labwah wins the UAE Oaks worth 50 points on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks! 🌸 pic.twitter.com/ASSZjBcve5
— Kentucky Derby (@KentuckyDerby) February 20, 2026
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
