Dubai sensation Polar River will most likely miss the G1 Kentucky Oaks in May but her connections are not ruling out a trip to America later this year.
The Congrats filly will take on the colts in the G2 UAE Derby on March 26 and she has been installed a $2 favourite to maintain her unbeaten record at the Dubai World Cup meeting. Runaway G3 UAE 2000 Guineas winner Market Rally (Unbridled´s Song) is on the second line at $5.
“She will have had five races since the beginning of December,” trainer Doug Watson said. “Shipping her to Kentucky straight away would be too much.”
Watson is also wary of Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies winner Songbird. The unbeaten daughter of Medaglia d’Oro has returned this year for easy victories in the G2 Las Virgenes Stakes and G3 Santa Ysabel Stakes and is the ruling $4 favourite for the Kentucky Oaks.
“Songbird looks an absolute freak,” he said. “We would find it tough against her.”
Watson did mention the G1 Acorn Stakes (1600m) in New York on June 11 as a possible alternative for Polar River. The Congrats filly was bred in Kentucky and was pin-hooked for $25,000 at the 2014 Keeneland September Sale prior to changing hands again for $40,000 at the 2015 Ocala 2YO Sale.
“She’s a worthy favourite for the UAE Derby from what she’s done,” Watson said. “She loves the track around there and we know she stays fine. We are very high on her and she’s definitely the best I’ve trained.”
