Oaks Updates

INTERNATIONAL/FOLK MEETS BOYS IN QUALITY TEST FOR KENTUCKY OAKS BID - Godolphin Racing's streaking Folk will get a quality test against males as she preps for a possible bid in the $500,000 Kentucky Oaks (Grade I) at Churchill Downs with a run against males in Saturday's $2 million UAE Derby (GIII) at Dubai's Nad Al Sheba Racecourse.

The 3-year-old daughter of Quiet American faces 12 male rivals in the 1 ¼-mile UAE Derby, a group that includes 3-year-olds such as Day Pass, winner of the Nashua (GIII) at Aqueduct and a hopeful for this year's Kentucky Derby presented by Yum! Brands (GI), and Southern Hemisphere-bred 4-year-olds like Asiatic Boy, the morning-line favorite for the race.

Godolphin purchased Folk after she scored a flashy 10 ¼-length victory at Aqueduct in her third career start.  She dominated Dubai-based fillies over the winter at Nad Al Sheba as she won a pair of races by a combined 9 ¾ lengths.

Godolphin Racing Manager Simon Crisford said the decision to race in the UAE Derby would provide trainer Saeed bin Suroor and the stable with a true indication of her quality.

"We want to find out how good she is because we couldn't judge her on her two previous starts against other fillies who were obviously of inferior quality," said Crisford.  "Most importantly, we feel she genuinely has a good chance to win."

Folk is listed as a 6-1 shot in the UAE Derby and will be ridden by Kerrrin McEvoy. 

WEST/MAGNIFICIENCE MAKES STAKES DEBUT IN SANTA PAULA - While two-time Grade I winner and Kentucky Oaks favorite Rags to Riches has been the dominant force among 3-year-old fillies in California this winter, the up-and-coming Magnificience has generated plenty of talk on the West Coast after one dazzling win.

The daughter of Stormy Atlantic tuned up for her stakes debut in Sunday's $100,000 Santa Paula Stakes at Santa Anita with a sparkling three-furlong work on Thursday.  Magnificience zipped the distance in :33.80, which was the fastest of 12 moves at three-eighths of a mile, in preparation for the 6 ½-furlong Santa Paula.

The Bruce Headley-trained filly overcame a poor start in her 6 ½-furlong racing debut to gallop to a 6 ½-length victory.

MIDWEST/DREAM RUSH COULD RETURN IN BEAUMONT - Dream Rush, who upset champion filly Dreaming of Anna in Gulfstream Park's Old Hat (GIII), could make her return to competition in the Beaumont Stakes (GII) at Keeneland on April 12.

The Rick Violette-trained filly notched her third win in four races in the Old Hat, but a brief infection knocked her out of a planned run in the Forward Gal (GII) at Gulfstream.

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