Shadwell Steady’s Malathaat , like many other superbly talented athletes, has grown to represent many sentiments to the plethora of people who have watched her develop.
Whether the adoration of her fans, pride of breeder Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings, tangible admiration of trainer Todd Pletcher or even the hopeful solace she provides owner Sheikha Hissa bint Hamdan Al Maktoum—it has quickly become evident that America’s top 3-year-old filly has captivated many on her rise to greatness.
The Curlin filly out of Dreaming of Julia will take on a world-class field Nov. 6 in the $2 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1), attempting to write her name in the history books as the only filly to win the three most prestigious American races for female Thoroughbreds in the same season: the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1), Alabama Stakes (G1), and Distaff. Six outstanding fillies, including four champions, have tried, but Open Mind (third in the Distaff), Silverbulletday (sixth), Flute (seventh), Farda Amiga (second), Blind Luck (second), and Princess of Sylmar (sixth) all failed on the quest that this $1,050,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase is pursuing.
One of the final horses purchased in person by the late Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Malathaat has won six of seven starts, with her lone loss a head defeat in the CCA Oaks (G1)—a contest in which she nearly held on after the race unfolded markedly to her disadvantage.
“Fillies just hold a special place in my heart, especially the great ones,” Sheikha Hissa said. “It’s always exciting when there’s an upcoming colt that we potentially can stand, but everyone speaks fondly about fillies, and Malathaat is easily one of the greats.
“My late father was the perfect horseman I’ve ever recognized, and he solely spoke fondly a few handful of his mares—Salsabil, Peak of Style, Al Bahathri, and Ghanaati—and I heard him speaking about Malathaat even earlier than she began her 3-year-old profession. He was a reserved and quiet man, so for him to talk so fondly a few 2-year-old who nonetheless arguably had so much to show shocked me. I am thrilled that she’s pretty much as good as he believed she was, nevertheless it’s particularly upsetting for us to look at her have such an important 12 months when the one that was essentially the most excited to look at her is not with us.
“I like how robust she might be,” Sheikha Hissa continued. “It is a trait I search for in lots of fillies. She does not again down and fights for her place. I am unable to recall one other filly in my thoughts whose technique of racing is like hers. She’s quiet, however not shy. She holds a presence, and she or he is aware of how good she is. I obtained a video of her figuring out, and I like how pleased and robust she appears to be like on each stride. Final, however not least, she’s lovely mashallah—you may simply choose her out—and she or he has the qualities to again it up, not simply the appears to be like.”
Malathaat waits patiently for the monitor to reopen after renovation Nov. 4 at Del Mar
Rick Nichols, vice chairman and normal supervisor of Kentucky’s Shadwell Farm and longtime good friend to her father, has labored with Sheikha Hissa to handle Malathaat’s 2021 season because the aforementioned passing of Sheikh Hamdan March 24. A debut winner at Belmont Park in September 2020 and an attention-grabbing winner of the listed Tempted Stakes and the Demoiselle Stakes (G2) to cap her juvenile season, she was slated to return to motion in late March within the Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2). With Sheikh Hamdan’s passing and the normal mourning interval of his religion, Nichols elected to push again the seasonal debut out of reverence, and Malathaat was rerouted to the April 3 Central Financial institution Ashland (G1)—the primary of three top-level wins for the attractive bay filly. She returned 4 weeks later to win the Kentucky Oaks in decided style earlier than a break resulting in the CCA Oaks. She shortly jumped again into successful methods within the Aug. 21 Alabama and has been freshened since.
“We really feel superb about Malathaat within the Breeders’ Cup,” Nichols mentioned. “For the reason that break we gave her after the Oaks, she has continued to develop and strengthen. She has improved a lot and is a a lot better filly now than when she received the Ashland. She had an incredible work (Oct. 22) and her workmate is an excellent horse and she or he beat him simply by two lengths and galloped out 10 to 12 lengths in entrance.
“Protecting her in New York wasn’t actually a plan, nevertheless it simply labored out that manner,” Nichols continued. “It’s Todd Pletcher’s dwelling base for the summer season, and he wished to be together with her day by day—plus that’s the place the perfect summer season racing is within the U.S.”
Pletcher, whose poker face when objectively evaluating his trainees to the media repeatedly beats the home, suggestions his hand repeatedly with a smile when mentioning his secure star. Having skilled her dam and lots of progeny of her sire, he has naturally taken appreciable delight in serving to ‘all of the potential on this planet’ optimize itself with the world watching.
“She’s such an clever filly, and having skilled her dam and having such excessive expectations for her—after which having her stay as much as these—has been very rewarding,” Pletcher mentioned. “She’s a pleasure to have within the barn. She’s push-button to coach and really conscious of what we wish to do, even these first few weeks after the Alabama when she simply turned off properly. As we obtained extra severe together with her, she obtained extra targeted. She’s a really prepared work horse, does what we wish her to do, and I feel we have been capable of accomplish what we have wished to do to get her prepared.
“We have been attempting to steadiness out freshening her up after the Alabama but in addition understanding that we now have to have her match and a prepared horse to run off 77 days. She’s had a great string of strong breezes and has achieved very well bodily, placing on some weight and her health stage is the place we wish it. We’re very pleased together with her.”
Todd Pletcher congratulates jockey John Velazquez after Malathaat’s victory within the Alabama Stakes at Saratoga Race Course
Del Mar, with its shorter stretch and tight turns, will provide a brand new set of challenges for the earner of $1,555,150. She should additionally tackle grade 1-winning older mares for the primary time, together with favored Letruska , Dunbar Road , Shedaresthedevil , and Blue Stripe .
“Del Mar has a short stretch, so you want to be involved when you turn for home, and I think she’s adaptable enough to be able to do that,” Pletcher continued. “A lot of that will depend on how the pace unfolds. It looks like, on paper, there’s a solid pace, but you still don’t want to get too far out of it. She’s won at Belmont, Aqueduct, Saratoga, and Keeneland, so she doesn’t seem like one who needs to take her track with her.”
Pletcher’s aforementioned rewarding feeling could be amplified on Saturday afternoon with a victory, but it might not be the last time Team Malathaat experiences it. The maturing and already quite imposing filly is scheduled to return to training in 2022 after a winter break at Shadwell Farm. Pletcher reported that a return at Keeneland or Churchill in the spring is probable—something to which both Shiekha Hissa and Nichols look forward.
“If all goes well and she is happy and sound, I don’t see a problem with keeping her in training,” Sheikha Hissa said. “Rick and I have already discussed this months ago and that was our initial plan. She’s already a multiple grade 1 winner and owes us nothing, but as I’m sure many would agree, it’s a joy to see her on the racetrack and inshallah I’ll get to see her myself, give her lots of pats, and feed her plenty of mints.”
Nichols added: “We are really excited about keeping her in training next year. After the Breeders’ Cup, we will bring her home and give her a good break, probably until early January. I think during that time she will continue to mature. I think she will be awesome as a 4-year-old. Why shouldn’t she be? She is pretty awesome now!”
Surrounded by an adoring team that has galloped the gamut of emotions this season, it is obvious that—history made or not—the tale of Malathaat has more good feelings to come.
Malathaat wins the Alabama Stakes at Saratoga Race Course
