Dubawi Heights takes on the Wilshire Handicap
Wilshire Handicap, an American Thoroughbred race, is held at the Hollywood Park, incorporated in 1953. The grade 3 event extends invitations to three-year-old and older fillies and mares. It is held on turf over a distance of 8 furlongs. This year, the race
was conquered by a British horse, Dubawi Heights, who managed to get her first stakes victory.
The four-year-old is trained by Simon Callenghan. She made her United States debut last year in September after arriving from England and this victory was her North American debut win.
The filly has four victories to her claim. The April 30th event saw the filly complete the race in 1:35.21.
Dubawi Heights enjoyed a win in the maiden special weight race at Hollywood Park as well. Dubawi is the 2005 Irish classic winner, owned by Dalham Stud Farm.
The race began with Burg Berg in the lead till a quarter mile. Mid Pleasant also tried to get hold of the lead in the midstretch with Chantal Sutherland onboard but she eventually succumbed to the pace set by Dubawi Heights.
Rosario held the reins of the filly, such that only two lead moves were taken by the filly.
Rosario tried not to overwork her in the beginning of the race but at the quarter pole she did make her move and snapped the third place. After that, Dubawi Heights smoothly propelled forward to take the lead.
Lilly Fa Pootz got hold of the second position while the third place was taken by Miss Pleasant. Well Monied ended up taking the fourth place. The purse for the race was $100,000.
The filly encountered colic almost immediately after she stepped off the plane. To make things worse she also had to undergo knee surgery for a tibia injury. Jockey Joel Rosario has been her jockey and he commented on the filly’s condition by saying that
she is improving with every event.
Her trainer commented on this, saying, “It’s been quite a long road with this filly, Since she came here, she got colic off the plane, she had a tibia injury, and she had knee surgery. This filly is unbelievably tough.”
Her third straight win has made her trainer give her a first shot at grade 1 races. The first one might take place on May 30, 2011.
The Grade 1 Gamely Stakes are also held at Hollywood Park and it may serve as the perfect opportunity to test the filly’s ability. The filly was winless in all her starts in her native country.
Dubawi Heights was bred in Aston Mullins Stud. She is out of the Rosie’s Posy. She is owned in partnership by Neville Callaghan, Clodagh McStay, M.V. Magnier, and Annabel Wyatt.
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