Wuheida tunes up for Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf

Scratched from her intended North American debut in the October 14 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1), Godolphin’s Wuheida remains on course for the Breeders’ Cup.

On her last full day at Keeneland Tuesday, the Filly & Mare Turf (G1) candidate strode five furlongs on a yielding turf course in 1:04.80. The three-year-old homebred, who was ruled out of the QEII due to a bruise in her right front foot, took her spin with exercise rider Kirsty Milczarek.

“She has missed a bit of work, so we wanted to get her back on the turf and have a stretch,” Tim Denniff, traveling lad for trainer Charlie Appleby, told Keeneland publicity. “We weren’t doing anything too hard today. We are happy. We got exactly what we wanted today.”

Wuheida is scheduled to fly out Wednesday morning.

“I will speak to Charlie tonight and see what he wants (regarding her training regimen at Del Mar),” Denniff said. “She will have a couple of easy days after the flight, and then probably a couple pieces of work and a breeze.”

The winner of the Prix Marcel Boussac (G1) during her perfect two-for-two juvenile campaign, the daughter of Dubawi and Grade 1 vixen Hibaayeb was runner-up to Roly Poly in her belated Falmouth (G1) reappearance. Wuheida was subsequently third as the favorite in the Preis der Diana (German Oaks) (G1), fourth in the Matron (G1), and most recently fourth to Rhododendron in the Prix de l’Opera on Arc Day. She could renew rivalry with Roly Poly and Rhododendron, both Aidan O'Brien trainees, in the Filly & Mare Turf.