Expectations for Lahudood in 2007 were relatively low, but the filly soared above them to become a grade I winner and a turf champion. The homebred daughter of Singspiel, out of Rahayeb (by Arazi), captured 188 first-place votes to claim the female turf crown on Jan. 21.
Lahudood had won only one in seven races before she was moved to trainer Kirian McLaughlin’s barn. Because Shadwell had shipped her with a more talented turf filly, the expectations for Lahudood were modest. Owner/breeder Sheikh Hamdan, however, told McLaughlin to keep an eye on her because he thought she was the better of the two.
Lahudood did win a $56,000 allowance race at Belmont Park, which earned her a spot in the Beverly D Stakes (gr. IT), where she finished seventh. She probably wouldn’t have gotten another chance at a grade I race had her more talented stablemate stayed healthy. As it turned out, Lahudood got another chance in her next start — the Flower Bowl Invitational (gr. IT). She won the Flower Bowl at odds of 21-1.
The momentum from that big upset carried her right through the Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf (gr. IT), which she won over Honey Ryder and Passage of Time. Lahudood retired with more than $1.69 million in earnings and is scheduled to be bred to Kingmambo.
