Dubai: Wonder Dean wears down Six Speed to earn Derby spot in UAE Derby
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Wonder Dean wore down pacesetting Six Speed and won the UAE Derby on Saturday at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai, the fifth straight Japan-based winner of the 1 3/16-mile dirt race.
Since Rebel’s Romance won in 2021, the Japan-based horses Crown Pride, Derma Sotogake, Forever Young, and Admire Daytona have captured the UAE Derby. All have gone on to the Kentucky Derby – Forever Young was beaten two noses for third in 2024 – and that is the plan, as well, for Wonder Dean.
While trainer Daisuke Takayanagi told Dubai Racing Club media that Wonder Dean marked his first international win, Takayanagi has Kentucky Derby experience having saddled T O Password to a fifth-place finish in the 2024 Derby.
The 100 points Wonder Dean earned places him atop the final leaderboard in the Euro/Mideast Road to the Derby. Up to two horses in that branch of Churchill Downs’ Road to the Derby will earn a berth in the Derby, and Bhupat Seemar, trainer of Six Speed, wants to run at Churchill if he can. Six Speed’s 60 points Saturday gave him a total of 80, second only to Wonder Dean. If nothing else, Six Speed could prove a Derby pace factor.
"He just didn't stay," Seemar said. "He doesn't help himself. He's got so much speed, but he needs to learn to relax. The plan is to go to Kentucky Derby next."
Six Speed broke alertly and set out to lead, opening a margin of several lengths into the first turn. Cristian Demuro on Wonder Dean settled his mount in fifth around the first turn, racing two to three paths off the rail and continuing in the roughly the same position down the backstretch. Into the far turn Demuro asked his mount to pick up and move closer to the leader, and Wonder Dean gave an immediate response, gaining second with more than 600 meters remaining, and turning for home he was the only horse anywhere near Six Speed. Six Speed stayed on resolutely, but Wonder Dean collared him with 150 yards left and went on to win by about 2 1/2 lengths.
"I was expecting the leader, Six Speed, to stop a lot earlier than he did and so I was a bit worried, but I always thought he would get there,” Takayanagi said. "Wonder Dean is developing physically and mentally all the time and I am very excited about what he can do in the future."
Six Speed finished more than eight lengths clear of the favored Japan-based horse, Pyromancer, who raced wide with no cover on both turns. Wonder Dean paid $18 on the American tote and clocked 1:59.19 over a fast track, one of the slower recent renewals of the UAE Derby.
Wonder Dean is by the Deep Impact stallion Dee Majesty and is out of Wonder Siang Praw, by the Japanese stallion Acute Wonder. Making his sixth start, Wonder Dean had a blowout maiden win and two stakes seconds in his Japan dirt races, and had finished fourth last month in the Saudi Derby, a one-turn race over 1,600 meters. Takayanagi believed the longer distance at Meydan would help his horse. He was right, and in six weeks Wonder Dean will get another half-furlong to work with at Churchill Downs.
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