Wonder Dean relishes distance, beats Six Speed in UAE Derby

For the fifth straight year, a Japanese shipper prevailed in the $1 million UAE Derby (G2) when Yoshinari Yamamoto’s Wonder Dean overhauled Six Speed at Meydan on Saturday. 

Both colts clinched Kentucky Derby (G1) invitations via the Euro/Mideast Road. Wonder Dean earned 100 points, giving him a total of 106 to top the leaderboard. Runner-up Six Speed added 60 points for a total of 80, good for second in the standings, and he will also line up at Churchill Downs on the first Saturday in May. 

Bettors preferred the other Japanese runner, Godolphin’s homebred Pyromancer, who had beaten Wonder Dean at Kyoto last fall. But the tables were turned in the UAE Derby, as Pyromancer wound up a belated third (30 points). 

Wonder Dean is trained by Daisuke Takayanagi, who sent out T O Password to finish fifth in the 2024 Kentucky Derby. Unlike the inexperienced T O Password, who qualified on the Japan Road, Wonder Dean will arrive as a much more streetwise customer. Aside from having more starts (six), Wonder Dean has been battle-tested in stakes, including a fourth in the Saudi Derby (G3) that set him up for success back up in trip here.

Under a well-judged ride by Cristian Demuro, Wonder Dean advanced on the backstretch and emerged as the only plausible threat to front-running Six Speed. The winner of the UAE 2000 Guineas (G3) in his latest, Six Speed was trying to stretch out to about 1 3/16 miles in the UAE Derby. The Bhupat Seemar pupil nearly pulled it off, but Wonder Dean hunted him down late.

Wonder Dean pulled away by 2 1/2 lengths in a final time of 1:59.19. The dark bay paid $18 stateside while improving his record to 6-2-2-0.

Six Speed was easily best of the rest by six lengths from Pyromancer. Next came Brotherly Love in fourth (15 points for a total of 35), Devon Island (10 points for a total of 20), Union Security, Lino Padrino, Salloom (who was last away when his blindfold wasn’t taken off promptly), Rammaas, Go Man, and Labwah. Duke of Immatin was scratched.

Bred by Kosho Bokujo, Wonder Dean is by the Deep Impact stallion Dee Majesty and out of Wonder Siang Praw, a daughter of Wonder Acute. Thus he’s bred on a cross of Derby champions Sunday Silence and Charismatic. 

Wonder Dean was the second Japanese colt to qualify for the Kentucky Derby on Saturday. Earlier at Nakayama, fellow Triple Crown nominee Danon Bourbon justified favoritism in the Fukuryu S. and secured the Japan Road spot.