Wonder Dean is Japan’s latest 3-year-old to earn an invitation to the Kentucky Derby (G1) and the bay colt comes into the race off a victory in the UAE Derby (G2) in Dubai on March 28. The owner and trainer are in the Derby for the first time, but jockey Ryusei Sakai has been to Churchill Downs before – he was aboard Forever Young, who finished a close third in the 2024 Derby. Can he do better this time riding this horse for the first time?
Wonder Dean is a homebred from owner Yoshinari Yamamoto’s well-known stable and is out of his good mare Wonder Siang Praw, by Wonder Acute. His sire is Dee Majesty, who was the winner of the 2016 Satsuki Sho/Japanese 2000 Guineas (G1).
Wonder Dean represents the first graded-stakes winner for his sire and carries a mix of Japanese, European, and classic U.S. bloodlines, including influences from Deep Impact, Charismatic, Pleasant Tap, and others.
Wonder Dean began his career on turf, which is the predominant surface in Japan, but switched successfully to dirt, where he has excelled. He broke his maiden in his first dirt start at Nakayama, then had two seconds in stakes before shipping to Saudi Arabia for a fourth in the Saudi Derby (G3). He then won the UAE Derby (G2), the fifth straight Japan-bred to win the UAE Derby win.
Japan’s impact on the racing world has been impressive, with Forever Young leading the charge. He came into the 2024 Derby unbeaten in five races in Japan and went off as 7-1 third betting choice. He ran strong and wound up third in a three-horse photo finish behind Mystik Dan and Sierra Leone, the best finish for a Japan-based horse.
Wonder Dean is 2-for-6 and is sure to go off at double digit odds.
There is no Equibase rating for Wonder Dean since he will be racing for the first time in the United States.
It’s hard to say where Wonder Dean belongs, but his UAE Derby win was impressive (though it does beg the “who did he beat?” argument.) If we’ve learned anything over the past few years, it’s to never leave out a Japan-bred in a world-class race. Definitely use in the exotics.
Notes
- This is the first Kentucky Derby runner for owner Yoshinari Yamamoto and trainer Daisuke Takayanagi.
- Yamamoto also owns Wonder Siang Praw, who raced 22 times with a 3-3-5 record, and he uses the “Wonder” prefix for all his horses
- The name “Wonder Dean” combines his stable’s crown name with “Dean”
- Takayanagi has had major success in Japan as both a dirt and turf conditioner, including training champions like T O Keynes. His assistant, Takuya Nakano, has been with the horse in the U.S. at Churchill Downs.
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