Six Speed will carry strong Dubai form into the 152nd Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on Saturday, after earning his place through a solid campaign at Meydan.
The Bhupat Seemar-trained colt finished second in the UAE Derby on Dubai World Cup night, where he set the pace before being caught late by Japan’s Wonder Dean.
That result followed his win in the UAE 2000 Guineas, also at Meydan, and gave him enough qualifying points to line up in the first leg of the American Triple Crown.
Six Speed is expected to be one of the horses shaping the early tempo in Kentucky. His best performances in Dubai came when he was allowed to travel forward and put pressure on the field.
Seemar said the horse’s natural style is unlikely to change much for the Derby. Six Speed tends to press on early, and that approach helped him make a serious race of the UAE Derby before Wonder Dean stayed on stronger over the closing stages.
Both horses now head to Churchill Downs trying to end a long wait for UAE Derby runners. No horse coming through Meydan has won the Kentucky Derby, though Forever Young went close when finishing third.
The task will be difficult again. The Kentucky Derby usually draws a full field of 20 runners, and this year’s race includes several horses with enough early speed to make the first turn a key part of the contest.
Jockey Brian Hernandez Jr, who won the race two years ago, has noted that the early pace may not be straightforward. With other runners likely to push forward, Six Speed may not get full control of the race.
Still, his Dubai form gives him a place in the conversation. He won at Meydan, handled the step up in class, and ran well enough in the UAE Derby to earn his shot on one of racing’s biggest stages.
