Study Guide: 2025 UAE Derby

Apr 03, 2025 J. Keeler Johnson/TwinSpires.com

Flood Zone wins the 2025 Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct. (Photo by Coglianese Photos / Credit to Joe Labozzetta)

After spending years as the lone international leg of the primary (now American) Road to the Kentucky Derby, Saturday’s UAE Derby (G2) at Meydan in Dubai offers a different prize for 2025.

The 1,900-meter (about 1 3/16-mile) dirt race is now the final and most important leg of the European/Middle East Road to the Kentucky Derby, awarding qualification points on a 100-50-25-15-10 basis to the top five finishers. The winner will top the leaderboard and receive an invitation to compete in the 2025 Kentucky Derby (G1).

Nine horses have turned out to seek a Kentucky Derby starting berth. Let’s meet the UAE Derby field:

Admire Daytona

Admire Daytona (Photo courtesy of Dubai Racing Club)

Start(s): 5
Wins: 1
Place: 2
Show: 0

Owner: Junko Kondo
Breeder: Northern Racing
Trainer: Yukihiro Kato
Jockey: Christophe Lemaire

Total Earnings: $91,972

Sire: Drefong
Dam: Ice Pastel
Color: Bay

Japan has won the last three editions of the UAE Derby. The first of four Japanese challengers in this year’s renewal is Admire Daytona. He exits a fourth-place finish in the Hyacinth S. on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby, in which he finished 1 1/4 lengths behind UAE Derby rival Don in the Mood. He may need a step forward to turn the tables.

Don in the Mood

Don in the Mood (Photo courtesy of Dubai Racing Club)

Start(s): 4
Wins: 2
Place: 0
Show: 1

Owner: Mr. Koichi Yamada
Breeder: Nobuyuki Matsumoto
Trainer: Teiichi Konno
Jockey: Ryusei Sakai

Total Earnings: $128,505

Sire: Asia Express
Dam: Hagino Wish
Color: Dark bay

The second Japanese raider, Don in the Mood, finished third in the Hyacinth, beaten only two lengths by next-out Fukuryu S. winner Luxor Cafe. Don in the Mood has tactical speed and fingers to be a forwardly placed danger in the UAE Derby.

Dragon

Dragon (Photo courtesy of Dubai Racing Club)

Start(s): 3
Wins: 1
Place: 1
Show: 0

Owner: Kieffers Co.
Breeder: Shadai Farm
Trainer: Mikio Matsunaga
Jockey: Yutaka Take

Total Earnings: $67,008

Sire: Mind Your Biscuits
Dam: Noble Coronet
Color: Bay

Japan’s third representative finished fifth in the Hyacinth, 3 1/4 lengths behind Don in the Mood and two lengths behind Admire Daytona. Dragon has won running 1,800 meters (about 1 1/8 miles) in Japan, so stretching out over 1,900 meters at Meydan may suit this late-running colt.

Flood Zone

Flood Zone wins the 2025 Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct. (Photo by Coglianese Photos / Credit to Chelsea Durand)

Start(s): 3
Wins: 2
Place: 1
Show: 0

Owner: Wathnan Racing
Breeder: Al Figliolia Westburystables
Trainer: Brad Cox
Jockey: Florent Geroux

Total Earnings: $203,800

Sire: Frosted
Dam: Curls for Girls
Color: Bay

U.S. raider Flood Zone is shaping up as the UAE Derby favorite after posting a decisive 3 1/4-length win in the Gotham (G3) on the American Road to the Kentucky Derby. The speedy Florida-bred colt is a logical contender in his quest to become the first U.S.-based winner of the UAE Derby since Plus Que Parfait in 2019.

Flood Zone was an impressive winner on Saturday in the Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct.

He earned 50 points on the Road to the @KentuckyDerby and honors of TS Stable Alerts Horse of the Week!

Add him to your stable with the link below!

Never Miss A Winner⤵️ https://t.co/3lpo8u1BOu pic.twitter.com/SCCxxJVcSv

— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) March 4, 2025

Galactic Star

Galactic Star (Photo courtesy of Dubai Racing Club)

Start(s): 3
Wins: 2
Place: 0
Show: 1

Owner: Blue Blood Racing Syndicate – Kamlesh Mahtani and Dhruv Sahni
Breeder: Rock Ridge Thoroughbreds
Trainer: Bhupat Seemar
Jockey: Tadhg O’Shea

Total Earnings: $147,229

Sire: Improbable
Dam: Stella’s Dream
Color: Chestnut

Galactic Star has shown talent at Meydan, battling to a narrow triumph in the Al Bastakiya over the UAE Derby distance. However, the UAE Derby is shaping up as a tougher race.

Heart of Honor

Heart of Honor (Photo courtesy of Dubai Racing Club)

Start(s): 5
Wins: 2
Place: 3
Show: 0

Owner: Jim and Claire
Breeder: David Redvers Bloodstock
Trainer: Jamie Osborne
Jockey: Saffie Osborne

Total Earnings: $140,949

Sire: Honor A. P.
Dam: Ruby Love
Color: Brown

Heart of Honor closed ground to finish second by a head against Galactic Star in the Al Bastakiya. A slow start compromised his chances, so Heart of Honor may be capable of turning the tables with a sharper break on Saturday.

Rafid

Rafid winning at Jebel Ali (Photo courtesy of Dubai Racing Club)

Start(s): 7
Wins: 1
Place: 2
Show: 1

Owner: RRR Racing
Breeder: RRR Racing
Trainer: Doug Watson
Jockey: John Velazquez

Total Earnings: $68,581

Sire: Into Mischief
Dam: Rayya
Color: Bay

Rafid exits a victory sprinting 1,400 meters (about seven furlongs) at Jebel Ali, but a previous 13th-place finish against Galactic Star and Heart of Honor in the Al Bastakiya suggests Rafid may be better over distances shorter than 1,900 meters.

Shin Forever

Shin Forever (Photo courtesy of Dubai Racing Club)

Start(s): 7
Wins: 1
Place: 2
Show: 0

Owner: Susumu Fujita
Breeder: Bret Jones
Trainer: Hideyuki Mori
Jockey: Akira Sugawara

Top Speed Rating: N/A
Total Earnings: $416,778

Sire: Complexity
Dam: Praising
Color: Bay

The fourth and final Japanese challenger is Shin Forever. After competing with limited success on turf in Japan, he switched to dirt for the Saudi Derby (G3) in Saudi Arabia and finished a pacesetting second against Golden Vekoma, who had previously won Meydan’s UAE 2000 Guineas (G3). This strong showing stamps Shin Forever as a win contender in the UAE Derby.

Queen Azteca

Queen Azteca (Photo courtesy of Dubai Racing Club)

Start(s): 6
Wins: 3
Place: 1
Show: 0

Owner: Glaesner Racing APS
Breeder: Three Chimneys Farm
Trainer: Niels Petersen
Jockey: Carlos Lopez

Top Speed Rating: N/A
Total Earnings: $215,831

Sire: Sharp Azteca
Dam: Princesa Helena
Color: Bay

The lone filly in the UAE Derby field is Queen Azteca, winner of the 1,900-meter UAE Oaks (G3) at Meydan. Her 3-for-4 lifetime record is sharp, but Queen Azteca’s winning time of 2:00.43 from the UAE Oaks is meaningfully slower than the 1:59.33 posted by Galactic Star in the Al Bastakiya on the same day.

KENTUCKY DERBY PEDIGREE PROFILE: FLOOD ZONE

Flood Zone made his Road to the Kentucky Derby debut in the Gotham (G3) at Aqueduct. Racing a one-turn mile, the bay colt dueled for the lead and pulled clear down the lane to win by 3 1/4 lengths.https://t.co/ynTf9Pdq51

— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) March 3, 2025