At a Glance: Preview of UAE Derby

The UAE Derby (G2) has yet to produce a Kentucky Derby (G1) winner but it nearly happened last year, when Forever Young (JPN) came within two noses of taking the opening leg of the Triple Crown. The 2025 UAE Derby will most likely send a representative to the Run for the Roses as it awards 100 qualifying points on the Euro/Mideast Road to the Kentucky Derby to the winner. Though things could be trickier this year as the race was pushed back a week, leaving it just four weeks in advance of the Derby. NOTE: Numbers shown are the saddlecloth (with post position in parenthesis) 1. (Post 3) Admire Daytona (JPN) (12-1 BRISnet odds): Finished fourth in the Hyacinth Stakes in Japan and won a stakes before that. Japanese horses usually merit respect in these type of spots. JOCKEY: Christophe Lemaire; TRAINER: Yukihiro Kato 2. (Post 1) Don in the Mood (JPN) (10-1): Another Japanese runner who ran in the Hyacinth and finished third, 1 1/4 lengths in front of Admire Daytona. Cannot be ignored here. JOCKEY: Ryusei Sakai; TRAINER: Teiichi Konno 3. (Post 4) Dragon (JPN) (11-1): Also ran in the Hyacinth and finished fifth, 3 1/4 lengths behind Don in the Mood. Won a stakes by nine lengths before that. JOCKEY: Yutaka Take; TRAINER: Mikio Matsunaga 4. (Post 5) Flood Zone (9-5): Was an impressive winner of the Gotham Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct Racetrack in a manner that indicates he should handle the added distance. Looks like the one to beat. JOCKEY: Florent Geroux; TRAINER: Brad Cox 5. (Post 9) Galactic Star (12-1): Kentucky-bred won the listed stakes prep race for this at Meydan and that experience should make him a player here. JOCKEY: Tadhg O'Shea; TRAINER: Bhupat Seemar 6. (Post 6) Heart of Honor (GB) (4-1): Runner-up to Galactic Star by a head in previous and has never finished worse than second. Belongs in the exotics. JOCKEY: Saffie Osborne; TRAINER: Jamie Osborne 7. (Post 8) Rafid (41-1): Comes off a win but has struggled at this level in the past. JOCKEY: John Velazquez; TRAINER: Doug Watson 8. (Post 7) Shin Forever (3-1): Was second in the Saudi Derby in his first race on dirt. Should be the main rival. Runs for top Japanese connections. JOCKEY: Akira Sugawara; TRAINER: Hideyuki Mori 9. (Post 2) Queen Azteca (9-1): Filly won the UAE Oaks and will be a factor on her best try. JOCKEY: Carlos Lopez; TRAINER: Niels Petersen THE PICK: Flood Zone LIVE LONGSHOT: Don in the Mood SUPERFECTA: 4-8-2-6 Note: This story has been updated as a previous version did not include the end of the story. BloodHorse regrets the error.