Lani Headed to KY After UAE Derby Win
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Photo: Dubai Racing Club/Mathea Kelley
Lani takes the UAE Derby over Polar River.
Kentucky-bred Lani is headed back to his roots while representing Japan after earning his way into the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) with a March 26 UAE Derby (UAE-II) score.
The gray or roan Tapit colt edged Polar River by half a length in the 1,900-meter (about 1 3/16 miles) event at Meydan, earning 100 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby for owner Yoko Maeda.
The owner's son, Koki Maeda, confirmed Lani will become just the second runner to target the Run for the Roses for Japan. The one and only so far, Ski Captain, finished 14th in 1995. Jockey Yutaka Take was aboard that contender, rode Lani in the UAE Derby, and will be aboard at Churchill Downs as well.
"Of course, we will go to the Kentucky Derby, and I'd like to get the first prize," Maeda said.
Trainer Mikio Matsunaga said Lani will go straight from Dubai to Kentucky, departing the United Arab Emirates around March 30. Lani was his first winner on the Dubai World Cup card; he rode to off-the-board finishes in the World Cup and Golden Shaheen.
"Those were bad memories, so I wanted to come back here and win; that was my dream," said Matsunaga.
The UAE Derby start was not a good one for Lani, who has been known to have issues in the gate. The gray colt pawed just before the break, then stumbled and was last as the field headed into the first turn. Argentina-bred filly Vale Dori set the pace, with Frank Conversation close behind, as Polar River stayed forwardly placed as well.
Headed up the backstretch, Take shifted his mount six-wide with a strong middle move, and angled up and over to secure a good position. As the field turned for home he was second, with his Japan-based rival Yu Change taking the lead.
It looked as though Lani would hang for the place down the stretch, but with 200 meters left to run the gray colt found another gear and surged forward with Polar River on his heels. Yu Change held for third.
Bred in Kentucky out of the Sunday Silence mare Heavenly Romance by the Maeda family's North Hills Co. Limited, Lani came off a disappointing fifth in the Hyacinth Stakes at Tokyo Feb. 21, a loss that came after back-to-back wins. His record now stands at 3 wins and a second from six starts.