Nimbly mounting United Arab Emirates Derby winner Wonder Dean, Takuya Nakano meets veteran Churchill Downs “pony boy” Mike Crowder and heads out to the track at Churchill for their early morning exercise. Despite their differences in age and experience, they balance each other. 

Wonder Dean earned 100 entry points by winning the UAE Derby at Meydan on the Euro/Mideast Road to the Kentucky Derby for trainer Daisuke Takayanagi. Racing fans will remember that Takayanagi brought T O Password to the Kentucky Derby in 2024 and finished a respectable fifth. He also had T O Keynes, who finished fourth in the 2023 Dubai World Cup; and T O Saint Denis, who came in second in the 2024 Alysheba Stakes at Churchill Downs before competing in the 2024 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile. The “T O” in the horse’s names represents owner Tomoya Ozasa.

Nakano exercises Derby entrant Wonder Dean (Eclipse Sportswire)

Wonder Dean is a talented 3-year-old colt from Takayanagi’s stables. A Yoshinari Yamamoto homebred, he represents Japan’s outstanding breeding program. Yamamoto uses the word “Wonder” as a prefix for his horses. 

Wonder Dean’s grandsire is Japan’s legendary 2005 Triple Crown winner Deep Impact and his sire is 2016 Japanese Two Thousand Guineas winner Dee Majesty, who earned $2,789,586 in Japan. His dam is Wonder Siang Praw, who earned $417,866 from 22 races on the dirt in Japan. She is by Wonder Acute, by 1999 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Charismatic. Wonder Acute is a well-known horse represented as a character in the Umamusume game franchise. This means that Wonder Dean already has a built-in international fan base! With six starts in three countries, he has two wins and two seconds for career earnings of $770,541.

Wonder Dean scored a thrilling triumph in the UAE Derby over fellow Kentucky Derby starter Six Speed, catching him with 150 yards left to win by 2 ½ lengths. It’s possible that there could be a repeat in their rivalry at the Derby.      

Nakano is from Japan. He is assistant trainer, stable representative, and exercise rider for “Dean.” He grew up in Osaka and had no connection with horses. He explained, “I had never even touched one. I first learned about horse racing through the manager of an izakaya [a casual Japanese pub] where I worked part-time in high school, which sparked my interest.”

Nakano exercises Derby entrant Wonder Dean (Eclipse Sportswire)

When Nakano turned 20, he decided he wanted to try riding a horse for the first time. “I joined Northern Farm and learned everything from scratch,” he said. “Now I’m 30, so it’s been 10 years since I started riding.”

At 23, he joined Daisuke Takayanagi’s stable. His first horse assignment was Wonder Dean’s dam. He took care of her until she retired. He is very fond of her. “I remember her very well. She was very small, didn’t eat much, and had quite a stiff way of moving. To be honest, you couldn’t really call her a great horse. Her mental strength when it came to racing was incredible. She gave her absolute all every time and pushed beyond her limits in every race. ‘Dean’ has inherited that same mental toughness from [Wonder Siang Praw].”

Nakano was with Wonder Dean in Dubai, and he knows his personality quite well. “He gets very lonely. In Saudi and Dubai, he always trained following Forever Young. When he’s left on his own, he suddenly panics, acts up, and even stops eating. I’m really grateful that in the U.S., a pony stays with him during training.”

Nakano and “Dean” enjoy peaceful moments outside the barn at Churchill. “He seems to really like the grass here in America. He’s been eating it nonstop. As for riding, there’s nothing negative to say. He’s easy to ride, and even though he’s had six races with six different jockeys, he gives his all every single time.”

But after all, Dean is a young colt. “On the ground, he’s quite a handful. He bites a lot, makes a lot of noise, and isn’t exactly charming, so it’s always a bit of a battle! But once you’re on his back, he’s actually very sweet.”

Nakano with veteran Churchill Downs “pony boy” Mike Crowder. (Eclipse Sportswire)

Crowder speaks highly of Nakano’s skill in handling the colt. “My experience with him is he’s a nice man. He’s a good hand on a horse and he’s patient. He’s firm with that horse. He doesn’t let him get away with a bunch of crap. He makes him mind, but he's not mean about it. That horse seems to respond to it. He calmly slows him right down, brings him back to when he behaves, and then he goes on with it. That kid has really helped that horse a lot!”

They spend their early mornings warming up. Nakano slowly drills Dean in figure eights, circles, jogging, and a slow gallop. Crowder explains, “It's beneficial. Wonder Dean has a lot of class. One thing that stands out is that he’s got a great mind. We finish his warmup sometimes five to 10 minutes before the tractors are off the track. He stands there, very calm and quiet, and looks around. He’s not anxious. He’s very relaxed and he listens to things and observes.”

Nakano first met Wonder Dean in April of 2025.  “Since he’s a foal of [Wonder Siang Praw], I was really excited about him. I had heard that he was highly rated at the farm — maybe even better than [Wonder Siang Praw]. When I rode him, he felt very soft and worked well in training, so I was really looking forward to his debut.”  

Nakano doesn’t speak English but that doesn’t seem to be an issue between the two horsemen. Crowder said, “Maybe the only time we really have to speak with one another is while we’re on the track. You learn to work together, that’s all.”

Nakano at Kentucky Derby Museum (Kate Hunter photo)

Watching Wonder Dean win the UAE Derby was one of the most exciting moments of Nakano’s life. “To be honest, I barely remember it … I was just too overwhelmed with excitement. It was truly the best day ever. I still watch the race footage over and over again.”

Nakano is enjoying his time in Louisville.  He has visited the Kentucky Derby Museum and has been enjoying American food. He has been eating a lot of fried chicken and has also tried fried pickles for the first time, and he says he is completely hooked. He wants to try to make them when he returns to Japan.

This has been a joyous occasion for Nakano. “I am truly honored and very happy to be able to [be involved] in the Kentucky Derby. With this bloodline that the owner has connected us to [Wonder Siang Praw and Wonder Acute], I feel deeply grateful. I also want to thank everyone who has been involved with Dean. I believe this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so for the remaining week I want to enjoy every moment with no regrets and prepare fully for race day. I will do my best!”

Wonder Dean drew post position No. 10 and will be ridden by jockey Ryusei Sakai. On Friday, he worked six furlongs in 1:17.80. “He felt similar today as he did during his breeze a week out from the UAE Derby,” Nakano said. “He felt really great. This gives me a lot of confidence that he will be able to perform his best on Derby day.”

There is no doubt that this young man from Okano is giving his all to make sure that his friend “Dean” has a memorable Kentucky Derby!