Trainer Aidan O'Brien can win the UAE Derby for the fourth time when he sends out the favored Cairo in the 2023 UAE Derby on Saturday at Meydan Racecourse. The 53-year-old O'Brien won the race in 2012 (with Daddy Long Legs), 2013 (Lines of Battle) and 2018 (Mendelssohn). His three wins in the race ranks third among all trainers all-time. On Saturday, O'Brien will go for No. 4 with Cairo, who is the 5-2 favorite in the 2023 UAE Derby odds. The Bob Baffert-trained Worcester is 5-1 in the 2023 UAE Derby field, while Dura Erede (6-1), Goraiko (8-1), Derma Sotogake (10-1) and Tall Boy (10-1) round out the top six in the odds.
The UAE Derby 2023 post time is 9:50 a.m. ET. With 13 lightly raced three-year-olds set to enter the starting gate on Saturday, you'll want to see what racing reporter and analyst Michelle Yu has to say before making any 2023 UAE Derby picks.
Few people in racing are as well-connected as Yu. An on-air host and reporter who has provided racing analysis for TVG, HRTV and the Breeders' Cup, Yu has spent a lifetime in racing. Prior to her television career, she worked for trainers Steve Asmussen and Ron Moquett. She also is married to Santa Anita-based trainer Ryan Hanson.
Since joining SportsLine in November 2021, her picks have cashed in the 2021 and '22 Breeders' Cup Classics, Kentucky Oaks, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes, among other races. And last month she crushed the Saudi Cup, riding a 15-1 winner for an $840 score.
Now, Yu has handicapped the 2023 UAE Derby field, given her horse-by-horse analysis, made her picks and constructed her wagers. Head to SportsLine to see them.
Top 2023 UAE Derby predictions
One surprise: Yu's top pick is not Cairo, even though he is the 5-2 favorite. An Irish bred, Cairo is 3-for-5 lifetime and has won his last two starts, but he will be making his first start on dirt.
Yu also has observed that the colt has a tendency to get a little worked up prior to races. "You can never count out Ballydoyle in these spots, though I would watch him closely as there is an indication he could come unglued the night of the race," Yu told SportsLine. She is using Cairo only sparingly in her wagers. See which horses to back at SportsLine.
How to make 2023 UAE Derby picks
Instead, Yu's top choice is a double-digit longshot who is an "up-and-comer." She's also is high on another longshot who will turn heads. She's sharing which horses to back only at SportsLine.
So what up-and-coming double-digit longshot wins the UAE Derby 2023? What does Yu think of every horse in the race? And how has she constructed her wagers? See the 2023 UAE Derby odds below, and then visit SportsLine to see Yu's picks for the 2023 UAE Derby, and find out.
2023 UAE Derby odds
Prg # | Horse | Odds | Projection |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Es-Unico | 20-1 | SEE PICKS |
2 | Ah Jeez | 12-1 | SEE PICKS |
3 | Cairo | 5-2 | SEE PICKS |
4 | Continuar | 15-1 | SEE PICKS |
5 | Derma Sotogake | 10-1 | SEE PICKS |
6 | Dura Erede | 6-1 | SEE PICKS |
7 | Go Soldier Go | 15-1 | SEE PICKS |
8 | Goraiko | 8-1 | SEE PICKS |
9 | Lahresh | 30-1 | SEE PICKS |
10 | Mr Raj | 20-1 | SEE PICKS |
11 | Perriere | 15-1 | SEE PICKS |
12 | Tall Boy | 10-1 | SEE PICKS |
13 | Worcester | 5-1 | SEE PICKS |