Debuting under new American ownership, Six Speed sparked aspirations for a springtime return to his native soil, securing a notable and somewhat unexpected triumph in the UAE Two Thousand Guineas held on January 23rd at Meydan Racecourse during Fashion Friday.
This competition awarded the Not This Time progeny 20 points within Churchill Downs’ Euro/Mideast pathway leading to the Kentucky Derby, sponsored by Woodford Reserve. Crucially, it also secured a definite entry into the UAE Derby on March 28th, coinciding with Dubai World Cup night, an event where the victor gains 100 qualifying points, virtually assuring a position in the highly anticipated “run for the roses.”
Prior to the UAE Guineas, Six Speed had triumphed in the UAE Two Thousand Guineas Trial on January 2nd. During that 1,400-meter (approximately seven-furlong) contest, he gained an advantage from an inner starting position and a handicap allowance over the second-place finisher. Doubts persisted about his ability to replicate that performance when an additional 200 meters was added to the race distance.
Both the rider, Mickael Barzalona, and his conditioner, Bhupat Seemar, admitted their astonishment as Six Speed not only met the challenge but surged to a five-length victory, unhindered by any of his fifteen competitors.
“He broke quickly from the starting gate and maintained robust pace throughout the circuit,” Barzalona commented. “He genuinely caught me off guard when I urged him to accelerate down the final stretch.”
“Exceptional horses possess initial swiftness, which then develops into greater endurance,” Seemar remarked, with a positive outlook. “Therefore, I presume he falls into that category. We initially believed he wouldn’t manage the full distance, but he has unequivocally proven us mistaken, revealing himself to be a truly impressive equine.”
Foaled in Kentucky by KatieRich Farms, Six Speed’s dam is Browse, a Medaglia d’Oro mare who was a stakes-placed victor bred by Phipps Stable. Seemar acquired the colt for his initial owners at the 2025 Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up Sale, paying the sum of $304,680.
The colt secured a third-place finish in his inaugural race in November at Meydan, subsequently achieving a striking victory in his second outing a month thereafter, yet he remained a considerable underdog in global betting for the Guineas Trial. His odds were once again quite favorable in the Guineas, with Devon Island, a Godolphin-owned Practical Joke colt, being the favorite who ultimately placed second.
Preceding the Guineas event, Six Speed was acquired through a private sale by a consortium led by Brunetti Dugan Stables and Black Type Thoroughbreds, which is owned by Jake Ballis. Additional stakeholders in this partnership comprise Steve Adkisson and Swinbank Stable.
“The previous owners, with whom I attended college, are my acquaintances,” Seemar stated. “They entrusted me with two horses, both of whom achieved notable victories. They decided to sell him, and I am now pleased that the new owners, being from the United States, likely acquired him with the Kentucky Derby in mind. It’s truly commendable when individuals demonstrate such strong belief.”
Ballis and his associates decided to retain the colt under Seemar’s training for the Dubai racing circuit, though he indicated they might rethink this arrangement should Six Speed qualify for Louisville, Kentucky.
