The Wonder was a "tall, lengthy"[1] dark brown horse with no white markings[2] bred in France by Alain du Breil, the president of the Societe de Steeple-Chases, the governing body of French jump racing.
Ridden by Yves Saint-Martin he was in fifth place 150m from the finish but produced a strong late run on the inside to take the lead in the final strides and won by a neck from Ledmir.
[3] On his three-year-old debut, The Wonder finished second to No Lute in the Prix Greffulhe over 2100m at Longchamp, but was awarded the race after the winner's post-race urine test showed traces of Nandrolone, an anabolic steroid.
He finished sixth of the sixteen runners behind Vayrann, ahead of many good horses including Master Willie, Madam Gay and Kirtling.
On 15 August, The Wonder was ridden for the first time by the Irish jockey Pat Eddery in the Group One Prix Jacques Le Marois at Deauville.
[4] In late 1982, The Wonder was being advertised as a breeding stallion for 1983, standing at the Haras de Clarbec, but a change of plan saw him sent to continue his racing career in the United States, where he was trained by Charles Whittingham.
[4] The Wonder was based at Santa Anita Park, in the early part of 1983, and opened his American career with a three and a half length win in an allowance race on 27 February.
A week later he was moved up in class and carried top weight of 124 pounds[5] the Grade I Santa Anita Handicap on dirt, but finished thirteenth behind Bates Motel.
On 17 April The Wonder recorded his first major success in the United States when he won the nine furlong San Bernardino Handicap, beating Konewah and the Strub Stakes winner Swing Till Dawn.
The horse then moved to Hollywood Park Racetrack and won the Grade I Century Handicap on Turf on 7 May, ridden by Bill Shoemaker.
On his final racecourse appearance he finished sixth behind Bel Bolide in the Carleton F. Burke Handicap at Santa Anita in October.