Derma Sotogake Wins UAE Derby, Targets Kentucky Derby

Japan had an act that couldn't be beat in the UAE Derby (G2) March 25 at Meydan Racecourse and the star of that show now is on his way to Louisville, Ky., possibly with some of the supporting cast in tow.

Derma Sotogake  led home a 1-2-3-4 sweep for Japan at the end of the 1,900 meters (about 1 3/16 miles), earning 100 points on the main Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard—more than enough to qualify for the race.

"Yes, I will go!" said the winning owner, 73-year-old Hiroyuki Asanuma, noting he has never been to Kentucky, much less to Churchill Downs.

"I have been in this business for 30 years and this is my first big horse," said a beaming Asanuma, surrounded by a daughter, three grandchildren, and other relatives.

The victory for Japan was emphatic and spread out. Dura Erede  finished second but was 5 1/2 lengths behind the winner. It was another 4 1/2 lengths to Continuar  in third and 3 1/2 to Perriere  in fourth.

Dubai-trained Go Soldier Go  was the best of the rest. Coolmore's hope, Cairo , was never seriously involved and finished 10th. Worcester , trained by Bob Baffert, started slowly, rushed up to challenge, but reported home 11th. Two imports running for trainer Doug O'Neill, Tall Boy  and Ah Jeez , finished ninth and last of 13, respectively.

"The Japanese horses in that race are really good," said winning jockey Christophe Lemaire. "It really means something when you win a Derby by 5 1/2 lengths.

"The only concern was to get a good start and be in a good position."

Asked about the Kentucky Derby, Lemaire said, "How could you refuse a mount in the Kentucky Derby? I had my first experience last year (13th aboard UAE Derby winner Crown Pride ) and I'd be happy to go again."

Derma Sotogake is a son of Mind Your Biscuits , who twice won the Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1) at Meydan. Out of the Neo Universe  mare Amur Poesie, Derma Sotogake was bred by Northern Farm. He took four tries to get his first win as a 2-year-old, then won the Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun at Kawasaki Race Course Dec. 14. He started 2023 with a third-place finish in the grade 3 Saudi Derby Feb. 25 at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh.

"We were confident he would improve from that," said trainer Hidetake Otonashi, "especially going around two corners."

The race could produce more than one qualifier for the Kentucky Derby (G1).

Derma Sotogake was second on the Churchill Downs-created Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby before the UAE Derby. Since he earned a spot in the Louisville starting gate with the 100 main road points from the UAE Derby win, another invitation could go the leader of the "Japan Road" list, which would be Perrier. His connections earlier had said they would be interested in the American Classic. Dura Erede's 40 points from the UAE Derby also could be sufficient to secure a spot on the first Saturday in May.

Cairo entered as the leader in the European Road to the Kentucky Derby but Coolmore representatives said before the race he would need to win the UAE Derby to make the trip. Depending on the outcome of the final leg of that series, the invitation could fall to Stormy Entry , a Charles Fipke homebred colt.