2023 Kentucky Derby Field - Derma Sotogake
Last Updated: 05/02/2023 at 10:35 PM ET
The 149th running of the Kentucky Derby will take place at Churchill Downs on Saturday May 6. The most talented 3-year-old thoroughbreds in the country will leave the gate on Saturday afternoon. The field is expected to be very strong and will be a battle throughout the 1 ¼-mile event. More than 150,000 spectators will be on hand, while millions more are expected to watch across the globe.
Derma Sotogake is trained by Hidetaka Otanashi and will be leaving from the 17th gate, which means the thoroughbred must make a hard charge at the start not to be left behind when the horses reach the first turn. Derma Sotogake is currently 10-1 which is equal to Practical More. Derma is unbeaten from Japan and was victorious in the Group 2 UAE Derby this past March, coming close to establishing a new track record.
Derma Sotogake qualified for the Kentucky Derby when winning the UAE Derby by over five lengths. Horses out of Japan have won big races across the globe over the last couple of years and this could be the best chance Japan has in winning the Run for the Roses. Christophe Lemaire will ride aboard the Hidetaka Otanashi trained thoroughbred.