2023 Kentucky Derby Clocker Report: Derma Sotogake clearly outworks Continuar

Churchill Downs
Wednesday, April 26
Weather: Clear
Temperature: 46
Track: Fast

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – A serious drill by the two Japanese contenders in this year’s Kentucky Derby, Derma Sotogake and Continuar, and a test run with the addition of blinkers for Sun Thunder highlighted Wednesday’s Derby-Oaks training session at Churchill Downs.

The weather moderated some from previous mornings, with temperatures in the mid-40s during training hours. And the weather could be part of the story moving forward with rain in the forecast starting Thursday afternoon and continuing into Friday, which could alter training plans for a bevy of Derby contenders, including the seven likely starters from the barns of trainer Todd Pletcher and Brad Cox.

Derma Sotogake and Continuar came onto the track at their usual time, precisely 6:50 every morning, and warmed up in the chute before returning to the main track immediately after the renovation break. The pair eased away from the five-furlong pole, with Derma Sotogake nearly five lengths behind Continuar, although they did not officially begin the drill until the half-mile pole.

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Turning for home, they were on even terms with both set down for all they had to the wire. Derma Sotogake readily drew off by five lengths after four furlongs in 48.15, with his second quarter in 22.81. He then eased up after completing five-eighths into the clubhouse turn in 1:01.11 with no additional gallop-out. The UAE Derby winner, Derma Sotogake was far and away the best of this pairing.

Despite also being set down hard from the top of the stretch to the finish line, Continuar struggled while lugging in some and swapping leads through midstretch, ultimately losing contact with Derma Sotogake through the final sixteenth. He eased up shortly after passing through the wire after posting a 50.04 half-mile clocking. Not very impressive stuff for a Derby contender just 10 days out from the race.

Sun Thunder, the Risen Star runner-up, broke off at the five-furlong pole and went easily throughout, posting an opening three-eighths split of 36.71 before completing the distance in 1:01.34 with his ears up at the finish. After the wire, jockey Brian Hernandez rose up in the saddle, allowing Sun Thunder to gallop out on his own in a respectable 1:14.81 for six furlongs before easing up seven furlongs in 1:27.81.

“It was pretty basic stuff,” said trainer Kenny McPeek. “A nice little work. We wanted to try him in the set of blinkers and Brian seemed to think he was stronger and more focused in them. Obviously he needs to find an improved race to be competitive in the Derby, and hopefully the blinkers might help him do that. We’ll come back and do something similar with him again next Tuesday.”

The only potential Oaks starter to breeze Wednesday was Taxed, who needs one more defection to get into the race. She served notice she could be a bit of a sleeper after covering four furlongs in a lively 47.72, getting her final quarter in 23.43 while asked some nearing the wire. She responded to additional urging to gallop out very willingly, three-quarters in 1:13.93 and seven-eighths in 1:26.60.

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Otherwise it was a pretty routine morning on the Derby front, following a similar pattern as previous days. The bulk of the activity came during the 7:30-7:45 training window, although Angel of Empire came out very early as usual. Wild On Ice did little more than canter around the oval, neck bowed, as a prelude to a scheduled work under the lights Thursday.

Thursday morning figures to be a busy one for members of the Oaks lineup, with nine of the 14 starters expected to breeze, including Cox’s trio of War Paint, Botanical, and The Alys Look as well as the reigning 2-year-old champion Wonder Wheel.

Wonder Wheel ran off a bit during a gallop this morning. She inadvertently breezed from the three-eighths pole to the wire in 36.74, well off the rail, before coming to hand into the turn.

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