Two-for-two T O Password expected for Kentucky Derby

It does not take long to review the race record of T O Password, the Japan-based colt scheduled to start in the Kentucky Derby on May 4 at Churchill Downs.

Unbeaten in two starts, T O Password will be by far the least experienced runner in what is expected to be a field of 20.

T O Password earned a berth in the Kentucky Derby with a narrow win in his stakes debut in the $228,100 Fukuryu Stakes at about 1 1/8 miles at Nakayama Racecourse last Saturday.

Earlier this week, T O Password was confirmed as a probable starter for the Kentucky Derby by Churchill Downs.

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The Fukuryu Stakes was the last of four races in Japan’s Kentucky Derby qualifying series. T O Password earned 40 points for the win, outranking Ramjet, a two-time stakes winner who won the Hyacinth Stakes at a mile on Feb. 18 at Tokyo Racecourse.

The Hyacinth Stakes was the third race in the qualifying series. Ramjet did not start in the Fukuryu Stakes.

T O Password, a colt by Copano Rickey, won his debut in a maiden race for first-time starters at about 1 1/8 miles on Jan. 8 at Kyoto Racecourse. In the Fukuryu Stakes, T O Password set the pace, drew clear briefly, and was fully extended to win by a neck over a fast-closing Arare Tabushiru.

T O Password will be a longshot in the Kentucky Derby, and may not be the only runner from Japan in the field.

Forever Young, unbeaten in four starts, will be favored in Saturday’s Group 2 United Arab Emirates Derby at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai. The winner receives 100 qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby, a sufficient amount to gain a berth in the field.

Forever Young won the Group 3 Saudi Derby, a $1.5 million race at about a mile, on Feb. 24 in his 3-year-old debut and first start outside of Japan.

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While T O Password lacks experience, he does have a Kentucky Derby angle in his pedigree. Copano Rickey is by Gold Allure who is by Sunday Silence, winner of the 1989 Kentucky Derby.

Six Japanese-based horses have run in the Kentucky Derby, including Master Fencer (2019) and Derma Sotogake (2023), who both finished sixth. Derma Sotogake was later second in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita last November and starts in Saturday’s $12 million Dubai World Cup at Meydan.

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