Ky. Derby video: See Japan duo breeze Wednesday morning

Derma Sotogake and Continuar, the two horses representingJapan, worked in tandem Wednesday morning at Churchill Downs in preparation forKentucky Derby 2023, which will be run in 10 days over the same track.

The pair went a half-mile together before Derma Sotogake,the winner of last month’s Grade 2 UAE Derby, separated himself for another eighthof a mile in his breeze. He was clocked at 1:01.4 covering five furlongs, the fourth fastest of seven works at that distance on the fast, main track. His furlong splitswere 13.2, 25.8, 37.2 and 48.6 seconds, according to a Churchill Downsspokesperson.

It was the second timed breeze at Churchill Downs for DermaSotogake, who was clocked at 49.6 seconds for a half-mile last Wednesday.

“This was our main, fast work a week out from the race,” DermaSotogake’s assistant trainer Masanari Tanaka said through a translator. “Hemoved just the way we wanted him to. We were very happy with the work.”

Continuar, who was third in the UAE Derby, was timed at 50.0seconds for his half-mile. He went out in 13.8, 26.4 and 38.2 seconds. It was the 30th fastest of the 40 breezes covering a half-mile.

Derma Sotogake, a Mind Your Biscuits colt, was on the lead in his victorious 1 3/16-mile journey through the UAE Derby. Tanaka said that might not be the case in 10 days at Churchill Downs.

“That’s not necessarily his preferred running style, but in that race there was no speed,” Tanaka said. “At the start the jockey kind of made the decision to go with it. And it worked quite well.”

Both horses have been in the quarantine center at theeastern edge of the Churchill Downs stable area since their arrival from Meydanon April 8. According to Kate Hunter, the liaison for the Japan connections, Continuar’strainer Yoshito Yahagi is scheduled to arrive in Kentucky on Monday. HidetakaOtonashi, who looks after Derma Sotogake, is expected Tuesday.

“What we learned from the Japanese in the past is that we learned more from the Americans and how they performed,” Tanaka said. “We know that the Americans are strong, so it’s going to take a lot to be able to beat them.”

In Las Vegas futures betting, Derma Sotogake is best-pricedat 12-1 and Continuar at 85-1, both at Caesars Sportsbook, to win the KentuckyDerby on May 6.