Horse Profile: Derma Sotogake

Breeders' Cup Classic Scouting Report

(Editor's note: Originally published in the 2024 BRISnet Breeders' Cup International Report)

After outperforming his 26-1 odds as the runner-up last year, Derma Sotogake is likely to be overlooked again. But it might take a greater leap of faith to back him this time, in an arguably deeper renewal.

A year ago, Derma Sotogake at least had claims as the impressive UAE Derby (G2) winner and decent sixth in the Kentucky Derby (G1). The caveat was that he’d missed his intended prep for the Breeders’ Cup and attempted the Classic off a six-month layoff. He deserves credit for working out the right stalking trip and beating all but the in-form White Abarrio.

If Derma Sotogake could run such a solid second off the bench, what might he do this year with the benefit of a tightener? The rub is that his prep was a lackluster fifth in the Nippon TV Hai, the same Funabashi race where Ushba Tesoro was runner-up. 

Adding to the uncertainty is that Derma Sotogake was beaten by Ushba Tesoro in his only other 2024 starts, the Saudi Cup (G1) and Dubai World Cup (G1). He ran much better in Saudi than at Meydan. 

Indeed, Derma Sotogake’s fifth in the Saudi Cup was vaguely reminiscent of his third in the 2023 Saudi Derby (G3), where his total margin of defeat was similar (2 1/2 to 2 3/4 lengths). Just as he improved from that stepping stone to last year’s UAE Derby, I forecast an analogous step forward on his return to Dubai for the World Cup. Instead, he wound up a remote sixth behind Laurel River.

Yet it’s not entirely fair to judge him harshly, given bits of bad luck before each of his Mideast appearances. Derma Sotogake suffered an eye injury on the flight to Saudi Arabia, and it’s an open question if that affected him, even though he was fit to race. 

Then in Dubai, regular pilot Christophe Lemaire was injured in a spill earlier on the World Cup card, and Oisin Murphy was suddenly recruited to replace him. Aside from having no time to familiarize themselves, the saddle had to be readjusted as they neared the gate, the colt got anxious in the starting stall, and banged his head on the same side as his recent eye injury. Unsurprisingly, he couldn’t mobilize into a forward spot after all of that, and it was downhill from there. 

Not seen again until the Sept. 25 prep, Derma Sotogake did show his old tactical speed to track William Barows, but he began to lose ground entering the far turn. He came under a drive, didn’t find much, and faded to fifth on his wrong lead down the stretch.

Interestingly, the postrace comments weren’t downcast. Rather, trainer Hidetaka Otonashi took the positives from his effort and added that Derma Sotogake is better on the American dirt anyway. 

Maybe he can draw inspiration from sire Mind Your Biscuits, who placed in the 2016 and 2017 editions of the Sprint at Santa Anita and Del Mar, respectively.