Unique 2023 Kentucky Derby horses include a quintet of grays and a pair bred in Japan

The Kentucky Derby is one of horse racing’s elite events.

Every year the Run for the Roses is filled with rags-to-riches stories of success, whether that’s the horses themselves or the connections who have helped make this moment possible.

The 149th edition of the Kentucky Derby this year is no different, with engaging personalities and Cinderella stories found in bunches among the current field.

Here are three of the most unique horses — and their backstories — set to take part in this year’s Kentucky Derby.

Derma Sotogake

Let’s start with one of the most talked-about horses in the buildup to the 2023 Kentucky Derby.

Derma Sotogake is one of two Japanese horses, Mandarin Hero is the other, projected to be in the 20-horse Kentucky Derby field.

Derma Sotogake is viewed as the one with the better chance of becoming the first Derby winner from Japan.

A winner in four of eight career starts, Derma Sotogake has significant history working against him come Saturday night.

First, he represents the latest efforts of a horse with Japanese connections trying to win the Derby.

The first time a horse shipped from Japan to Louisville to run the Kentucky Derby was in 1995, when Ski Captain finished 14th.

The first horse that was born in Japan, like Derma Sotogake, to compete in the Kentucky Derby was Master Fencer, who finished sixth as a long shot in 2019.

Derma Sotogake and Mandarin Hero will represent the fifth and sixth horses all-time with ties to Japan to compete in the Kentucky Derby.

Continuar was set to be the seventh as the recipient of an invitation to the Derby via the Japanese qualifying pathway, but he scratched out of the race late Thursday night due to fitness concerns.

Next comes the curse of Derma Sotogake’s key prep race win in late March.

Derma Sotogake won the Grade 2 UAE Derby by more than 5 lengths at Meydan Racecourse in the United Arab Emirates. The UAE Derby has existed since 2000, and no winner of the race has gone on to win the Kentucky Derby.

Furthermore, UAE Derby participants are 0-for-18 all-time in the Kentucky Derby, with an average finishing position of 12th.

The best finish in the Kentucky Derby by a UAE Derby runner was fifth in 2011 (Master of Hounds).

Something that is working in Derma Sotogake’s favor?

He’s no longer starting Saturday’s race from what has been historically the worst post position in the Kentucky Derby.

Derma Sotogake drew the No. 17 post for the race, which is the only post position to have never produced a winner in the Derby, but he will actually start from the No. 14 post after several scratches, including race favorite Forte.

Post position No. 14 has produced two winners from just 66 starters in Derby history, with the last one being Carry Back in 1961.

Add in the fact Derma Sotogake is named as such because his owner is a dermatologist (with “sotogake” being a wrestling move), and you have the runaway winner of the most unique horse in this year’s race.

Disarm

Disarm himself is not that interesting of a horse.

He’s won only once in five career starts, and crossed the finish line last month a distant third in the Lexington Stakes at Keeneland to barely earn enough qualifying points to make the starting gate for the 2023 Kentucky Derby.

But it’s what Disarm represents to his connections that makes his story more fascinating than first meets the eye.

Disarm’s trainer, Steve Asmussen, has never won the Kentucky Derby, and it’s a crater-sized gap on an otherwise historic résumé.

Asmussen is the Thoroughbred trainer with the most wins in North American history, and has sent 24 horses to the Derby in his life.

He’s finished second on three occasions with Nehro (2011), Lookin At Lee (2017) and Epicenter (2022), and none was more painful than last year’s runner-up showing.

Epicenter was the race favorite and led the Derby with the finish line in sight, before historic underdog Rich Strike passed him to win.

Epicenter’s owner was Ron Winchell, the same man who also owns Disarm.

The Winchell Thoroughbreds racing and breeding operation was started by Ron’s father, Verne. Now, it’s a partnership between Ron and his mother, Joan.

While Ron is also involved in gaming bars and restaurants, construction, and real estate development (he also owns Kentucky Downs in Franklin), he’s spoken openly about how Verne chased a Kentucky Derby title for nearly five decades before his death in 2002.

Ron picked up that chase, so far to no avail. Asmussen’s first win as a Thoroughbred trainer was in July 1986, and the nearly four decades since have seen him also pursue the most prestigious prize in horse racing.

Both men thought they’d found that long-awaited victory last year, only for it to be taken away.

Now, Disarm (post No. 9 and morning-line odds of 30-1) offers them another — albeit unlikely — chance.

The grays

Gray horses are always a crowd-pleaser. And if grays are your thing, then this Kentucky Derby is for you.

Of the 19 horses currently projected to take the starting gate Saturday night, five are classified as gray or roan horses.

▪ Tapit Trice (post No. 5 and morning-line odds of 5-1).

▪ Hit Show (post No. 1 and morning-line odds of 30-1).

▪ Rocket Can (post No. 15 and morning-line odds of 30-1).

▪ Reincarnate (post No. 7 and morning-line odds of 50-1).

▪ King Russell (post No. 18 and morning-line odds of 50-1).

If you’re dead set on betting a gray or roan horse in this year’s race, then Tapit Trice should be your play.

While the value probably won’t be great on him (he has the second-best morning-line odds in the field), Tapit Trice has the profile of a Derby winner.

Tapit Trice has won four of five career starts, all of which have come consecutively leading into Saturday’s race. These wins included the Grade 3 Tampa Bay Derby and last month’s Grade 1 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland.

While more than 27% of the current Derby field consists of gray horses, historical precedent isn’t looking great for them.

Only eight gray or roan horses have won the Kentucky Derby, with the last one being Giacomo (at 50-1 long-shot odds) in 2005.

Since then, 36 gray or roan horses have tried and failed to win the race, including Barber Road (sixth) last year.

This story was originally published May 3, 2023 at 12:11 PM.

Cameron Drummond

Lexington Herald-Leader

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Cameron Drummond works as a sports reporter for the Lexington Herald-Leader with a focus on Kentucky men’s basketball recruiting and the UK men’s basketball team, horse racing, soccer and other sports in Central Kentucky. Drummond is a second-generation American who was born and raised in Texas, before graduating from Indiana University. He is a fluent Spanish speaker who previously worked as a community news reporter in Austin, Texas. Support my work with a digital subscription