Ushba Tesoro, Derma Sotogake to Meet in BC Classic Prep

It's not a graded race, yet the $278,900, 1 1/8-mile Hai Stakes Sept. 25 at Tokyo's Funabashi Racecourse has more star power than most grade 1 events. The 7-year-old Ushba Tesoro (JPN), a three-time grade 1 winner, was second in this year's $20 million Saudi Cup (G1) and $12 million Dubai World Cup (G1). He will face 4-year-old Derma Sotogake (JPN), runner-up in last year's Breeders' Cup Classic (G1), in what could be a prep for both horses for the Nov. 2 Classic at Del Mar. Neither has raced since the March 30 World Cup at Meydan, where Derma Sotogake was sixth after running fifth in the Saudi Cup. Ushba Tesoro, winner of the 2023 World Cup, has 11 wins in 34 career starts with earnings of $16,327,477. Derma Sotogake has far less experience and a much more modest record, with four victories in 12 starts and a bankroll of $3,422,164. Ushba Tesoro, a son of Orfevre (JPN), not only has finished ahead of Derma Sotogake in two of their three meetings but also won his only race at Funabashi, where his younger rival has not competed. On the other hand, after running only 12 times Derma Sotogake could improve. Wednesday's race over the lefthanded, seven-furlong dirt oval drew a field of 13 and begins out of a chute.