Japan's Undefeated T O Password Accepts Invite To Kentucky Derby

Churchill Downs' Kevin Kerstein and Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby representative Kate Hunter have reported that there will be a Japanese representative in this year's Kentucky Derby.

This year brings T O Password to the United States, a great-grandson of Sunday Silence sired by Copano Rickey, Japan's top dirt horse of 2015. The 3-year-old has raced twice, winning his maiden effort at Kyoto in January and winning the Fukuryu Stakes at Nakayama to earn 40 points and the top spot on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby.

T O Password is owned by Tomoya Ozasa and trained by Daisuke Takayanagi.

Though several Japanese-trained horses have run in the Run for the Roses in recent years, T O Password will be just the second to earn entry via the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby. The first was Master Fencer, who finished sixth in 2019 (Continuar also accepted an invite, but was scratched before the 2023 edition of the race).