The first to enter was the favorite, World Ace.
His closing run at Nakayama Racecourse last time had left a deep impression on everyone, and now, as the Derby favorite, he naturally enjoyed the most support.
The only regret was that he had fallen just short in the Satsuki Sho, losing to Gold Ship.
As one of the outstanding offspring from this generation of Deep Impact progeny, many hoped he could deliver a dazzling performance just like Gentildonna.
"First to enter is today's favorite, World Ace. From his earlier workout gallop footage, we can see that he's in excellent form this time, and his jockey is once again Yuichi Fukunaga."
Unlike Gentildonna, no one questioned his ability to handle the distance.
"Second to enter is another strong contender, Gorgeous Glory, who earned an excellent third-place finish in the Satsuki Sho."
The first two racehorses to enter were both offspring of Deep Impact, and both had attracted considerable support for the Derby.
Both horses were serious contenders in this race.
Of course, the most intriguing aspect was still the friction between Iwata Yasushiro and Koichi Sasaki.
This race might well feature a spectacular showdown between the two.
The fourth favorite was Grand Colt.
His jockey for this race had been changed to Kenichi Ikezoe.
He had finished fifth in the Satsuki Sho.
The fifth favorite was Extraordinary Steed.
Although this horse had not entered the earlier Satsuki Sho, he had delivered an exceptionally impressive performance in a Derby prep race.
He was also the second horse among the top five favorites who was not an offspring of Deep Impact.
As a son of Old Gold, he carried the spectators' high hopes as well.
"Entering next is today's second favorite, Gold Ship. I'm sure everyone here is already quite familiar with this