Soto is campaigned in the name Gallop, which is Baroness Karin von Ullman, her son Baron George von Ullman, and his wife, Carena. The von Ullman family and its Gestut Schlenderhan is one of the largest and most successful racing operations in Germany.Soto won the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (gr. II) as a 2-year-old last year. The West Virginia Derby score came following an allowance victory at Philadelphia Park. Soto, by Dehere, out of the Crafty Prospector mare Subtle Fragrence, was bred in Kentucky by Domino Stud. He was purchased for $50,000 out of the Keeneland September yearling sale.
Trainer Michael Dickinson reports that Soto, winner of $600,000 West Virginia Derby (gr. III) in his last start on Aug. 9, will make his next start in the $500,000 Super Derby (gr. II) at Louisiana Downs. The 24th running of the nine-furlong Super Derby will be on Sept. 20.Soto, unbeaten in five starts, worked an easy five furlongs over Dickinson's Tapeta training surface at his Tapeta Farm near Northeast, Md on Monday morning. He worked in 1:07, but Dickinson said, "that's the equivalent of 1:02 over a flat track." With the incline of the training track, Dickinson notes to get an equal time over a flat track, one should subtract a second a furlong."He went easy," Dickinson said. "He's only had five races and he needs the experience. He has the potential."
