Practical Move edges Mandarin Hero to win Santa Anita Derby
Post-time favorite Practical Move (1-1) took the lead turning for home and held off late challenges by Japan shipper Mandarin Hero (8-1) and Skinner (7-2) to win by a nose in the Grade 1, $750,000 Santa Anita Derby on Saturday.
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The victory was the third in a row in a graded stakes for the $230,000 Practical Joke colt owned by Leslie and Pierre Jean Amestoy and Roger Beasley. Practical Move’s next stop with his career-long trainer Tim Yakteen is Kentucky Derby 2023 on May 6.
Ridden by Ramón Vázquez, Practical Move raced in fourth early and then third on the backstretch of the 1 1/8-mile race. He moved ahead of early pacesetter One in Vermillion (50-1) in the second turn, but he was joined quickly by Mandarin Hero and Skinner.
The colts ran three abreast down the stretch, and even though it was a photo finish, it was clear to the naked eye Practical Move had won. Mandarin Hero finished second, Skinner third, National Treasure (3-1) a more distant fourth and One in Vermillion fifth.
Yakteen said afterward that he was thrilled with the outcome, but also remembered races where he was on the wrong side of a photo finish.
“It's a great feeling to go back-to-back in this race," he said. "The rush you get - that's why you get in the game. You're calling wire when you're on the lead, and you're looking for more when you're closing ground."
But Terunobu Fujita, trainer of Mandarin Hero, was anything but downcast.
“We’re going to the Kentucky Derby!” he exclaimed. “I’m so proud of him. I thought he would not handle the early pace, but he did. I believed he would have a good acceleration in the final stretch as usual. And he did it. Kazushi Kimura gave a really good ride. He made him accelerate at the final stretch. I thought he was going to win. I’m just so excited right now.”
The top five finishers were awarded 100-40-30-20-10 qualifying points toward the Derby. Practical Move already had clinched his spot, and Skinner has enough points to get there. Mandarin Hero may be on the Derby bubble.
Practical Move’s winning time was 1:48.69 on the fast, main track after opening fractions of 22.30, 46.30, 1:11.25 and 1:35.73. He paid $4.00, $3.00 and $2.20; Mandarin Hero $6.60 and $4.00; and Skinner $2.60.