Santa Anita Derby: See field of 9 + posts, jockeys, odds

Trainer Tim Yakteen’s Practical Move, fresh off impressive scores in a pair of graded stakes, heads a field of nine sophomores going 1 1/8 miles in Saturday’s Grade 1, $750,000 Santa Anita Derby, a race that has produced 20 Kentucky Derby winners.

There are 100-40-30-20-10 Kentucky Derby 2023 qualifying points waiting to be awarded to the top five finishers.

Click here for Santa Anita entries and results.

Yakteen, a former assistant to both Bob Baffert and Charlie Whittingham, eyes his first victory in what will be the 86th renewal of the Santa Anita Derby. Owned by Leslie Amestoy, Pierre Jean Amestoy Jr. and Roger Beasley, Practical Move was attentive to the pace in the San Felipe Stakes (G2) at 1 1/16 miles on March 4 while full of run at the rail in the run to the far turn.

With pacesetter Hejazi in front of him and Geaux Rocket Ride just to his outside, Practical Move unleashed a tremendous turn of foot, leaving his rivals in his wake en route to an emphatic, 2 1/2-length score. In a performance that certainly suggests he’ll relish added distance, he daylighted the field galloping out into the clubhouse turn.

Practical Move’s San Felipe score followed an impressive followed 3 1/4-length romp at the same distance in the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) on Dec. 17. A Kentucky-bred colt by the Into Mischief stallion Practical Joke out of the Afleet Alex mare Ack Naughty, Practical Move raced as a maiden at Los Alamitos, earning an 88 Beyer Speed Figure, according to Daily Racing Form, and followed that with a 100 in the San Felipe.

Practical Move already is assured of a starting position in the run for the roses with 60 qualifying points. With Ramon Vazquez back aboard for the third consecutive time Saturday, he again will face Geaux Rocket Ride as well the San Felipe third-place finisher Skinner with all three horses rating solid chances.

Second or third in all four of his maiden starts prior to the Los Alamitos Futurity, Practical Move is 6: 3-1-2 with earnings of $434,200.

Although he’s late to the Triple Crown party, Richard Mandella’s Geaux Rocket Ride, in just his second career start and first time around two turns, ran lights out in the San Felipe. He sat a measured second to Hejazi to the far turn and battling gamely at the rail through the lane to finish second, 1 1/4 lengths in front of an oncoming Skinner.

A galloping first-out maiden six-furlong winner at Santa Anita on Jan. 29, Geaux Rocket Ride was the 5-2 favorite in the San Felipe, a race in which he earned a 96 Beyer. Geaux Rocket Ride, who picked up 20 Kentucky Derby qualifying points in the San Felipe. Owned by Pin Oak Stud, he is by Candy Ride out of the Uncle Mo mare Beyond Grace.

Like Geaux Rocket Ride, C R K Stable’s Skinner would appear to have considerable upside. Far back at the half-mile pole in the San Felipe, Skinner made an eye-catching move while wide out around the far turn. With Practical Move powering home, he wasn’t able to make up the necessary ground, finishing third by 3 3/4 lengths but looking like a horse who could excel at longer distances.

Skinner, a Kentucky-bred colt by Curlin out of the Malibu Moon mare Winding Way and trained by John Shirreffs, has improved dramatically this winter and appears set for his best in what will be sixth career start. It will be his fifth pairing with Victor Espinoza.

Unraced since a disappointing third Jan. 8 when he was beaten by one length as the 3-5 favorite going one mile in the Sham Stakes (G3), National Treasure was transferred from the ineligible Baffert to Yakteen in an effort to receive qualifying points to the Kentucky Derby.

Third, beaten 3 3/4 lengths by Eclipse Award juvenile male champ Forte in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile on Nov. 4 at Keeneland, National Treasure was second to highly regarded stablemate Cave Rock two starts back in the American Pharoah (G1) on Oct. 8. He obviously is a colt with immense class. With a lack of recency, he no doubt faces a tall order on Saturday.

Owned by SF Racing, Starlight Racing and other partners, National Treasure is 4-1-1-2 with earnings of $300,000.

Although he’ll likely be a double-digit long shot at post time, Mandarin Hero is nonetheless a compelling story given the fact Japan-based horses like him have done well competing around the globe the past three years. They won a pair of Breeders’ Cup races at Del Mar in 2021. Just last month Usheba Tesoro won the Dubai World Cup (G1) and Derma Sotogake finished first in the UAE Derby (G2).

Raced exclusively at Oi racecourse, Mandarin Hero was unbeaten in four starts at age 2. In his lone start this year he finished second, beaten by a neck going 1 1/8 miles Feb. 23. The first Japan-based horse to ever run in the Santa Anita Derby, the colt by Shanhai Bobby is owned by Hiroaki Arai and trained by Terunobu Fujita.

Mandarin Hero will be ridden by Kazushi Kimura, a 23-year-old Japan native who has been Canada’s leading rider the past two years at Woodbine. He also was North America’s champion apprentice in 2019.  Kimura, who will return to ride full time in Toronto after this weekend, has three stakes wins at the current meet.