Santa Anita Derby: Forbidden Kingdom, Messier set for a clash

Next Saturday's Grade 1, $750,000 Santa Anita Derby is shaping up to be a short field featuring a battle of previous Kentucky Derby prep winners in Messier, who won the Robert B. Lewis (G3), and Forbidden Kingdom, who will enter off of consecutive Grade 2 victories in the San Felipe and San Vicente.

The Santa Anita Derby, which offers Kentucky Derby points payouts of 100-40-20-10 to the top four finishers, will be Messier’s first start for trainer Tim Yakteen. The Empire Maker colt was previously in Bob Baffert’s barn, before being moved to Yakteen, who, unlike Baffert, is eligible to have horses run in the 2022 Derby.

Facing a field of four other 3-year-olds in the Robert B. Lewis on Feb. 6 at Santa Anita, Messier proved absolutely dominant, taking the lead immediately and romping by 15 lengths. He would have earned 10 Derby points for the effort, but they were vacated due to Churchill Downs Inc.’s ban of Baffert.

The only other probables for the Santa Anita Derby as of Saturday were Win the Day and Happy Jack, both trained by Doug O'Neill. Nominee McLaren Vale was ruled out of the race by trainer Tim Yakteen on Friday, per Daily Racing Form.

Before the Lewis, the Messier finished his 2021 campaign with a second-place effort in the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2). In that race, he lost to Slow Down Andy, who last Sunday won the Sunland Park Derby (G3) to earn 50 Derby points for trainer Doug O’Neill.

Messier worked Saturday at Santa Anita, breezing five furlongs in 1:00.6 for Yakteen. The move was the 19th fastest of 55 drills at the distance.

His chief competition among the nominees for the Santa Anita Derby is Forbidden Kingdom, trained by Richard Mandella. The speedy American Pharoah colt shot to the lead in the San Felipe on March 5 and never looked back, winning by 5 3/4 lengths.

That followed a similar performance in the seven-furlong San Vicente, which Forbidden Kingdom won by 2 1/4 lengths in January. The field for that race was short, but included both Pinehurst and Doppelganger running for Baffert, as well as McLaren Vale..

Also among the nominations for the Santa Anita were two Bob Baffert trainees in Armagnac and Taiba. That status quo is untenable, after Baffert was denied a stay of his 90-day suspension in Kentucky, which will begin Monday.

According to California rules, Baffert will have to disperse his stable and give up his stall space due to the length of the suspension.

The full list of 11 nominations for the Santa Anita Derby with trainers is as follows: Armagnac (Baffert), Doppelganger (Yakteen), Fenwick (David Fisher), Forbidden Kingdom (Mandella), Happy Jack (O'Neill), McLaren Vale (Yakteen), Messier (Yakteen), Rich Strike (Eric Reed), Slow Down Andy (O'Neill), Taiba (Baffert), Win the Day (O'Neill).

If Armagnac or Taiba were to run, they would have to be transferred to a different trainer. Rich Strike is entered in Saturday's Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) at Turfway Park, while Doppelganger is set for the Arkansas Derby (G1). 

The Santa Anita Derby is the last of California’s Derby preps and the last 100-40-20-10 points race of the season.