Santa Anita Derby 2023 Results: Practical Move Edges Mandarin Hero for Narrow Win

In an exciting finish down the stretch, Practical Move, trained by Tim Yakteen, took home the win in the Santa Anita Derby in California, edging out Japan-based Mandarin Hero at the finish line.

Practical Move entered the race as the betting favorite with 8-5 odds. He'll be one of the favorites going into the Kentucky Derby on May 6.

Order of Finish, Pre-Race Odds, Payouts

1. Practical Move (8-5): Win ($4.00), Place ($3.00), Show ($2.20)

2. Mandarin Hero (8-1) Place ($6.60), Show ($4.00)

3. Skinner (4-1) Show ($2.60)

4. National Treasure (3-1)

5. One in Vermillion (50-1)

6. Low Expectations (30-1)

7. Dazzlemesilver (50-1)

8. I Don't Get It (20-1)

Recap

With the win, Practical Move moves into the second place behind Forte in the Kentucky Derby points standings with 160 points. The win was monumental for Yakteen and owners Pierre and Leslie Amestory, who will have a horse competing at Churchill Downs for the first time.

Although Practical Move was expected to win, the true story of the race was Mandarin Hero, who was the first horse from Japan to ever compete in the Santa Anita Derby and came inches away from leaving with the win.

The horse was trained by Terunobu Fujita and jockeyed by Kazushi Kimura. Last month Fujita said it was his dream to have one of his horses run in the Santa Anita Derby.

Mandarin Hero was in the pack for most of the race but made a late move down the stretch and, after a battle with Skinner, came head-to-head with Practical Move and fell just short.

Even with the second-place finish, it wasn't enough to put him in the top 20 to make the Kentucky Derby, as he sits just outside the qualifying zone in 22nd.

One of the surprises of the race was that Geaux Rocket Ride, who had the second-best odds to win at Santa Anita Park, was scratched from the race due to a slight fever. The Richard Mandella-trained horse had 3-1 odds to win it all.

He entered Saturday's race outside of the top 20 of Kentucky Derby qualifying, sitting in 29th. The scratch was a pretty big hit to his hopes of making it to Louisville.

There are still a few races left that can help shake up the standings, but time is running out.

Besides the Santa Anita Derby, there were two other races Saturday with big Kentucky Derby implications: the Blue Grass Stakes and Wood Memorial. Todd Pletcher-trained Tapit Trice won the Blue Grass while the Wood Memorial was won by 59-1 long shot Lord Miles.