Practical Move Edges Mandarin Hero in SA Derby

Practical Move  unveiled another dimension April 8 to his potentially limitless talent via his bravery in the final strides of the $751,500 Santa Anita Derby (G1). With local nemesis Skinner  running the best race of his life and Japanese import Mandarin Hero  proving he belonged with just about any American Triple Crown hopeful, Practical Move prevailed in a nail-biter.

"It was a thriller and a half," said Pierre Jean Amestoy Jr., who owns Practical Move with his wife, Leslie, and Roger Beasley. "He fought them off the last sixteenth of a mile and just showed how brave he is."

The even-money favorite in the 1 1/8-mile Santa Anita Derby, California's premier prep for the Kentucky Derby (G1), Practical Move broke in seventh for jockey Ramon Vazquez, but quickly moved up to fourth along the inside as longshot One in Vermillion  sped to the lead.

One in Vermillion, ridden by Hector Berrios, established the pace for the first six furlongs, completing the first quarter-mile in :22.30, a half-mile in :46.30, and three-quarters in 1:11.25. By that point, Practical Move had come up to him along the rail, closing the margin to a half-length.

"I made the move a little early," Vazquez explained, "because I saw Berrios look at me from the inside. I knew he wanted to put me inside a little bit tight, so I just moved my horse to the outside to take a new position, made him relax a little bit."

As Practical Move was engaging with One in Vermillion on the second turn, Skinner was mounting a gigantic move four wide after having been bumped from both sides while leaving the gate.

One of those bumping with Skinner was Mandarin Hero directly to his inside. The incident apparently did not faze either colt because turning for home, they prepared to take on Practical Move in what would be an epic stretch battle.

Practical Move took command at the five-sixteenths and by midstretch had a length advantage. But Mandarin Hero and Skinner were coming, and neither planned to let the favorite spurt away. With Practical Move on the rail, Skinner on the outside, and Mandarin Hero in between, the trio surged toward the wire together.

Practical Move and Mandarin Hero edged away slightly from Skinner in the final strides, and it took a photo to determine Practical Move as the nose winner over Mandarin Hero. Skinner was a half-length back in third, as Practical Move stopped the timer in 1:48.69. The winner returned $4 for a $2 wager.

Tim Yakteen has trained Practical Move throughout his career and now also trains fourth-place National Treasure , previously trained by Bob Baffert. Yakteen also won the Santa Anita Derby in 2022, with ex-Baffert runner Taiba .

"It's a great feeling to go back-to-back in this race," Yakteen said. "The rush you get—that's why you get in the game."

Practical Move earned 100 Kentucky Derby qualifying points for his victory, with 40-30-20-10 going to Mandarin Hero, Skinner, National Treasure, and fifth-place finisher One in Vermillion, respectively. Mandarin Hero, the first horse from Japan to run in the Santa Anita Derby, in five previous starts at Oi Racecourse in Japan, had won four times and finished second once. 

"We're going to the Kentucky Derby!" said Mandarin Hero's trainer, Terunobu Fujita, though his colt may need defections in the next four weeks to gain a starting position based on the current Kentucky Derby Leaderboard. "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." 

The Santa Anita Derby field did lose a major competitor when Geaux Rocket Ride  had to be scratched the morning of the race. Trainer Richard Mandella said that at about 9 a.m. PT Geaux Rocket Ride spiked a fever of 103.2 degrees. A horse's temperature is considered normal between 99-101 degrees.

A son of Candy Ride  , Geaux Rocket Ride ran second to Practical Move in the San Felipe Stakes (G2) in only his second start. Prior to that, Geaux Rocket Ride had debuted with a 5 3/4-length score in a six-furlong maiden race at Santa Anita Jan. 29. 

With only 20 qualifying points toward the Kentucky Derby, he would be unlikely to make the Derby field, even if his connections desired to pursue the race with the lightly-raced colt after the latest setback.

Practical Move won his fourth race in seven starts and his third consecutive graded stakes. He finished his 2-year-old season by capturing the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2), and the San Felipe was his 2023 debut. He has won his last three races with inside stalking trips.

The Amestoys, whose equine ties include Quarter Horse racing champion First Moonflash and Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racehorses in New Mexico, where they now live, at one time owned a farm in Kentucky. That makes having a horse heading to the Kentucky Derby as one of the top choices even more special.

"We're going to go out a week early and absorb everything we can in Kentucky," Pierre said. "We'll go see some old friends and maybe go visit the old farm even. We're going to go see his sire, Practical Joke  , and we have a mare in foal to Flightline  , so we're going to go see Flightline."

The Amestoys bought Practical Move for $230,000 at the 2022 Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training. Trainer Chad Brown, who trained Practical Joke, bred Practical Move in Kentucky with Head of Plains Partners. Out of the Afleet Alex  mare Ack Naughty , Practical Move was a $90,000 RNA at the 2001 Keeneland September Yearling Sale before Eisaman Equine consigned him at OBS.