The $750,000 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby at Santa Anita Park is one of the most important stops on the Road to the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve. The 1 1/8-mile, Grade 1 race has produced five Kentucky Derby winners since 2005 — Giacomo, I’ll Have Another, California Chrome, Justify, and Authentic — and Justify famously swept the Triple Crown.
The 2023 Santa Anita Derby is slated for Saturday. There are several promising names among the nine entries, but only one runner has previously prevailed at the graded stakes level, and he’s done so twice. That would be #5 Practical Move, the 8-5 morning-line favorite, who ranks among the current Kentucky Derby favorites.
Practical Move squared off against tough competition throughout his juvenile season. First, he placed in maiden special weight races against future Grade 1 winner Cave Rock and multiple Grade 1-placed National Treasure. Then he won a maiden special weight via disqualification and ran third in the Grade 3 Bob Hope Stakes behind graded stakes winners Havnameltdown and Newgate.
But Practical Move elevated his game to a new level in his final start of 2022. Joining the Road to the Kentucky Derby in the 1 1/16-mile Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity, Practical Move tracked the pace from third before rallying along the rail to trounce his rivals by 3 1/4 lengths, earning a flashy 105 Brisnet speed rating.
After taking 2 1/2 months off, Practical Move picked up right where he left off in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita. Once again, Practical Move tracked the pace from the inside before slipping through along the rail to draw off and win by 2 1/2 lengths with a 102 Brisnet rating.
Practical Move has drawn in the middle of the San Felipe field and should have every chance to reach the rail again under jockey Ramon Vazquez, who is 2-for-2 aboard the improving colt. Practical Move has trained sharply since the San Felipe and may move forward in his second race of the season, so what’s not to like? The favorite looks formidable in the Santa Anita Derby.
Since there isn’t much value in betting Practical Move to win, we’ll key him on top of exacta and trifecta tickets in hopes of catching a bigger payoff. That means we’ll have to decide which horse or horses to use for second and third place, but that shouldn’t be too difficult. Overall, the Santa Anita Derby field appears pretty straightforward.
One of the key contenders for the minor awards is #6 National Treasure (3-1). Since defeating Practical Move in a Del Mar in his career debut last summer, National Treasure has finished second in the Grade 1 American Pharoah Stakes, third in the Grade 1 FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, and third in the Grade 3 Sham Stakes on the Road to the Kentucky Derby.
National Treasure’s Sham performance was more impressive than it first appears. He had to wait in traffic around the far turn and found racing room too late to catch the top two finishers.
Unfortunately, National Treasure missed a slated start in the San Felipe due to a foot issue, but he’s bounced back with four sharp workouts and has every chance to record a top-two finish in the Santa Anita Derby.
#3 Geaux Rocket Ride (3-1) and #7 Skinner (4-1) can’t be counted out of the mix either. Geaux Rocket Ride led from start to finish in his debut sprinting at Santa Anita, then stepped up in class and distance to finish a game second in the San Felipe. Considering he’s only run twice, this son of successful stallion Candy Ride still has upside for Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella.
Skinner didn’t fare quite as well in the San Felipe, rallying after a slow start to finish third, 3 3/4 lengths behind Practical Move and 1 1/4 lengths behind Geaux Rocket Ride. But the stretch-running son of Curlin is improving for three-time Santa Anita Derby-winning trainer John Shirreffs and is eligible to outrun his odds if the Santa Anita Derby unfolds at a hot pace.
Depending on how much budget you’ve allocated for betting the Santa Anita Derby, we’ve outlined a pair of betting strategies to consider:
Wagering Strategy on a $10 Budget
$10 exacta: 5 with 6
What to say at the betting window: Santa Anita, Race 6, $10 exacta 5 with 6
Wagering Strategy on a $30 Budget
$16 exacta: 5 with 6
What to say at the betting window: Santa Anita, Race 6, $16 exacta 5 with 6
$7 trifecta: 5 with 6 with 3,7 ($14)
What to say at the betting window: Santa Anita, Race 6, $7 trifecta 5 with 6 with 3,7
Good luck, and enjoy the race!
