Santa Anita Derby Pick: #5 Practical Move to Win at BetOnline (visit our BetOnline Review)
The Santa Anita Derby is West Coast’s premier Kentucky Derby (G1) prep race. This will be run over 1 1⁄8 miles, it offers qualifying points of 100-40-30-20-10 to the top five finishers. That is important because we are coming to the end of the prep races and those points are crucial.
This race has produced notable Kentucky Derby champions of recent vintage like I’ll Have Another (2012) and California Chrome (2014), along with a pair of Triple Crown winners in Affirmed (1978) and Justify (2018).
Santa Anita Derby
Saturday, April 08, 2023 – 12:00 PM EDT at Santa Anita Park
Race 6 – 1 1/8 Miles, 3-Year-Olds, Purse: $750,000
2023 Santa Anita Derby
Here is the complete field for the Florida Derby.
Win Candidates
Practical Move
Practical Move is a two-time Grade 2 winner (2023 San Felipe, 2022 Los Alamitos Futurity) and is ranked No. 6 in the Kentucky Derby standings with 60 points.
He could erase all doubt with a good showing and could be among the favorites with a win at Churchill Downs next month. He’s shown tactical speed and a good finishing kick in both the Los Alamitos Futurity and San Felipe.
Geaux Rocket Ride
Geaux Rocket Ride was the runner-up in only his second-lifetime start at the San Felipe, stretching out from six furlongs to 1-1/16 miles. That should better prepare him for the Santa Anita Derby for his rematch with Practical Move.
Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella has never won this race. Expect jockey Flavien Prat to run Geaux Rocket Ride on or near the early lead.
Is Skinner a Win Candidate?
Skinner has shown to be a late runner as he was hard-charging at the San Felipe to come in third behind Practical Move and Geaux Rocket Ride.
This will be his sixth start and the added distance could well work in his favor. Trainer John Shirreff is a three-time winner here with Tiago (2007), Gormley (2017), and Honor A.P. (2020).
Trifecta and Exotic Betting Choices
National Treasure
National Treasure was a beaten favorite at 3-5 when third in Santa Anita’s Sham in January. Stablemate Reincarnate beat him that day and since has returned to finish third in Oaklawn’s Rebel and Arkansas Derby.
In four starts he finished in the money 1-1-2 (W-P-S) but will have to show more here to be a winning candidate and might be better suited for vertical wagers.
Mandarin Hero
Mandarin Hero is the first Japanese-based competitor in Santa Anita Derby history. Mandarin Hero won his first four starts as a two-year-old and was runner-up by a neck in his 2023 return to action.
He’ll be ridden by Kazushi Kimura, a 23-year-old Japan native who has been Canada’s leading rider for the past two years at Woodbine. Interesting combination of talent, just not sure how he’ll run versus upgraded competition.
Top Value Picks Presently
With Practical Move having Beyer Speed Ratings of 88 and 100 in his last two outings, chances are morning line odds won’t hold up on race day, especially being well-positioned coming out of the gate.
Below is our horse racing picks available at U.S. betting sites for this important race.
Exacta Boxes
- #5 Practical Move - #3 Geaux Rocket Ride
- #5 Practical Move - #7 Skinner
Trifecta Choices
#5 Practical Move with:
- #3 Geaux Rocket Ride
- #6 National Treasure
- #7 Skinner
Santa Anita Derby Pick: #5 Practical Move to Win at BetOnline
Santa Anita Derby Pick: #5 Practical Move to Place
Santa Anita Derby Pick: #5 Practical Move to Show
Santa Anita Derby Pick: #7 Skinner to Win
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.
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