Connections of Japanese-trained Mandarin Hero face an anxious wait to learn whether their Santa Anita Derby runner-up has done enough to earn a place in the field for the Kentucky Derby on May 6.
“We’re going to the Kentucky Derby!” exclaimed trainer Terunobu Fujita after the Japanese colt was touched off by even-money favourite Practical Move in the $750,000 contest at Santa Anita on Saturday [April 8].
However, Mandarin Hero earned only 40 Kentucky Derby qualifying points for his brave effort – at present, not enough to make the 20-runner cutoff for the first Saturday in May without defections.
He stands at 23rd place on the current points list, with only the top 19 spots likely to get into the race as his compatriot Continuar claims an automatic berth via the Japan Road. It is understood that Mandarin Hero will be re-routed to the Preakness is he misses out.
Late-rallying Mandarin Hero was edged out by leading Kentucky contender Practlcal Move after a fierce stretch drive for the Santa Anita Derby.
“I’m so proud of him,” added Fujita, speaking to the Santa Anita media team. “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!
“Kazushi Kimura gave a really good ride. He made him accelerate at the final stretch. I thought he was going to win. I’m just so excited right now.”
If he gets a run on the first Saturday in May, Mandarin Hero will join UAE Derby winner Derma Sotogake and Continuar.
On the other hand, Japan’s UAE Derby runner-up Dura Erede has been ruled out and will stay at home for the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby).
Fujita is the first trainer representing Japan’s NAR (National Association of Racing) circuit to saddle a runner in the US. Comprised of regional tracks that race mostly on dirt, Japan’s NAR circuit can boast huge prize-money and massive crowds – especially at the Tokyo City Keiba, or Ohi as it is more familiarly known, which has a ‘sister track’ relationship with Santa Anita.
However, the NAR is generally considered the nation’s second-tier circuit, a notch below that of the more prominent Japan Racing Association (JRA), which races mostly on turf.
From the first Japanese crop of former US champion two-year-old Shanghai Bobby, Mandarin Hero was a perfect 4-for-4 last year as a two-year-old before a fast-closing second in a stakes race on Feb. 23. All five of his races were run at Ohi.
Mandarin Hero’s jockey Kimura, leading rider at Woodbine for the last two seasons, is a native of Japan who has ridden full-time at Santa Anita during the current meet. He admitted he thought his late rally had nabbed Practical Move in Saturday’s race, where the official margin was a nose, with wide-running Skinner only a half-length away in third.
“I thought we got him at the wire,” said Kimura, an Eclipse Award winner as outstanding apprentice in 2019. “I was on this horse since he got here and he was very comfortable. Today he was a totally different horse.
“He was very aggressive in company. It looks like we’ll be headed to the Kentucky Derby. I’ve never been in the race, so I’m really looking forward to this opportunity.”
Santa Anita Derby winner Practical Move goes to Churchill Downs as a major contender for trainer Tim Yakteen, having now added the main G1 prep on the west coast to G2 victories in the Los Alamitos Futurity and the San Felipe Stakes.
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