The most important race on the West Coast spur of the Kentucky Derby happens on Saturday, April 8: the Santa Anita Derby (G1)! It is one of the most exciting horse racing betting opportunities of the sprint season, with a field of top three-year-olds ready to clash for a $750,000 purse and enough Kentucky Derby points to make the Run for the Roses!
The top five finishers in the Santa Anita Derby get points, apportioned 100-40-30-20-10. This means the winner assures himself a spot in the Kentucky Derby, the second-place finisher almost certainly makes the field as well, and even the third- through fifth-place finishers can be in a good spot if they have performed well in other points races.
Historically speaking, the Santa Anita Derby is one of the most important prep races for the Kentucky Derby. Ten of its winners have gone on to win the Kentucky Derby including Triple Crown winners Justify (2018) and Affirmed (1978). California Chrome (2014) and I’ll Have Another (2012) are other recent stars to have completed that double.
Keep reading to find out the best Santa Anita Derby contenders, and the best places to bet the Santa Anita Derby online.
This is the official field for the 2023 Santa Anita Derby including draw numbers, trainers, jockeys, and morning lines:
Keep in mind that you are not guaranteed the morning line on these horses. At the track, the odds fluctuate until post time and you cannot control if the price on your pick drops sharply late.
Betting the Santa Anita Derby at an online sportsbook is better because you can lock in your odds, just like in Las Vegas. Once you see an overlay on the horse you like in a major horse race, you can go ahead and bet. Then, you’re guaranteed those real Vegas odds no matter how they may change closer to the race.
 |  |  |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Practical Move | +260 | +260 | +260 |
| National Treasure | +400 | +400 | +400 |
| Geaux Rocket Ride | +400 | +400 | +400 |
| Skinner | +500 | +500 | +500 |
| Mandarin Hero | +900 | +900 | +900 |
Betting online gives you the excitement of Las Vegas and real Las Vegas odds anywhere with an internet connection! Sign up with one of our recommended sportsbooks, and you can play the Santa Anita Derby (as well as races and games all year long) from your phone, tablet, or computer.
Though choosing an online sportsbook can seem hard because there are so many choices, our experts are here to help you make the best decision quickly. Our expert reviews help you find the best betting sites: every one of our recommended sites offers real Vegas odds, trusted money management, and easy user interfaces.
Expert insight can also help you find the best betting bonuses for your betting style and stakes. Every site’s bonuses benefit different bettors a little differently, so it’s worth taking a few minutes now to find the best ones for you. This can mean hundreds or even thousands of dollars to build your bankroll!
Here are our top recommended betting sites for the Santa Anita Derby:
With your online betting account set up, it is now time to pick a winner. Read on, and get to know the best horses in the 2023 Santa Anita Derby.
Practical Move will probably go off the favorite in the Santa Anita Derby, and he legitimately can win. He has stepped forward well in his last two starts since trying longer than a mile, winning the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) and then the San Felipe (G2). He has good tactical speed, trainer Tim Yakteen does well with runners second off the lay, and he keeps jockey Ramon Vazquez in the irons.
Geaux Rocket Ride is the other strong win contender, and he will be a better price. Though he has tables to turn on Practical Move from the San Felipe, that race was only Geaux Rocket Ride’s second-ever start and first route try. Richard Mandella can move a horse forward with that kind of experience, and his last-out race showed that he can run well not only from the lead (as in his maiden-breaker) but from a stalking spot.
National Treasure has not won since a debut maiden win in September, but he has hit the board in three points races since including the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1). He missed a start in the San Felipe due to a sore foot, which is a concern, though he has been working regularly and his credible third in the Sham suggests that he can come off the bench and run well enough for another piece of the gimmicks.
Mandarin Hero ships out from Japan. He may get ignored because he comes out of the second-tier NAR circuit and not the top-level JRA, but he has not run a bad race yet. Though he was defeated at 1 ⅛ miles last out and he takes a rise in class for this, that was only his first start of the year, meaning he can move forward and stay the trip better with that experience under him.
Low Expectations tracked a sharp pace in the Sunland Park Derby (G3) last out and kept on going for second. Even with its stratified field this a deeper field than that race had, but the 1 ⅛-mile experience plus his ability to get a clean outside stalking trip add up to a chance for him to be a spoiler in deeper exotic wagers.
These are the best bets for the 2023 Santa Anita Derby!
