Whatever the outcome of Saturday's Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby, trainer Terunobu Fujita will have already made history when his colt Mandarin Hero breaks from the gate at approximately 2:43 p.m. PT.
Mandarin Hero will be the first horse from Japan to compete in the G1 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby, which was inaugurated in 1935. Fujita made the trip from his training base outside of Tokyo to Los Angeles International Airport on Thursday. He was at Santa Anita Friday morning to oversee his charge's training, which included a once-around gallop on the main track.
“He's ready,” Fujita said.
For handicappers, Mandarin Hero is the wild card in a competitive nine-horse field set for the Santa Anita Derby at 1 1/8 miles. The Japanese-bred son of Shanghai Bobby, who has raced exclusively at Japan's NAR circuit's Oi Racecourse near Tokyo, won all four starts last year as a 2-year-old. In his one outing this season on Feb. 25, he was a fast-closing second to be beaten just a neck in the 1 1/8-mile stakes.
The results have certainly been encouraging; the caveat to his form is Japan's NAR circuit is considered in quality to be a cut below the more well-known Japan Racing Association. That said, NAR-based and Oi Racecourse regular Marche Lorraine crossed the ocean to capture the 2021 Breeders' Cup Distaff at Del Mar, so all the facts leave handicappers with a fascinating puzzle to solve.
Mandarin Hero arrived at Santa Anita last Friday. On Monday, he raised eyebrows among U.S.-based observers when he worked a half mile in a slow 53.60 seconds under jockey Kazushi Kimura. Fujita, 46, said the slow-tempo work was by design.
“He did all his major work in Japan. We didn't want to do too much,” Fujita said. “Just get him some good exercise.”
Mandarin Hero has broken slow in all his races and come running late. On Thursday, after a one-mile gallop, Mandarin Hero went to the starting gate for schooling under Kimura. He stood in the starting stall with an assistant starter, which they do not have in Japan, then popped the gate and streaked a quarter mile.
Fujita said Mandarin Hero seemed to display a new dimension in the move, which caught him somewhat by surprise. Fujita was very encouraged by the quickness Mandarin Hero showed out of the gate.
“He's usually not that fast out of there. He was quick. Everyone did a really good job,” Fujita said.
Mandarin Hero, who is owned by Hiroaki Arai, will break from post eight in the Runhappy Santa Anita Derby. He is 8-1 on Jon White's morning line. The Santa Anita Derby, which is one of six stakes on Saturday's card, will be broadcast live by NBC and its Peacock streaming service starting at 1 p.m. Also on the broadcast is the G1 Blue Grass from Keeneland.
The field in post position order:
- I Don't Get It, Mario Gutierrez, 20-1;
- Dazzlemesilver, Kent Desormeaux (50-1);
- Geaux Rocket Ride, Flavien Prat (3-1);
- One in Vermillion, Hector Berrios (50-1);
- Practical Move, Ramon Vazquez (8-5);
- National Treasure, John Velazquez (3-1);
- Skinner, Victor Espinoza (4-1);
- Mandarin Hero, Kazushi Kimura (8-1);
- Low Expectations, Umberto Rispoli (30-1).
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