APBs: Forbidden Kingdom Gearing Up for Santa Anita Sprint Championship

MyRacehorse and Spendthrift Farm's Forbidden Kingdom (American Pharoah), a powerful wire-to-wire winner of the GII San Vicente S. Jan. 29 and GII San Felipe S. Mar. 5, could return to action against older horses in the GII Santa Anita Sprint Championship S. Oct. 1.

Knocked off the Triple Crown trail after finishing last of six as the favorite after setting a fast pace in the GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby Apr. 9, the chestnut has posted three breezes since returning to the worktab in August, most recently firing a four-furlong bullet in :46 (1/65) at Hall of Famer Richard Mandella's Del Mar base Aug. 26.

“He just had a handful of setbacks–a succession of bad luck, bad timing type of things,” Spendthrift's General Manager Ned Toffey said.

“The most recent was a little bout with colitis and it just took a little bit for him to bounce back. Richard is such a great caretaker and he's given him plenty of time and let him get back to the horse that we know he is. He's starting to remind us of what we saw earlier in the year. We know he's fast. We know he's talented. It's just been a frustrating year. We're always gonna do what's right for the horse and give them the time that they need. Hopefully, he's gonna reward us for it.”

Bred in Kentucky by Gabriel Duignan's Springhouse Farm, Forbidden Kingdom brought $300,000 at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearlings Showcase. He is one of 16 graded winners worldwide for Triple Crown winner American Pharoah. Duignan purchased Forbidden Kingdom's dam Just Louise (Five Star Day), winner of the 2010 GIII Debutante S. and a half-sister to MGSW Sara Louise (Malibu Moon), for $150,000 at the 2013 FTKNOV sale.

Forbidden Kingdom, a debut winner at two at Del Mar, was also second in last term's GIII Bob Hope S. and third in the grassy Speakeasy S.

“When we bought him at the sale, he very much had a look of an American dirt speed horse,” Toffey said.

“And not that he can't stretch out. We still feel like the jury is out on that subject. They need to do it on the track and build that resume before getting admitted to the stud barn, but he certainly is the kind of horse that I think breeders would really respond well to. We want to try to enjoy some more success with him first.”

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Santa Anita 2022-23 Winter/Spring Stakes Schedule Released

Santa Anita Park's 2022-23 Winter/Spring Stakes Schedule will offer a total of 93 stakes, 10 of them Grade I events, including  Apr. 8 showcasing the GI $750,000 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby, and 58 graded races beginning with the track's traditional opener on Monday, Dec. 26 through closing day, June 18. The track's popular 'Ship & Win' program will again provide significant monetary incentives for out-of-state runners. Opening day will feature a total of six graded stakes, highlighted by three Grade I, $300,000 events: the Runhappy Malibu, the La Brea, and the American Oaks. The GII Mathis Mile, GII San Antonio, and the GII San Gabriel S. are also on the docket. The complete schedule can be viewed here.

“We're pleased to be able to announce our Winter/Spring stakes schedule at this time and to once again let everyone know that our 'Ship & Win' program will be available to those out of state horses that qualify throughout the meet,” said Santa Anita Director of Racing, and Racing Secretary, Chris Merz. “We feel there is something for everyone in this stakes schedule and we are excited to offer it.  We worked diligently with trainers and other industry stakeholders to create a program that suits our horse population and caters to the needs of our owners and horsemen.”

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Epicenter Morning-Line Favorite in Final Derby Future Wager

Fans will have the final pari-mutuel opportunity to bet on this year's GI Kentucky Derby in advance of the May 7 race beginning Thursday at noon ET through Saturday at 4:30 p.m. ET for Pool 5 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager (“KDFW”). Pool 5 of the KDFW features 24 betting interests and the 5-1 early morning-line favorite is Winchell Thoroughbreds' GII TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby winner Epicenter (Not This Time).

Unlike the previous three-day Kentucky Derby Future Wager opportunities, Pool 5 will feature an early start Thursday and will close Saturday prior to the first Road to the Kentucky Derby Championship Series event held that day. Nine individual betting interests in Saturday's pool are expected to run in that day's GI Toyota Blue Grass S., GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby and GII Wood Memorial S.

Here is the complete field for Pool 5 of the KDFW (with sire, trainer and morning-line odds): #1 Barber Road (Race Day, John Ortiz, 50-1); #2 Charge It (Tapit, Todd Pletcher, 12-1); #3 Crown Pride (Jpn) (Reach the Crown {Jpn}, Koichi Shintani, 50-1); #4 Cyberknife (Gun Runner, Brad Cox, 12-1); #5 Early Voting (Gun Runner, Chad Brown, 20-1); #6 Emmanuel (More Than Ready, Pletcher, 20-1); #7 Epicenter (Steve Asmussen, 5-1); #8 Ethereal Road (Quality Road, D. Wayne Lukas, 50-1); #9 Forbidden Kingdom (American Pharoah, Richard Mandella, 8-1); #10 In Due Time (Not This Time, Kelly Breen, 50-1); #11 Messier (Empire Maker, Tim Yakteen, 8-1); #12 Mo Donegal (Uncle Mo, Pletcher, 20-1); #13 Morello (Classic Empire, Asmussen, 20-1); #14 Pioneer of Medina (Pioneerof the Nile Pletcher, 30-1); #15 Simplification (Not This Time, Antonio Sano, 15-1): #16 Slow Down Andy (Nyquist, Doug O'Neill, 50-1); #17 Smile Happy (Runhappy, Kenny McPeek, 6-1); #18 Summer Is Tomorrow (Summer Front, Bhupat Seemar, 50-1); #19 Tawny Port (Pioneerof the Nile, Cox, 50-1); #20 Tiz the Bomb (Hit It a Bomb, McPeek, 12-1); #21 White Abarrio (Race Day, Saffie Joseph, Jr., 8-1); #22 Zandon (Upstart, Brown, 20-1); #23 Zozos (Munnings, Cox, 30-1); #24 “All Other 3-Year-Olds” (15-1).

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Forbidden Kingdom Misses Workout with Temperature

Forbidden Kingdom (American Pharoah), an early GI Kentucky Derby favorite and a leading contender for the GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby Apr. 9, missed a scheduled work Friday due to a minor temperature.

“He had a slight temperature at the end of the morning yesterday,” Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella said. “It's down today and his bloodwork is good, so we're hoping it passes quickly.”

Forbidden Kingdom was a front-running daylight winner of his last two starts–the GII San Vicente S. at seven furlongs Jan. 29 and the GII San Felipe S. at a mile and one sixteenth Mar. 5.

Owned by MyRacehorse and Spendthrift Farm LLC, the chestnut brought $300,000 as a Fasig-Tipton Selected yearling.

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