Santa Anita Derby 2023: Geaux Rocket Ride is ready to turn the tables

Santa Anita Derby 2023: Geaux Rocket Ride is ready to turn the tables

Category : News - Thu 06/04/2023 - 07:31 EDT

The most important Kentucky Derby prep race in California is coming up this weekend: Saturday, April 9 is the Santa Anita Derby (G1)! The races offers a $750,000 purse and 100-40-30-20-10 Road to the Kentucky Derby points, meaning the race will send at least one horse and probably more to the Kentucky Derby.

The most important Kentucky Derby prep race in California is coming up this weekend: Saturday, April 9 is the Santa Anita Derby (G1)! The races offers a $750,000 purse and 100-40-30-20-10 Road to the Kentucky Derby points, meaning the race will send at least one horse and probably more to the Kentucky Derby. It is one of the most eagerly awaited betting horse races of the year!

Ten horses have won the Kentucky Derby after winning the Santa Anita Derby. This includes Triple Crown winners like Justify (2018) and Affirmed (1978), as well as stars like state-bred standout California Chrome (2014) and locally based I’ll Have Another (2012).

Geaux Rocket Ride To win the Santa Anita Derby
+400
Bovada

Keep reading to see who has the best chance to add their name to this list, and also to find out the best places to bet the Santa Anita Derby online in California.

Santa Anita Derby Betting Online

The Santa Anita Derby is always a great betting race, and it’s an even better opportunity to make money if you’re signed up for an online racebook that offers the best odds and bonuses. This is the right place to find out about your best options. All of our recommended racebooks offer market-leading odds and trusted deposits and cash-outs to California players.

Our expert reviews also help you find the best racebook bonuses for the way you like to play. Since different bonus structures benefit different bettors based on their preferred wagers and stakes, taking a few minutes now to find out the bonuses that suit you best can mean hundreds or even thousands of dollars in cash or free bets as you keep playing the races!

Santa Anita Derby Field

This is the official field for the 2023 Santa Anita Derby including draw numbers, trainers, jockeys, and morning lines:

  1. I Don’t Get It (Doug O’Neill/Mario Gutierrez) - 20/1
  2. Dazzlemesilver (Keith Desormeaux/Kent Desormeaux) - 50/1
  3. Geaux Rocket Ride (Richard Mandella/Flavien Prat) - 3/1
  4. One in Vermillion (Eric Kruljac/Hector Berrios) - 50/1
  5. Practical Move (Tim Yakteen/Ramon Vazquez) - 8/5
  6. National Treasure (Tim Yakteen/John Velazquez) - 3/1
  7. Skinner (John Shirreffs/Victor Espinoza) - 4/1
  8. Mandarin Hero (Terunobu Fujita/Kazushi Kimura) - 8/1
  9. Low Expectations (Antonio Garcia/Umberto Rispoli) - 30/1

Now that the field is drawn, it is time to track the odds at our recommended online racebooks and be ready to place your bet when you see an overlay. Unlike betting at the track, where the odds fluctuate until post time, online racebooks offer fixed-odds wagering on major races. This means that, once you see an overlay on a likely winner, you can lock in the best price just by placing a bet!

BovadaBetOnlineGTBets
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

Santa Anita Derby Handicapping

These are the key contenders for the 2023 Santa Anita Derby.

Santa Anita Derby Favorites

The two major win contenders in the Santa Anita Derby are two familiar California horses: Geaux Rocket Ride and Practical Move.

Geaux Rocket Ride, second in the San Felipe (G2) last out, will be the better price of the two. He has tables to turn on Practical Move from that last race, but that was only his second start and his first at a route distance. Trainer Richard Mandella should be able to keep moving him forward, he has upside on the step up in trip, and he should get a good stalking trip in the race.

Geaux Rocket Ride To win the Santa Anita Derby
+400
GTBets

Practical Move is the current leader of the California-based Kentucky Derby prospects. Since stretching out past a mile and switching to rider Ramon Vazquez, he has gotten very good: he won both the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) and the San Felipe (G2). He comes second off a layoff, he has a proven tracking gear, and even though the Classic distance a month from now is a question, the way he has blossomed going long suggests he may stay 1 ⅛ miles.

Santa Anita Derby Exotics Horses

National Treasure has hit the board in three straight points races. Though that tendency to finish underneath combined with the missed start in the San Felipe make him questionable on the win end, his consistency makes him a must-use in exotics. He should be able to stay the 1 ⅛ miles judging from his pedigree, and this consistent horse work a tactical trip.

Two longer shots to include in tickets are Mandarin Hero and Low Expectations. Though Mandarin Hero comes from Japan’s second-tier NAR circuit, NAR horses have had some time in the international spotlight, too — remember Marche Lorraine? Mandarin Hero can work a stalking trip, and though he fell a little short at 1 ⅛ miles last out, that was his first start off of a winter layoff and he could be better with that try underneath him.

Low Expectations comes out of a second-place finish in the Sunland Park Derby (G3), a race whose pace collapsed. He should be tracking a more reasonable pace in this race, he can get a clean outside tracking trip, and his pedigree suggests that it’s logical to keep him at this nine-furlong distance. A win may be a lot to ask of him, but a modest improvement from last out will be enough for an underneath share even at this level.

2023 Santa Anita Derby Free Picks

You’ve created your betting account and gotten to know the field for the race.  Here comes the most fun part: placing your bets! Here are the best bets for Saturday’s 2023 Santa Anita Derby:

  • $20 to win - #3 Geaux Rocket Ride
  • $1 exacta key - #3 Geaux Rocket Ride with #5 Practical Move and #6 National Treasure
  • $0.50 trifecta key - #3 Geaux Rocket Ride with #5 Practical Move, #6 National Treasure, and #8 Mandarin Hero
  • $0.20 superfecta key - #3 Geaux Rocket Ride with #5 Practical Move, #6 National Treasure, #8 Mandarin Hero, and #9 Low Expectations
Geaux Rocket Ride To win the Santa Anita Derby
+400
BetOnline
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