Santa Anita Derby Offers 100-50-25-15-10 Kentucky Derby Qualifying Points

The $500,000 Santa Anita Derby (Grade 1) on Saturday, April 4 will be a showcase of some of the world's best horses and jockeys, who all are competing to become the coveted victor of one of Santa Anita's biggest days on their road to the Triple Crown.

Potente and Cherokee Nation from the Bob Baffert barn, Grade 1 winner Intrepido and Robusta are among a field of 7 3-year-olds set to go in the Grade 1, $500,000 Santa Anita Derby going 1 1/8 miles Saturday at Santa Anita Park.

Potente comes in with a perfect 2-for-2 record for owner Speedway Stable. A $2.4 million auction buy as a yearling, Potente most recently edged Robusta by a head when winning the GII San Felipe going 1 1/16 miles on March 7 at Santa Anita. That effort followed a debut win against maidens sprinting six furlongs at Santa Anita in January.

By Into Mischief, Potente will break from post 2, right next door to stablemate Cherokee Nation, who drew the rail. Potente will be ridden by Juan Hernandez, who was also aboard in the San Felipe.

2026 Santa Anita Derby Field & Odds

Race 10 at Santa Anita

Saturday, April 4 - Post 7:30 PM

Entry	Horse	Jockey	Trainer
1	Cherokee Nation	Florent Geroux 124 Lbs	Bob Baffert
2	Potente	Juan Hernandez 124 Lbs	Bob Baffert
3	Vitruvian Man	Antonio Fresu 124 Lbs	Doug O'Neill
4	Robusta	Emisael Jaramillo 124 Lbs	Doug O'Neill
5	So Happy	Mike Smith 124 Lbs	Mark Glatt
6	Start the Ride	Armando Ayuso 124 Lbs	Dan Blacker
7	Intrepido	Hector Berrios 124 Lbs	Jeff Mullins

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Cherokee Nation comes in owning the highest Beyer Speed Figure in the field. After finishing fifth in the GIII Robert B. Lewis on Feb. 7, Cherokee Nation returned to the maiden ranks going one mile 20 days later and aired by 10 lengths at Santa Anita. The effort earned a 100 Beyer Speed Figure, which is tied for second-highest posted by a 3-year-old this year.

A colt by Not This Time, Cherokee Nation commanded $1.15 million at the 2024 Keeneland September yearling sale. He is owned by an extensive ownership group that includes SF Racing, Starlight Racing and Madaket Stables. Cherokee Nation will be ridden by Florent Geroux for the first time. Robusta, trained by Doug O'Neill, nearly won the San Felipe at odds of 67-1. By Accelerate, Robusta raced up close to the pace in the San Felipe, had the lead in deep stretch, but could not hold off the late charge from Potente. Robusta previously was sixth in the Lewis at odds of 36-1.

A homebred for Calumet Farm, Robusta will again have the services of Emisael Jaramillo, the leading jockey at the Santa Anita Classic Meet.

Intrepido, trained by Jeff Mullins, bypassed the San Felipe after just missing in the Lewis. Returning from a three-plus month layoff in the Lewis, Intrepido dueled on the lead under Hector Berrios before being beaten by three-quarters of a length by the now sidelined Plutarch. Last year, Intrepido won the GI American Pharoah at Santa Anita prior to finishing fifth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile following a slow start.

By Maximus Mischief, Intrepido is owned by Dutch Girl Holdings and Irving Ventures. He was bought for $385,000 at last year's OBS April sale of 2-year-olds in training. Intrepido will break from the far outside with Berrios again in the irons.

So Happy, trained by Mark Glatt, finished third in the San Felipe, 2 ¼ lengths back of Potente. It was the first time around two turns for the colt by Runhappy. Previously, So Happy won his debut sprinting in November at Del Mar and then scored in the GII San Vicente going seven furlongs in January at Santa Anita.

So Happy is owned by Norman Stables and Saints or Sinners. A $150,000 auction buy last year, So Happy will have regular rider Mike Smith aboard.

Intrepido and Robusta Prep for Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby

March 29 - Intrepido and Robusta, two of the leading contenders in Saturday's Grade I Santa Anita Derby, each worked Sunday at Santa Anita Park. Intrepido, trained by Jeff Mullins, worked a half mile under jockey Hector Berrios. Robusta, trained by Doug O'Neill, drilled six furlongs with jockey Emisael Jaramillo in the irons.

Intrepido was officially clocked working four furlongs in 47.60 seconds. That time was quite a bit faster than what trainer Jeff Mullins had on his stopwatch.

"Way off," Mullins said. "I had him in 50. A bunch of us up there had him in 50."

The official time was later revised to 50.2 seconds.

Whatever the case, Intrepido appeared to have cooled out well following the work as he was lounging comfortably in his stall. Now, the colt by Maximus Mischief will try and provide Mullins with his fourth win in the Santa Anita Derby while also securing a spot in the Kentucky Derby on May 2 at Churchill Downs.

Robusta was timed going six furlongs in 1:14.2. A homebred for Calumet Farm, the colt by Accelerate most recently served notice when finishing second by just a head at odds of 67-1 in the GII San Felipe going 1 1/16 miles on March 7. The winner of the San Felipe, Potente, is also expected to return in the Santa Anita Derby.

Intrepido is owned by Dutch Girl Holdings and Irving Ventures. In his only start this year, Intrepido finished second by three-quarters of a length in the GIII Robert B. Lewis going one mile. The winner of the Lewis, Plutarch, has since been sidelined.

As a 2-year-old, Intrepido won the GI American Pharoah going 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita. He closed out the campaign by finishing fifth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile after being compromised by a slow start.

Intrepido and Robusta are among a field of seven expected for the Santa Anita Derby. The others are Potente and Cherokee Nation, both trained by Bob Baffert; So Happy for trainer Mark Glatt; Start the Ride for trainer Dan Blacker; and New Mexico shipper Express Kid, who is trained by Justin Evans. Express Kid last month was beaten by just a nose in the Sunland Park Derby when second to Pavlovian. The colt by Bodexpress was an $800,000 auction buy last year.

The post-position draw for the Santa Anita Derby is Monday, March 30.

So Happy and Start the Ride Eye Kentucky Derby Points

March 28 - So Happy and Start the Ride, both expected to run in next Saturday's Grade I Santa Anita Derby, top G2 Santa Anita Oaks contender Meaning and stablemate Journalism were among the notables on the work tab Saturday at Santa Anita.

So Happy worked five furlongs in 1:00.0. Trained by Mark Glatt, the colt by Runhappy most recently finished third in the GII San Felipe when trying to turns for the first time.

Start the Ride, trained by Dan Blacker, worked five furlongs in 1:01.8. A colt by Upstart, Start the Ride was never a factor in the San Felipe and finished sixth. He previously won the California Chrome Cal Cup Derby going 1 1/16 miles in January at Santa Anita.

Meaning and Journalism are both trained by Michael McCarthy. Meaning, a daughter of Gun Runner, worked five furlongs in 1:00.2. The likely Oaks favorite most recently won the Las Virgenes Stakes going one mile on Feb. 8 at Santa Anita.

ROBUSTA, SO HAPPY, START THE RIDE WORK FOR G1 SA DERBY

March 21 - Robusta, So Happy and Start the Ride all returned to the work tab Saturday after running in the GII San Felipe 14 days ago. All three will return to the Grade I Santa Anita Derby on April 4, their respective trainers confirmed following the drills.

Robusta, trained by Doug O'Neill, finished second by head at odds of 67-1 in the 1 1/16-mile San Felipe won by Potente. The colt by Accelerate worked an easy four furlongs in 51.0 seconds. Also working for O'Neill was Civil Liberty, who is slated to run in the GII Wood Memorial at Aqueduct also on April 4. The colt by Independence Hall was clocked going four furlongs in 49.4 seconds.

So Happy, trained by Mark Glatt, finished third in the San Felipe when making his first start around two turns. By Runhappy, So Happy worked five furlongs with company in 1:00.0. Hall of Famer Mike Smith was aboard for the drill.

"I thought he worked excellent," Glatt said. "We're really pleased with the work and are proceeding to the Santa Anita Derby."

In the San Felipe, So Happy pressed pacesetter Brant in second through solid fractions of 22.88, 46.62 and 1:10.42. He then was overtaken in the stretch by the first two finishers. So Happy crossed the wire about 2 ¼ lengths back of the pair.

The decision to push forward to the 1 1/8-mile Santa Anita Derby with So Happy largely depended on his work Saturday, Glatt noted.

"He's fit. We just wanted to see him work well off that last race and I think we got it," Glatt said. "The work was maybe even a step up to his workouts prior to his last race. I think we're moving in the right direction."

Start the Ride, trained by Dan Blacker, finished sixth in the San Felipe after previously winning the California Chrome Cal Cup Derby for statebreds in January. By Upstart, Start the Ride worked four furlongs in 49.6 seconds.

"He's doing good. We're going to give him a shot in the Santa Anita Derby," Blacker said.

In the San Felipe, Start the Ride trailed the field after a slow start and never really got involved. He wound up finishing sixth in a seven-horse field.

"I felt he didn't run his best race in the San Felipe and have made some adjustments," Blacker said.

Nominations for the Santa Anita Derby close on Sunday. The race is part of a stakes-laden program on April 4 that also includes the G2 Santa Anita Oaks, G3 Monrovia and both the Echo Eddie Stakes and Evening Jewel Stakes for California-breds.

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