Ping Hai Star rocketed from last in a 14-horse field to win the $2.3 million Hong Kong Derby on Sunday at Sha Tin Racecourse. It was the third Hong Kong Derby win for trainer John Size, who bumped Ping Hai Star up from a series of Class 2 handicaps to the most important age-restricted race in Hong Kong while stretching him out to 2000 meters, about 1 1/4 miles, off a series of 1400-meter (seven-furlong) races. He also tabbed Ryan Moore to pilot Ping Hai Star, and Moore responded with his first Hong Kong Derby victory. “He’s a very talented horse. I had fun riding him today,” Moore told Hong Kong Jockey Club publicity. Ping Hai Star threw down a wicked final 600 meters to win by 1 1/4 lengths over Singapore Sling. Favored Exultant was taken extremely wide at the end of the far turn and into the homestretch, and did his best work very late to finish third, a half-length behind Singapore Sling. Singapore Sling had won the second leg of Hong Kong’s 4-year-old classic series, the Hong Kong Classic Cup, and ran another steady race Sunday. Nothingilikemore, winner of the series’ first race, the Hong Kong Classic Mile, was in contention at the top of the stretch but faded to 11th. Despite a modest early tempo, Ping Hai Star was timed in 2:01.18, the fastest Derby among the race’s 19 editions at 2000 meters. Moore said he had no specific intention to race from last, but Ping Hai Star had dropped to the tail of the field even before the leaders hit the first turn after a short run through the home straight, and there he stayed, Exultant just in front of him. The back markers began moving forward as the field hit the second turn, and with both revving up four or five paths from the fence for a final push angling for home, Moore and his mount held their line while Exultant peeled even wider, losing momentum while perhaps 10 paths off the fence at the 400-meter mark. While Exultant tried to re-engage, Ping Hai Star already was bearing down on the lead group, swallowing the ground with long strides and hitting the front with 100 meters left, drawing clear to the finish. “You can't win a race any more dominantly than that,” Size said. “He was the class horse that came out of the pack, so he’s identified himself today.” Ping Hai Star is by the 14-year-old New Zealand sire Nom Du Jeu, who is a son of Montjeu and the Prized mare Prized Gem. Ping Hai Star is out of the Encosta de Lago mare Vicky, and while known as Ted raced three times in Australia, with two wins and a second, before being privately purchased by Zeng Shengli at auction.