Forbidden Kingdom has no problem with San Felipe's two turns

ARCADIA, Calif. – It took awhile for trainer Richard Mandella to get comfortable with sending the speedy Forbidden Kingdom around two turns. He won’t be turning back anytime soon after his performance in the Grade 2, $401,000 San Felipe Stakes on Saturday at Santa Anita, in which he set fast fractions and kept on rolling for a runaway, 5 3/4-length victory.

The 1 1/16-mile San Felipe is a points-scoring race toward the Kentucky Derby, and it’s the final major prep for next month’s Santa Anita Derby. Those, in reverse order, are the next goals for Forbidden Kingdom, who picked up 50 points to guarantee him a spot in the Kentucky Derby on May 7 at Churchill Downs.

Forbidden Kingdom had run in four sprints prior to Saturday, including a victory most recently in the seven-furlong San Vicente here Jan. 29. It was time to give two turns a go, and he aced the test.

Forbidden Kingdom ($4), the favorite, shook off early pressure from Armagnac while rolling through the opening quarter in 22.66 seconds and half in :45.90, began to widen on his opposition around the far turn after six furlongs in 1:10.46, and never was threatened the rest of the way. Doppelganger was a comfortable second, never threatening the winner while 4 3/4 lengths in front of third-place Happy Jack, who looked like he was going to finish last heading to the far turn, but re-rallied to get third.

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Beautiful Art was fourth and was followed, in order, by Cabo Spirit, Armagnac, and Worse Read Sanchez.

Forbidden Kingdom completed 1 1/16 miles on the fast main track in 1:43.98 and was given a 98 Beyer Speed Figure.

“He’s really fast. I let him roll,” said Juan Hernandez, who has been aboard Forbidden Kingdom for all his starts. “I let him have fun. He never stopped.”

Forbidden Kingdom won his debut last summer at Del Mar, and was under consideration to go two turns in his very next start, the Grade 1 American Pharoah, before Mandella decided it was better to take a more conservative route.

“I remember being asked at Del Mar about two turns and I said I wasn’t sure he’d do it,” Mandella said. “He’s grown into it. He’s getting it.”

Mandella said he got “a little nervous” midway through the San Felipe when the half-mile split was posted.

“But he can do it,” Mandella said. “We let him do what he likes to do.”

Forbidden Kingdom is by American Pharoah out of the Five Star Day mare Just Louise. He has now won three times in five starts, and his $240,000 winner’s share increased his bankroll to $434,000.

He is owned by MyRacehorse and Spendthrift Farm, part of the team that in 2020 campaigned Authentic, who won the Derby, the Breeders’ Cup Classic, and was named champion 3-year-old male and Horse of the Year.

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