ARCADIA, Calif. – Practical Move will head to the Kentucky Derby with the top figures in the field, while the two-three finishers he narrowly defeated Saturday in the Grade 1 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby need help to crack the Kentucky Derby lineup at Churchill Downs. Practical Move earned a 100 Beyer defeating the surprising Japan shipper Mandarin Hero by a nose; Skinner finished a half-length back in third and earned a 99 Beyer. Trainer Tim Yakteen said Practical Move “looked good” Sunday morning following his second consecutive 100-Beyer performance under jockey Ramon Vazquez. He earned the same figure when he won the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes last month and is the only Kentucky Derby probable starter with two triple-digit figures. While travel arrangements to Kentucky are pending, Practical Move’s 160 points assure him a Derby berth. Most of his Kentucky Derby training is likely to take place at Santa Anita. The Santa Anita Derby two-three finishers need help to get into the Kentucky Derby field. Third-place Skinner ranks 21st on the leaderboard with 45 points and needs one defection to make the cut. Trainer John Shirreffs confirmed Sunday that Skinner would target the Kentucky Derby. Mandarin Hero, however, earned only 40 points finishing second in the Santa Anita Derby. The colt ranks 24th on the leaderboard and needs four defections to make the Kentucky Derby field. Trainer Terunobu Fujita returned to Japan on Sunday after discussing preliminary plans with Sean Toriumi of U.S. Equine. Toriumi is translator and unofficial spokesman for the connections of Mandarin Hero. :: KENTUCKY DERBY 2023: Derby Watch, point standings, prep schedule, news, and more “The original plan was to go back to Japan on” Tuesday, Toriumi said Sunday morning while Mandarin Hero walked near his stall at the northwest corner of the Santa Anita barn area. “For now, we’re just going to stick around here. We’re kind of in a holding pattern.” Mandarin Hero is the first horse from the National Association of Racing circuit in Japan to start in the United States. He entered the Santa Anita Derby with four wins and a second from five starts at Ohi Racecourse in Japan. It was unclear how he would fare against tougher company in the United States. “That was the same kind of thought in the barn,” Toriumi said. “Everyone was like, we know this horse has heart, but where’s he going to stack up against these Santa Anita horses?” It turns out Mandarin Hero stacked up fine, runner-up by a nose with a 100 Beyer. While the intention is the Kentucky Derby, “the second option is to maybe take a look at the Preakness,” Toriumi said. Skinner improved again finishing third in the Santa Anita Derby while continuing his winter-spring progression. Maiden winner in February, third by 3 3/4 lengths behind Practical Move in the San Felipe, Skinner missed by only a half-length in the Santa Anita Derby. “My take is my horse ran really well,” Shirreffs said. “Victor [Espinoza] was very, very happy. We’re happy with the effort, and I don’t think distance matters to him really. He just has to get lucky in the race. With 20 horses, it’s a whole different ballgame.” :: Get ready for Santa Anita racing with DRF Past Performances, Picks, and Clocker Reports.  In addition to locally stabled Practical Move, Skinner, and Mandarin Hero, the fourth California-based prospect for the Kentucky Derby is Reincarnate. Previously trained by Bob Baffert and now by Yakteen, Reincarnate ranks 18th on the Derby points leaderboard. Reincarnate won the Grade 3 Sham Stakes in January at Santa Anita, followed by third-place finishes at Oaklawn Park in the Grade 2 Rebel Stakes and Grade 1 Arkansas Derby. National Treasure, fourth in the Santa Anita Derby, has earned 20 points. That eliminates him from Kentucky Derby consideration. Geaux Rocket Ride also is out of the picture. He scratched from the Santa Anita Derby after he spiked a temperature on Saturday morning. Trainer Richard Mandella said the colt was showing slight improvement Sunday morning. “His temperature is good,” Mandella said. “His blood shows he is fighting something. He’ll be off for a little while, but not too long. We’ll be staying at home. To have only three races and go to the Derby is not a perfect situation, anyway.” Geaux Rocket Ride won his debut sprint in January, prior to finishing second in the San Felipe. The Santa Anita Derby would have been his third start. – additional reporting by Steve Andersen :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.