Although Japan offers a series of Kentucky Derby points races, Japanese-bred Triple Crown nominee Mandarin Hero is eyeing the spring classic from a different route, and is coming from Japan for next month’s Santa Anita Derby. Mandarin Hero, who is from the first Japanese-born crop of Eclipse Award champion juvenile and former Kentucky stallion Shanghai Bobby, is scheduled to arrive in Los Angeles on March 29. Santa Anita officials said that the colt should clear quarantine on March 31. The Santa Anita Derby, which awards Kentucky Derby points to its top five finishers on a 100-40-30-20-10 scale, is April 8. Mandarin Hero is based at Tokyo’s Oi Racecourse with trainer Terunobu Fujita. Oi and Santa Anita have a long relationship, as Santa Anita hosts “Japan Family Day,” featuring the Grade 3 Tokyo City Cup, in October, while Oi hosts “Santa Anita Week” in November, with the Santa Anita Trophy as the featured race. Additionally, Oi conducts a series of races to promote the Santa Anita Derby, with horses earning 200 points or more in total considered being qualified for the spring prep race. Mandarin Hero has earned a total of 210 points from a victory in the one-mile Haiseiko Kinen in his juvenile finale Nov. 16 and a runner-up effort in the Feb. 23 Kumotori Sho, his 3-year-old debut, at nine furlongs. :: KENTUCKY DERBY 2023: Derby Watch, point standings, prep schedule, news, and more “Both Oi Racecourse and Santa Anita have sent horses to compete in major races over the years which has enabled both Japanese and American citizens to bet on them,” said Pete Siberell, Santa Anita’s director of community services and special projects. “’We see racing trending in an international direction and we share Oi’s desire to increase field size and promote wagering globally.” Oi is part of Japan’s National Association of Racing circuit, comprised of regional tracks mainly offering dirt racing. The more well-known circuit is the Japan Racing Association circuit, which offers the races in Japan’s Road to the Kentucky Derby series, with the top point-earner in that series awarded a berth in the Derby. That four-race series concludes with the Fukuryu at Nakayama on March 25. Additionally, several Japanese horses are expected to contest the Group 2 U.A.E. Derby on March 25 at Meydan, another race offering Derby points on the 100-40-30-20-10 scale. –additional reporting by Steve Andersen :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.