2023 Kentucky Derby Post Positions, Entries, Odds and Predictions: Practical Move

With Bob Baffert banned from competing in the Derby for the second year in a row, Tim Yakteen was the recipient of several promising 3-year-olds transferred to his barn by the Hall of Fame trainer.

Practical Move, however, is not one of them – he’s been trained by Yakteen from the get-go. He comes into the Run for the Roses as the West Coast’s top contender. The colt hung on gamely in nosing out Mandarin Hero (JPN) in the Santa Anita Derby (G1) to notch his spot in the Kentucky Derby (G1).

Yakeen did receiver one of Baffert’s top 3-year-olds in Reincarnate, who will also run in the Derby.

Last week, Practical Move, who brings a three-race win streak into the Derby – he also won the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) in December and the San Felipe (G2) in March – worked 4 furlongs in 47 seconds at Santa Anita.

2023 Kentucky Derby Contenders: Practical Move

Post position: 10

Odds: 10-1

Trainer: Tim Yakteen

Jockey: Ramon Vazquez

Owner: Leslie A. Amestoy, Pierre Amestoy, Jr., Roger Beasley

Career record: 7-4-1-2

Career earnings: $884,200

Derby qualifying points: 160 (2nd)

Best Equibase speed figure: 108

Pedigree: Practical Joke-Ack Naughty, by Afleet Alex

Color: Bay

Running Style: Stalker

Notes: A year ago, Yakeen took on two of Baffert’s trainees in the Derby, with disappointing results — Taiba ran 12th and Messier 15th … Yakeen was a former assistant for Baffert. Since Churchill Downs banned Baffert for two years after Medina Spirit was DQ’d from his 2021 first-place finish for a medication violation, Yakeen has taken on several of his mentor’s top 3-year-olds … Practical Move has never finished out of the money in seven starts for Yakeen, who has been training on his own for 20 years … Vazquez will ride in his second Derby – he was 13th aboard Mr. Z in 2015.