So Happy wins Santa Anita Derby, giving 60-year-old jockey Mike Smith a shot at Kentucky Derby

ARCADIA, Calif. — So Happy won the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby by 2 3/4 lengths on Saturday, giving 60-year-old jockey Mike Smith a shot at becoming the oldest rider to win the Kentucky Derby.

Further Ado won the $1.25 million Blue Grass Stakes by 11 lengths at Keeneland, and Albus scored a big upset in the $750,000 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct in the other two major prep races to fill the final spots in next month's Kentucky Derby.

Smith, a two-time Kentucky Derby winner, could break Bill Shoemaker's record as the oldest jockey to win the Derby. Shoemaker was 54 when he rode Ferdinand to victory in 1986.

“There’s more there in the tank for sure,” Smith said of So Happy. “I’m looking forward to going to Kentucky again.”

So Happy and Smith overtook Bob Baffert-trained favorite Potente at the top of the stretch after racing on the pace and kicked clear. So Happy ran 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.01 and paid $16.60 to win. The colt will be trainer Mark Glatt's first Kentucky Derby entrant at age 53.

Glatt's wife of 25 years, Dena, died of heart failure less than two months ago.

"Dena got that horse there today,” he said. “We have had an overwhelming amount of support that’s helped us get through this very tough time.”

Baffert said Potente remains headed to the Derby.

“He ran a good race. He’s getting fitter and getting more experience," the Hall of Fame trainer said. "I’m really happy for Mark and Mike.”

Baffert's other entry, Cherokee Nation, finished sixth after being slow out of the starting gate.

“Once he missed the break, it was all over,” he said.

The Santa Anita Derby has produced eight Kentucky Derby winners since 1991.

Vitruvian Man, a 47-1 shot, was third, followed by Intrepido and Start the Ride. The top finishers earned qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby leaderboard.

At Keeneland, Irad Ortiz Jr. guided Further Ado over 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.58. The colt paid $3.70 to win for trainer Brad Cox. Further Ado earned 100 qualifying points toward the Derby. He is a son of Gun Runner, the 2017 Horse of the Year.

Ottinho was second and earned 50 Derby qualifying points. Talkin finished third, which was worth 25 qualifying points. Creole Chrome was fourth for 15 points and Great White was fifth for 10 points.

The Blue Grass has produced four Kentucky Derby winners, but none since Strike the Gold in 1991.

In New York, Albus won the Wood Memorial by 1 1/4 lengths under Jaime Torres. The colt ran 1 1/8 miles in 1:51.71 and paid $25.78 to win for trainer Riley Mott, the son of Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott.

Albus will ship to Churchill Downs on Monday.

“It’s fun to take him there and be qualified for the Derby and not just be a bystander and watch,” Riley Mott said. "We’re thrilled and we’ll let the good times roll.”

The younger Riley has another potential Derby starter in Incredibolt, winner of the Virginia Derby.

“Never would I have thought going into this year that would be happening,” he said, “but we still have a long ways to go.”

Right to Party was second and paid $29.48 to place. Ocelli was third, followed by Bravaro and Napoleon Solo. The top five horses earned Kentucky Derby qualifying points. No Wood winner has won the Derby since 2000.

Iron Honor, the favorite trained by Chad Brown, was seventh. The colt is 21st on the Derby leaderboard, leaving him one spot short of the 20-horse field. It's possible he could still make the race. Brown already has Ottinho qualified.

It wasn't a strong day for a couple of Hall of Fame trainers. Bill Mott's entry, Steel, finished ninth, while Baffert's Buetane was 11th in the 12-horse field.

The race held its final running at Aqueduct before moving to the newly redesigned Belmont Park next year.