(Richard Mandella, trainer of Forbidden Kingdom / Photo by Gene McLean)

Forbidden Kingdom Stays Atop — For Now:

There were horses moving up. There were horses moving down. And, there are a few horses moving sideways. For now.

This week, one of those “side movers” and the one horse atop our current Kentucky Derby rankings will get his biggest test to date in the G1 Santa Anita Derby and his final prep for this year’s Kentucky Derby.

Forbidden Kingdom — the fast and furious son of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah and trained by the Hall of Famer Richard Mandella — will hopefully take his next stride toward Louisville in the West Coast’s biggest Derby prep.

There will be challengers to the speedster, to be sure, including Messier — the colt formerly trained by the embattled, embarrassed and newly suspended trainer Bob Baffert. Now in the barn of former Baffert assistant Tim Yakteem, the team is certainly going to try its’ best to make some amends and up a lot of ground in the “points department” in order to make the 20-horse field for this year’s opener for the Triple Crow.

All eyes will be focused. All hands will be on deck. It’s game time.

Here’s a look at our Top 20 for this week, and the highlights:

— White Abarrio — winner of the G1 Florida Derby — moves up from 6th to #3.

— Cyberknife — winner of the G1 Arkansas Derby — goes from unranked to # 6 with a powerful performance, in his own right.

— Charge It — runner-up in the Florida Derby — goes from unranked to #13 with a closing kick that got his some points towards Louisville.

— Classic Causeway — winner of the G2 Tampa Bay Derby — tumbles from # 4 to #16 after his 11th place finish in the Florida Derby. Speed can be your friend. Then, again?

— Secret Oath — the grand filly who ran a gallant 3rd in the G1 Arkansas Derby despite a trip from Hades — falls to #20, only and simply because of the unknown of whether she will try the “boys” again in the Derby or revert back to face the fillies in the KY Oaks. What a nice gal, though. Applause.

Here’s the entire group:

RankingsPreviousHorseSireTrainerJockeyLast RaceNext RaceCareerComments
11stForbidden KingdomAmerican PharoahRichard MandellaJuan Hernandez1st in G2 San VicenteApril 9: Santa Anita Derby4/2-1-1Big Week / Can Speed Endure? / I Think So
22ndEpicenterNot This TimeSteve AsmussenJoel Rosario1st in G2 Louisiana DerbyMay 7: G1 Kentucky Derby6/4-1-0May Be One to Beat on 1st Satuday in May
36thWhite AbarrioRace DaySaffie Joseph, Jr.Tyler Gaffalione1st in G1 Florida DerbyMay 7: G1 Kentucky Derby5/4-0-1While I Remain A Skeptic, This 1 Keeps Proving Me Wrong
43rdSimplificationNot This TimeAntonio SanoJose Ortiz3rd in G1 Florida DerbyMay 7: G1 Kentucky Derby7/3-1-2 No Idea What Rider Was Doing in Last / Should Have Set Up Perfectly
55thZozosMunningsBrad CoxFlorent Geroux2nd in G2 Louisiana DerbyMay 7: G1 Kentucky Derby3/2-1-0Will Be Fun To Watch This 1 Prep Up to Derby / Works?
6UnrankedCyberknifeGun RunnerBrad CoxFlorent Geroux1st in G1 Arkansas DerbyMay 7: G1 Kentucky Derby6/3-2-0Powerful Performance in Hot Springs / How Does He Handle Crowd at CD?
77thMo DonegalUncle MoTodd PletcherIrad Ortiz, Jr. 3rd in G3 Holy BullApril 9: G2 Wood Memorial4/2-0-2Long Time On Sideline, But It's Go Time / Is He Ready?
88thIn Due TimeNot This TimeKelly BreenPaco Lopez2nd in G2 Fountain of YouthApril 9: G2 Wood Memorial4/2-1-1Worked at Palm Meadows on 4-1 / Will Need "A" Game in Next
99thSmile HappyRunhappyKen McPeekCorey Lanerie2nd in G2 Risen Star April 9: G1 Blue Grass Stakes3/2-1-0Maintenance Work on 4-2 at Gulfstream Park / Will Need "A" Game, Too
1010thZandonUpstartChad BrownJose Ortiz3rd in G2 Risen StarApril 9: G1 Blue Grass Stakes3/1-1-1Really Nice Move at Payson Park on 4-1 / Watch Out Here / Coming
1112thMorelloClassic Empire Steve AsmussenJose Lezcano1st in G3 Gotham StakesApril 9: G2 Wood Memorial3/3-0-0Bullet Work at Belmont Park on 3-28 / Can He Keep Improving? / Wood May Tell
1213thEarly VotingGun RunnerChad BrownJose Ortiz1st in G3 Withers StakesApril 9: G2 Wood Memorial2/2-0-0Nice Move at Belmont Park on 4-2 / Speedster Tuning Up
13UnrankedCharge ItTapitTodd PletcherLuis Saez2nd in G1 Florida DerbyMay 7: G1 Kentucky Derby3/1-2-0Unraced As 2YO, But Coming On / Picked Up Pieces in Fla. Derby / Still ?s Here
1414thDean's ListSpeightstownTodd PletcherLuis Saez2nd in G3 Gotham StakesApril 9: G2 Wood Memorial3/2-1-0Interesting Work Pattern Continued on 4-2 at Belmont / We Shall See
1515thSlow Down AndyNyquistDoug O'NeillMario Gutierrez1st in Sunland DerbyMay 7: G1 Kentucky Derby5/3-1-0First-Time Blinkers Appeared to Help / But More to Do
164thClassic CausewayGiant's CausewayBrian Lynchlrad Ortiz, Jr11th in G1 Florida DerbyMay 7: G1 Kentucky Derby6/3-1-1Found A Field That He Could Speed Past / Distance Is Major Concern
1717thEthereal RoadQuality RoadD. Wayne LukasLuis Contreras2nd in G2 Rebel StakesApril 9: G1 Blue Grass Stakes5/1-1-1Brilliant Work on 3-31 at Oaklawn Park / Rider Choice Here? Important
1818thBarber RoadRace DayJohn OrtizReylu Gutierrez2nd in G1 Arkansas DerbyMay 7: G1 Kentucky Derby8/2-4-1No Match for Winner, But Did Pick Up Pieces / Closer Could Get Late Sniff in Derby
1920thRattle N RollConnectKen McPeekBrian Hernandez, Jr.4th in G2 Louisiana DerbyMay 7: G1 Kentucky Derby6/2-0-1Never a "Real Threat" in Louisiana Derby / Just Ho-Hum / Can He Recover?
2020thMessierEmpire Maker Tim YakteemJohn Velazquez1st in G3 Robert B. LewisApril 9: Santa Anita Derby5/3-2-0Has Moved to "New Barn" / Still Has "0" Points / Must Win Coming Up
2011thSecret OathArrogateD. Wayne LukasLuis Contreras3rd in G1 Arkansas DerbyUndecided7/4-0-2Received a Horrendous Trip in Arkansas / Proved She Can Hold Own / Next?
20UnrankedTiz the BombHit It a BombKen McPeekBrian Hernandez, Jr.1st in G3 Jeff RubyUndecided8/5-1-0Great Performance in Ruby, But? / Still Looks Like He's Better on Grass & AW
2016thPappacapGun RunnerMark CasseTyler Gaffalione4th in G1 Florida DerbyMay 7: G1 Kentucky Derby8/2-2-1Went Hoof to Hoof in Speed Battle of Fla. Derby / Lasted Better Than Most