Keeneland will play host to the final race in the “Road to the Kentucky Derby” series when 11 sophomores line up in Saturday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Lexington.
The 1 1/16-mile Polytrack contest will award points on a 10-4-2-1 basis, in line with the prep season races instead of the more lucrative championship series events that were worth 100-40-20-10. Nonetheless, the winner’s share of 10 points could make the difference between obtaining a starting berth in the Kentucky Derby and being left in the barn.
Actually the only one in the field with even a shot at the Derby gate on the first Saturday in May is Ami’s Holiday, who earned 10 points for capturing the Grey at Woodbine last October. The Josie Carroll-trained son of Harlan’s Holiday has since finished fifth in the Coronation Futurity and third in the Display at the Canadian track. Those two races closed out Ami’s Holiday juvenile season, and the bay colt will be making his three-year-old debut in the Lexington.
While the Lexington is the feature on Saturday at Keeneland, it shares the program with one other graded contest and a stakes event.
The Grade 3, $150,000 Ben Ali is sandwiched in between the $100,000 Giant’s Causeway, which begins the stakes action, and the Lexington. The nine-furlong, main-track contest drew 10 older horses, including Newsdad and Frac Daddy. The former just captured the Pan American at Gulfstream on March 24 and boasts a 2-0-0 mark from three tries at Keeneland, including last year’s Fayette.
Eleven distaffers have been entered for the grassy, 5 1/2-furlong Giant’s Causeway.
2014 G3 $200,000 Lexington Stakes Information
Date: Saturday, April 19
Where: Keeneland Race Course, Kentucky
Post Time: 5:13pm ET
TV: TwinSpiresTV
Distance: 1 1/16 Mile Synthetic
Conditions: FOR THREE-YEAR-OLDS
Purse: $200,000
Lexington Stakes wagering may include:
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Field and odds for the 2014 G3 $200,000 Lexington Stakes
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| 1 | Mr Speaker | 3 C | L | 120 | Lezcano Jose | McGaughey III Claude R. |
| 2 | Solitary Ranger | 3 C | L | 120 | Geroux Florent | Catalano Wayne M. |
| 3 | Dynamic Impact | 3 C | L | 118 | Garcia Alan | Casse Mark E. |
| 4 | Poker Player | 3 C | L o | 120 | Elliott Stewart | Catalano Wayne M. |
| 5 | Z Lucky | 3 C | L | 118 | Court Jon Kenton | Lukas D. Wayne |
| 6 | Divine Oath | 3 C | L | 118 | Castellano Javier | Pletcher Todd A. |
| 7 | Ami’s Holiday | 3 C | L | 120 | Albarado Robby | Carroll Josie |
| 8 | Ride Away | 3 C | L | 118 | Leparoux Julien R. | Motion H. Graham |
| 9 | Morning Calm | 3 C | L | 118 | Rocco, Jr. Joseph | Nihei Michelle |
| 10 | Supermonic | 3 C | L | 118 | Rosario Joel | Pletcher Todd A. |
| 11 | Global Strike | 3 C | L | 118 | Ortiz, Jr. Irad | Pletcher Todd A. |