Whichever 3-year-old wins the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve on May 6 will not have an easy race awaiting them two weeks later in the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore. Godolphin's First Mission let that be known with an impressive run up the rail to win the $398,750 Grade 3 Stonestreet Lexington Stakes at Keeneland Race Course.
First Mission announced himself as a contender for the second jewel of the Triple Crown. It was a half-length back to Arabian Lion, who finished well clear in second and also is possible for the Preakness.
The Lexington was the final points race on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, offering points on a 20-8-6-4-2 basis to eligible top-five finishers. Disarm, the lone Lexington entrant with a realistic shot at making it into the field for the Run for the Roses, earned six points with a third-place finish, which was enough to put him into the probable Derby field with 46 points.
No other horses earned enough points to be in play for the Derby.
The Derby prep season concludes with Reincarnate as the final points-earner in the Derby field with 45 points and $263,250 in non-restricted stakes earnings. Three weeks before the Derby, three others with 45 points remain on the outside looking in: Jace's Road ($200,350 in non-restricted stakes earnings), Skinner ($174,500), and Cyclone Mischief ($137,525). Defections from the prospective Derby field typically occur in the weeks leading up to the race, which could clear the way for some of those to move into the field.
Disarm's owner, Ron Winchell of Winchell Thoroughbreds, said without hesitation that as long as his homebred Gun Runner colt came back from the Lexington effort in good shape, there were no races but the Kentucky Derby under consideration.
"We were hoping for better than third, but it looked like he had a little difficulty in the first turn," Winchell said. "We'll see how he comes out of this race."
Meanwhile, First Mission put forth one of the year's most eye-opening performances by a 3-year-old and did so in his first try against winners.
The 20 points he earned on the Derby leaderboard were too little, too late for the first Saturday in May. Showing up fresh for the third Saturday in May, though, could be a different story.
"I'd say it's definitely the spot on the calendar that would make the most sense," winning trainer Brad Cox said of the Preakness. "Obviously we'll have to see what happens with the Kentucky Derby and who knows what there, but it would be the logical spot moving forward."
Arabian Lion also would appear to be a logical Preakness horse, though Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert was noncommittal.
"I was happy with his effort but not sure about the Preakness," Baffert said via text.
Breaking from the outside 10 post position, Arabian Lion was hustled to the lea early to clear the field into the first turn of the 1 1/16-mile race. First Mission and jockey Luis Saez, breaking from post 4, secured a rail spot early and always kept the leader within striking distance.
Arabian Lion raced on a clear lead through reasonable fractions of :24.12, :48.01 and 1:12.48. As the chestnut Justify colt tried to separate from the field into the stretch, First Mission was the only one able to keep up. The horses brushed as they came to mid-stretch on even terms with the others at least four lengths out of contention, and then First Mission pressed ahead along the inside to finish in front in a time of 1:43.74.
"He's a very nice horse. First day I rode him at Fair Grounds we knew he was going to be a stakes horse," Saez said.
Daily Double
10-5
10-5
$15
Superfecta
5-11-6-7
5-11-6-7
$38
Trifecta
5-11-6
5-11-6
$27
Daily Double
10-5
10-5
$15
Superfecta
5-11-6-7
5-11-6-7
$38
Trifecta
5-11-6
5-11-6
$27
