A short field of six will contest Keeneland's Grade 3 $200,000 Coolmore Lexington Stakes. This is likely the last chance for a Kentucky Derby hopeful to earn the graded stakes money needed to make the Derby's limited field. Of the six Coolmore Lexington starters, Silver Medallion is the only one who could benefit from the money. However, he would likely need to finish first to make the Derby field.
Silver Medallion is listed as the 8-5 morning line favorite. Although he finished seventh when he last raced over the Keeneland surface in October's Breeders' Futurity, he's since won two graded stakes and finished fourth behind Midnight Interlude in the Santa Anita Derby. He appears to be the class of this field and the one to beat.
The second choice at 3-1 is Casper's Touch, who won an allowance race at Keeneland two weeks ago. He was seventh in his last and only graded stakes race--February's Fountain of Youth Stakes. He appears to fit with this group and obviously likes the surface.
Although Prime Cut has only won two races in his five-race career, he was three or four wide going into the turn in four of those races and has never finished worse than fourth. He's listed as the third choice at a morning line of 7-2.
Since Keeneland's Polytrack surface most equates to turf, 4-1 Derby Kitten appears to be a fierce competitor. He's finished first or second in his last three races over the turf. The Kitten's Joy offspring seem to have an affinity for the Keeneland surface, so expect him to hit the board.
Completing the field are 6-1 Hurricane Lake and 15-1 Taptowne.
The race is the 9th on Keeneland's Saturday card with a scheduled post of 5:20 PM. The race can be seen live on TVG.
Photo: Courtesy Kentucky Derby
