A field of eleven three-year-old colts and fillies have been entered in the $200,000 Coolmore Lexington Stakes (gr. III) at Keeneland, a 1 1/16th miles race that offers twenty last-chance Kentucky Derby qualification points to the winner.
With twenty points being the approximate cutoff vicinity for making the Derby field, the winner of the Lexington will likely be guaranteed a spot in the Churchill Downs classic. As a result, the race has drawn not only a large field, but a very talented one as well, including Gentilly Stakes winner Sunbean, promising allowance winner Cerro, and the stakes-placed allowance winner Winning Cause.
One especially intriguing entrant is the filly Pure Fun, who won the prestigious Hollywood Starlet Stakes (gr. I) last December. A minor injury kept her sidelined for much of the spring, but she returned last month to finish third in the Fathead Bourbonette Oaks (gr. III) at Turfway Park, a race that surely did wonders for her fitness. Although she is not nominated to the Derby, and is using the Lexington as a prep for the Kentucky Oaks, a victory in the Lexington Stakes would give her the necessary points to start in the Derby if her connections so desired.
Post Positions:
1 Winning Cause
2 Pick of the Litter
3 River Rocks
4 Hip Four Sixtynine
5 Where's Dominic
6 Sunbean
7 Examen
8 Cerro
9 Wings of Fortune
10 General Election
11 Pure Fun
-Keelerman
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