Disarm seeks Kentucky Derby berth via Lexington Stakes

Photo: NYRA

Disarm, runner-up in the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby in his most recent start, will try to earn a spot in the Kentucky Derby starting gate when he heads a field of 11 3-year-olds entered Wednesday for Saturday’s 41st running of the Lexington (G3) at Keeneland.

The 1 1/16-mile test will go as the ninth race on Saturday’s 11-race program with a 5:16 p.m. EDT post time. First post Saturday is 1 p.m.


Lexington Stakes: Odds and full-field analysis

The Lexington is the final race on the Road to the Kentucky Derby and carries 40 points that will be awarded on a 20-8-6-4-2 basis to the top five eligible finishers. The Derby is limited to the top 19 point earners plus Japan's invited qualifier Continuar.

Owned by Winchell Thoroughbreds and trained by Steve Asmussen, Disarm has his 40 points from the Louisiana Derby. The current cut is 45 points.

If Disarm were to finish in the top three Saturday, he would be mathematically assured of making the Derby field, bumping Jace's Road off the bubble. The announcement of the Lexington entries also assured 17th-place Blazing Sevens and 18th-place Reincarnate of making it into the May 6 classic at Churchill Downs.

Owning a record of 4: 1-2-1, Disarm will be ridden Saturday by Jose Ortiz and exit post position 6.

Also figuring to draw support is Zedan Racing Stables’ Arabian Lion.

Arabian Lion, trained by Bob Baffert, will be making his first start since finishing fourth in the Robert B. Lewis (G3) at Santa Anita on Feb. 4. Runner-up in an allowance race at Keeneland last fall on the Breeders’ Cup undercard, Arabian Lion will be ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. and leave from post position 11.

Because of Baffert's suspension by Churchill Downs Inc., Arabian Lion is ineligible for Kentucky Derby points.

2023 Lexington G3

Post Silks Horse / Sire Rating Trainer / Jockey Last Start / Next Start HRN
1 Baseline Beater
Flatter
0.00 Neil L. Pessin
Corey J. Lanerie
9th, 2023 Louisiana Derby G2 Entered
Last Race 9th, 2023 Louisiana Derby G2
2 Reinvest
Quality Road
0.00 Timothy E. Hamm
Joseph Talamo
1st, Tam AlwOC (3/22/23-R4) Entered
Last Race 1st, Tam AlwOC (3/22/23-R4)
3 Demolition Duke
Good Magic
0.00 Brad H. Cox
Flavien Prat
2nd, FG AlwOC (3/19/23-R6) Entered
Last Race 2nd, FG AlwOC (3/19/23-R6)
4 Transect
Gun Runner
0.00 Paulo H. Lobo
Gerardo Corrales
10th, 2023 Gotham G3 Entered
Last Race 10th, 2023 Gotham G3
5 First Mission
Street Sense
0.00 Brad H. Cox
Luis Saez
1st, FG MSW (3/18/23-R7) Entered
Last Race 1st, FG MSW (3/18/23-R7)
6 Disarm
Gun Runner
6.49 Steven M. Asmussen
Jose L. Ortiz
2nd, 2023 Louisiana Derby G2 Entered
Last Race 2nd, 2023 Louisiana Derby G2
7 Denington
Gun Runner
5.71 Kenneth G. McPeek
Brian J. Hernandez, Jr.
10th, 2023 Louisiana Derby G2 Entered
Last Race 10th, 2023 Louisiana Derby G2
8 Empirestrikesfast
Empire Maker
3.79 William I. Mott
Frankie Dettori
1st, GP MSW (3/11/23-R5) Entered
Last Race 1st, GP MSW (3/11/23-R5)
9 Prairie Hawk
Curlin
5.23 Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.
John R. Velazquez
4th, 2023 Tampa Bay Derby G3 Entered
Last Race 4th, 2023 Tampa Bay Derby G3
10 Curly Larry and Mo
Mo Town
4.45 Caio Caramori
Reylu Gutierrez
5th, GP AlwOC (3/11/23-R9) Entered
Last Race 5th, GP AlwOC (3/11/23-R9)
11 Arabian Lion
Justify
5.84 Bob Baffert
Irad Ortiz, Jr.
4th, 2023 Robert B. Lewis G3 Entered
Last Race 4th, 2023 Robert B. Lewis G3

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