Disarm's start in Lexington Stakes is all about options

The decision to enter Disarm in Saturday’s Grade 3 Lexington at Keeneland isn’t a matter of getting him enough points to be eligible for Kentucky Derby 2023.

Rather, it’s about options, said David Fiske, racing manager for owner Winchell Thoroughbreds.

The 1 1/16-mile Lexington offers 20-8-6-4-2 points to the top five eligible finishers. Disarm, a Gun Runner colt trained by Steve Asmussen, is in 26th place in the standings with 40 points. A top-three finish Saturday would mathematically assure him of a spot in the Derby should his connections want it.

"If he can get some points in the Lexington, then we have an option to run him (in the Derby) or not,” Fiske told Horse Racing Nation Thursday. “At the moment, we have no option. So we're trying to put him in a position to where we have an option. We'll see what happens, see who's still in, see who's out. With three weeks to the Derby, a lot of stuff changes. And that's not to say that with deflections above him on the list that he wouldn't make the field, but we'd be more comfortable with an option.”

Disarm, 7-2 on the morning line, will be ridden by Jose Ortiz on Saturday from post 6. Even with a win, he wouldn’t be a definite for the Derby.

“Nothing's ever automatic,” Fiske said. “It depends on how he does the next three weeks, depends on how everybody else does in the next three weeks. There's just a lot of variables. We have to run him Saturday, we may opt to skip the Derby, go to the Preakness or do something else, depending on how things shake out. But like I said, at the moment, we don't have that option.”

Disarm broke his maiden in August at Saratoga in his second start with a 6 1/4-length win. Then he got time off after developing inflammation in his hind fetlocks, Fiske said.

He came back in an optional-claiming allowance at Oaklawn in February, where he was second by six lengths to Two Eagles River. Then he finished second last out in the Louisiana Derby (G2), 3 1/2 lengths behind Kingsbarns.

Disarm’s setback last year might have resulted in missed opportunities to pick up Derby points, Fiske acknowleged, but “up until this year, I was of the opinion that if you couldn't run first, second or third in the last round, you probably didn't have any business going (to the Derby). You know, picking up 10 points here. 10 points there, here a point, there a point, everywhere a point.

"If you can't run a mile and an eighth in credible racehorse time against the best guys in the division, then you probably don't really belong going on to the Derby,” he said.

Regardless of the outcome Saturday, Fiske believes the Lexington is a good spot for Disarm.

“He's like a, I don't want to say he's a Baby Huey type, but he's big, kind, he's a big-framed horse. But he can take a lot of training. I actually think that running on Saturday will be a benefit for him. Most people think that it's last-minute course correction, just trying to get some points to get in the Derby. I think if he runs well, Saturday, I think there'll be a better horse coming out of the race than going in.”