A field of eleven including a couple of runners that have not ruled out a bid for the Kentucky Derby will line up in Saturday’s feature at Keeneland, the Grade 3 $200,000 Coolmore Lexington.
The connections of Cerro and Sunbean could use the 20 points for a victory to possibly sneak into the Kentucky Derby field, although a run in the Grade 1 Preakness Stakes two weeks later is more likely.
The filly Pure Fun is using the Lexington as a way to get into the field for the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks on May 3. The Ken McPeek trainee currently is sitting 15th in the points standings for the Oaks, and with the field limited to 14 starters, she needs to pick up points or hope for a defection to get into the field.
Currently she has 20 points, while Seaneen Girl has the final spot in the Oaks field with 34 points. Without any defections Pure Fun would need a victory to get into the Oaks field.
The last Saturday of the spring meeting at Keeneland also offers up the $100,000 Giant’s Causeway, a 5 ½ furlong turf sprint that drew a field of 10.
The race is one of the most competitive on the ten-race card on Saturday. Among the contenders are Happy Ticket winner Extravaganza, Buffalo Trace Franklin County third place finisher Sensible Lady, and Sweet Cassiopeia, who comes into the race riding a four race win streak.
Let’s head out to Keeneland for Saturday’s featured betting race of the day:
Keeneland Race 9 The Coolmore Lexington (G3) Post time 5:13 ET
1. Winning Cause
6. Sunbean
11. Pure Fun
2. Pick of the Litter
Winning Cause may end up getting overlooked on the tote here and should offer decent value. The Todd Pletcher trainee is coming off a win against Alw-1 foes and is now perfect in two starts over polytrack here at Keeneland, both trips at seven furlongs.
The colt came up short in both of his starts around two turns, but those came on turf in his first two career starts. The colt has plenty of pedigree to handle the extra ground. He is by Giant’s Causeway out of a Kingmambo mare. The barn is 34% winners (with a +ROI) moving runners from sprint to route.
Sunbean is a two-time stakes winner against Louisiana breds and in his first start outside of the state bred ranks he had a tough trip in an eighth place finish in the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby. The colt was reserved in the early going, made a good middle move, came up the inside on the far turn and that is where the trouble started.
The colt was blocked in upper stretch and had to steady again nearing the furlong marker and was not able to recover. Gary Stevens picks up the call here as he makes his first start for the Mike Maker barn that is 25% winners with newcomers to the barn. The colt’s sibs have earned over $1.2 million led by multiple stakes winner Brother Bean ($434,460).
Pure Fun takes on the boys here and figures to move forward in just her second start of the year. The filly came with a five wide bid and hung last out in a third place finish in the Grade 3 Bourbonette at Turfway Park on March 23, her first start off a 3 ½ month layoff.
She capped off her juvenile campaign by winning the Grade 1 Hollywood Starlet with a last to first run. She draws a tough post here but is proven over synthetic surfaces and she should be cranked up and ready to go second off the bench for the Ken McPeek barn. She needs a strong finish to pick up points to get into the Kentucky Oaks in two weeks.
Wagering (courtesy of TurfnSport.com):
WIN: Winning Cause to win at 9-2 or better.
EXACTA: 1,6 / 1,2,6,11
TRIFECTA: 1,6 / 1,2,6,11 / 1,2,5,6,8,11