Lexitonian to Target Bing Crosby for Next Start
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Photo: Coady Photography
Lexitonian wins an allowance-level race at Churchill Downs
Calumet Farm's Lexitonian, trained by Jack Sisterson, was scratched at the gate in the July 25 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap (G1) but was in good order Sunday morning breezing a half-mile under assistant trainer Mark O'Dwyer in :47.66 on the Saratoga Race Course main track.
Whitmore, assigned post 2 in the Vanderbilt, broke through the gate before the start of the race and was quickly pulled up by jockey Joel Rosario. Lexitonian, from the inside post, subsequently sat back on his haunches, dislodging jockey Tyler Gaffalione, and was scratched at the gate. The remainder of the four-horse field was backed out and reloaded, with Volatile proving victorious.
"I think a horse's natural instinct when another horse breaks through the gate is to want to go after it," Sisterson said. "He's such a competitive horse that when Whitmore broke through, he wasn't going to abide by Tyler. He wanted to go after that horse, and that's just him.
"Mark was with him and looked at him at the barn after the race, and the vet went over him and there were no issues. Unfortunately, that's racing. You can't predict what's going to happen, but the main thing is he's OK."
O'Dwyer said Lexitonian moved comfortably during the breeze.
Lexitonian entered the Vanderbilt off a sharp allowance optional claiming win May 29 at Churchill Downs that garnered a 95 Beyer Speed Figure. The Speightstown chestnut was expected to use Saturday's race as a springboard to the $300,000 Forego Stakes Presented by America's Best Racing (G1), a seven-furlong sprint for 4-year-olds and up Aug. 29.
Sisterson said Lexitonian will now ship to Del Mar, however, for a start in the Aug. 1 Bing Crosby Stakes (G1), a six-furlong sprint offering a berth in the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1).
"He ran such a fast Ragozin number at Churchill, a career high, we thought with that much of a leap forward, you don't want to run back too quick," Sisterson said. "So we penciled in the Vanderbilt, and if he ran well we'd go to the Forego. We had the plan for months and it didn't happen, and now he's full of energy and needs to run, so if he comes out of the breeze well this morning, he'll go to the Bing Crosby at Del Mar."