Lord Nelson, Competitive Edge in Pat Day Mile

Trainer Bob Baffert's rich 3-year-old bench players Lord Nelson and Gimme Da Lute top a solid field of eight entered in the $200,000 Pat Day Mile (gr. III) at Churchill Downs May 2.



Named for the Hall of Fame retired rider who is the all-time leading jockey at Churchill, the mile race for 3-year-olds replaces the former Derby Trial (gr. III) that historically was the spring meet opening-day feature.



And if the field for this first edition is any indication, the Pat Day Mile will be a solid addition to the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) undercard. It is the fifth race on the 13-race card.



Peachtree Stable's Lord Nelson, a son of Pulpit who breaks from the five post under Rafael Bejarano as the 123-pound topweight, is the winner of three of seven starts, including the San Vicente Stakes (gr. II), and was entered but scratched from the Sunland Derby (gr. III) March 22. Baffert said he decided to give him more time following a far-back fourth-place finish in the March 7 San Felipe (gr. II). The San Felipe was won by Dortmund, who, along with American Pharoah, top Baffert's Kentucky Derby contenders' list.



Gimme Da Lute, who races for Karl Watson, Mike Pegram, and Paul Weitman, has the two hole under Martin Garcia and 118 pounds. A son of Baffert-trained Midnight Lute  , the colt has won two of three starts, with one second, and racked up earnings of $158,100. Previous to the Pat Day Mile, the colt won the April 4 Echo Eddie Stakes at Santa Anita Park.



Trainer Todd Pletcher, who also has a barn full of top 3-year-olds, sends out undefeated Competitive Edge, a 2014 grade I winner on the comeback trail. Owned by Michael Tabor, Nancy Favreau, and Kathy Psoinos, the son of Super Saver   was one of last year's leading 2-year-olds, who won the Hopeful Stakes (gr. I) before being sidelined by a hairline fracture to his left foreleg. In his first start since the Hopeful, Competitive Edge rolled to an 8 1/4-length victory in the $60,000 Tamarac Stakes March 27 at Gulfstream Park.



Where's the Moon won the Mine That Bird Stakes at Sunland Park before finishing second in the Sunland Derby for owners Kirk and Judy Robinson. The Malibu Moon   gelding is one of two entered in the Pat Day Mile for trainer Henry Dominguez.