Donworth Aims for First Stakes in Sir Barton

After a runner-up finish in the Coolmore Lexington Stakes (gr. III) in just the second start of his career, Donworth will try to secure his first stakes win in the $100,000 Sir Barton Stakes on Saturday, May 16 at Pimlico Race Course.

The Sir Barton, a 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-olds, is one of four ungraded stakes (along with three other graded stakes) scheduled before the Xpressbet Preakness Stakes (gr. I) Saturday at Pimlico. The three other non-graded stakes are the $100,000 James W. Murphy, a one-mile turf race for 3-year-olds; the Chick Lang Stakes, a six-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds; and The Very One Stakes, a five-furlong turf sprint for fillies and mares 3 and older. 

In the Sir Barton, Regis Racing's Donworth enters off the April 11 Lexington at Keeenland where the son of Tiznow   finished three lengths behind Divining Rod, who is scheduled to race in the Preakness.

Trained by Graham Motion, Donworth won his maiden special weight debut March 14 at Gulfstream Park when he rallied from fourth under regular rider Joel Rosario. In the Lexington Donworth raced evenly to finish second, a nose in front of Juddmonte Farm's Fame and Power, who is scheduled to start from the rail in the Sir Barton.

Saturday's expected field of nine for the Sir Barton, to be contested as race 7, also includes Ackerley Brothers Farm's Bold Conquest, who is looking for his first stakes win but has placed in three graded stakes.

Earlier in the day, Richard Santulli's Force the Pass will try for a third straight victory and second straight stakes win when the son of Speightstown   faces an expected seven other rivals in the James W. Murphy. Force the Pass enters off a narrow victory in the $60,000 Cutler Bay Stakes April 1 on the turf at Gulfstream Park and will try for his most lucrative victory to date in Saturday's $100,000 test.

Later in the afternoon Michael Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman's Gimme Da Lute, who twice defeated other California-breds in stakes at Santa Anita Park this year, will try for his first open stakes victory in the Chick Lang Stakes. The son of Midnight Lute   enters the six-furlong test off a third-place finish to Competitive Edge in the Pat Day Mile Stakes (gr. III) on the Kentucky Derby day undercard.

Following the Chick Lang, veteran Ageless will try to live up to her name when the 6-year-old daughter of Successful Appeal   tries to win Pimlico's The Very One for a second straight year against an expected 10 other fillies and mares. Lael Stables' Ageless enters Saturday's turf sprint off a runner-up finish to Katie's Eyes in the Giant's Causeway Stakes contested at 5 1/2 furlongs April 11 at Keeneland on yielding turf. Katie's Eyes already has come back to win the Unbridled Sidney Stakes at Churchill Downs.