First Mission Takes Lexington, Eyes Preakness

Whichever 3-year-old wins the May 6 Kentucky Derby (G1) at Churchill Downs will not have an easy race awaiting them two weeks later in the Preakness Stakes (G1) at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore.

Godolphin's First Mission , a Street Sense   colt, let that be known with an impressive run up the rail to win Keeneland's $398,750 Lexington Stakes (G3), announcing himself as a contender for the second jewel of the Triple Crown. It was a half-length back to Arabian Lion , well clear for second and also possible for the Preakness.

The Lexington was the final points race on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, issued on a 20-8-6-4-2 basis to eligible top-five finishers. Winchell Thoroughbreds' Disarm, the lone Lexington entrant with a realistic shot at making the Run for the Roses, earned six points with a third-place finish, putting him into the probable Derby field with 46 points.

No other horses earned other sufficient points to be in play for the Derby.

The Derby prep season concludes with Reincarnate as the last points-earner in with 45 points and $263,250 in non-restricted stakes earnings. Three weeks before the Derby, three others with 45 points remain on the outside looking in: Jace's Road  ($200,350 in non-restricted stakes earnings), Skinner  ($174,500), and Cyclone Mischief  ($137,525).

Defections from the prospective Derby field typically occur in the weeks leading up to the race, clearing the way for others to move into the field.

Disarm's owner, Ron Winchell of Winchell Thoroughbreds, said without hesitation that as long as his homebred Gun Runner   colt came back from the Lexington effort in good shape, there were no races but the Kentucky Derby under consideration.

"We were hoping for better than third but it looked like he had a little difficulty in the first turn," Winchell said. "We'll see how he comes out of this race."

Asked if the Derby might suit him better, Winchell added: "We've always thought a mile-and-a-quarter would be fine for him."

Meanwhile, First Mission put forth one of the year's most eye-opening performances by a 3-year-old and did so in his first try against winners.

The 20 points he earned on the Derby leaderboard were too little, too late for the First Saturday in May. Showing up fresh for the third Saturday in May, though, could be a different story.

"I'd say it's definitely the spot on the calendar that would make the most sense," winning trainer Brad Cox said of the Preakness. "Obviously we'll have to see what happens with the Kentucky Derby and who knows what there, but it would be the logical spot moving forward."

Arabian Lion also would appear a logical Preakness horse, though Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert was noncommittal.

"I was happy with his effort but not sure about the Preakness," Baffert said via text.

Breaking from the outside 10 post position, Zedan Racing Stables' Arabian Lion was hustled to the lead by Irad Ortiz Jr. early to clear the field into the first turn of the 1 1/16-mile race. First Mission and Luis Saez, breaking from post 4, secured a rail spot early and always kept the leader within striking distance.

Arabian Lion raced on a clear lead through reasonable fractions of :24.12, :48.01, and 1:12.48. As the chestnut Justify   colt tried to separate from the field into the stretch, First Mission was the only one able to keep up, angling to the rail. With Ortiz angling his mount inward to come closer to First Mission, those two brushed as they came to the one-eighth marker on even terms but with the others at least four lengths out of contention. First Mission would not be intimidated, though, and pressed ahead along the inside to finish in front in a time of 1:43.74.

"At the three-eighths, he got a little intimidated. It kind of took him a while but then he made a big move and when he pulled ahead he wanted to get home," Saez said. "He's a very nice horse. First day I rode him at Fair Grounds we knew he was going to be a stakes horse."

First Mission, 2-1-0 in three starts with earnings of $276,500, is a Godolphin homebred out of the winning Medaglia d'Oro   mare Elude . First Mission is the first winner from Elude's three foals, two of which have raced. Elude also foaled a Street Sense colt last year.

Video: Stonestreet Lexington S. (G3)