19 Abr. USA. Coolmore Lexington S. G2. Keeneland. 8,5f. AW. 325.000 $
1.- BEHINDATTHEBAR (D.Flores)
2.- SAMBA ROOSTER (G.Gomez)
3.- RILEY TUCKER (J.Velazquez)
Behindatthebar unleashed an explosive turn of foot in the stretch to collar pacesetter Samba Rooster and shook clear for a one-length win in the $325,000 Coolmore Lexington Stakes (G2) on Saturday at Keeneland Race Course.
The Lexington Stakes provided Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) hopefuls with a final opportunity to earn a spot in the field for the 1 1/4-mile classic race on May 3, but neither Behindatthebar nor runner-up Samba Rooster is likely to go on to the Derby.
The field for the Derby is capped at 20 horses with preference given to horses with the highest career earnings in graded stakes races.
Entering the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G1) on April 12, trainer Todd Pletcher did not have a single three-year-old with sufficient graded stakes earnings to make the field for the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. The three-time Eclipse Award winner as outstanding trainer holds a much stronger hand after Monba and Cowboy Cal finished first and second, respectively, in the Blue Grass Stakes to cement starting spots in the Derby.
The Pletcher-trained Behindatthebar boosted his graded earnings to $204,500 with the Lexington score to secure a position in the field for the Derby if owners Padua Stables, Michael Shustek, and W. Don Stanley decide to enter the Forest Wildcat colt.
“We’ve had a good couple of weeks,” said Pletcher, who added that Behindatthebar is unlikely to contest the first leg of the 2008 Triple Crown.
Behindatthebar relaxed off the pace under jockey David Flores as Samba Rooster sprinted clear through a swift opening quarter in :22.78 and a half-mile in :45.21. Behindatthebar accelerated into contention under Flores on the final turn, collared the pacesetter in the final furlong, and drove clear to earn his first career stakes victory.
Behindatthebar covered 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.14 on the synthetic Polytrack surface at Keeneland. He entered the Lexington off a four-length win in an allowance race on April 3 at Santa Anita Park.
“We were impressed by this horse obviously, not only today but by the way he ran in California,” Pletcher said of the allowance victory. “Of course we were concerned about coming back in 16 days, but we knew he liked the synthetic surface so we figured we’d give it a shot.”
Samba Rooster held off multiple graded stakes-placed Riley Tucker by a half-length to finish second. Samba Rooster is not nominated to the Triple Crown.
Peruvian dual classic winner Tomcito, who entered off a third-place finish in the Florida Derby (G1), finished a non-threatening sixth as the 3.40-to-1 favorite in the 11-horse field. Tomcito likely will not have enough graded stakes earnings to make the Derby field. Grade 2 winner Salute the Sarge finished seventh and Grade 2-placed stakes winner Atoned was eighth.
Behindatthebar improved to three wins in five career starts and has earned $277,100. He is the first starter out of the Runaway Groom mare Rhiana, who finished third in the 2003 Santa Maria Handicap (G1).