KY Derby Road 2022: Last Leg Of This Year's Journey Comes Saturday's With G3 Lexington

(Trainer Brad Cox will saddle Tawny Port in Saturday’s G3 Lexington Stakes at Keeneland / Coady Photography)

From the Churchill Downs Media Team:

It’s been 208 days since the Road to Kentucky Derby 148 began at Churchill Downs, and Saturday is the last opportunity for Derby hopefuls to accrue points for a chance to get into the 20-horse starting gate as Keeneland hosts the $400,000 Lexington Stakes (Grade III), which offers 20 points to the winner.

The current No. 20 cutoff to make the starting gate for the $3 million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (GI) on Saturday, May 7 is held by Peachtree Stable’s $600,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks (GIII) runner-up Tawny Port. His 40 points are tied with Messier, Zozos, Summer Is Tomorrow and Charge It. However, the tie breaker, non-restricted graded stakes earnings, makes him the last of the group. Tawny Port is expected to be a top contender in Saturday’s Lexington, where his connections will attempt to secure his spot in the Kentucky Derby.

The Lexington Stakes will offer the top four finishers points on a 20-8-4-2 scale. The 1 1/16-mile race will go as Race 9 with a post time of 5:16 p.m. (all times Eastern). Fans can bet the Lexington Stakes on www.TwinSpires.com, the official wagering provider of Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby.

TAWNY PORT TOPS 11 RIVALS IN $400,000 LEXINGTON STAKES – Peachtree Stable’s $600,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks (Grade III) runner-up Tawny Port will return to the dirt as one of the top choices in Saturday’s $400,000 Lexington Stakes (GIII) at Keeneland.

The 1 1/16-mile Lexington is the final opportunity for Derby hopefuls to gain points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. The race will offer the top four finishers points on a 20-8-4-2 scale. The Lexington goes as Race 9 at 5:16 p.m.

Tawny Port’s 40 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby currently has him in spot No. 20. Several other Lexington entrants would add their name to the Derby picture should they win including Fountain of Youth (GII) runner-up In Due Time (20 points); Rebel (GII) runner-up Ethereal Road (20 points); Iroquois (GIII) winner Major General (10 points); Smarty Jones winner DashAttack (10 points) and Lecomte (GIII) winner Call Me Midnight (10 points).

Trained by Brad Cox, Tawny Port finished 2 ¼ lengths behind Tiz the Bomb in last month’s Jeff Ruby Steaks. The son of Pioneerof the Nile will switch back to the dirt surface for the first time since his fifth place-effort in the Risen Star (GII). Florent Geroux will have the call from post No. 9.

Here’s the complete field for the Lexington from the rail out (with jockey and trainer): Midnight Chrome (Jose Ortiz, John Servis); In Due Time (Paco Lopez, Kelly Breen); We All See It (Luis Saez, Eddie Kenneally); Ethereal Road (Victor Espinoza, D. Wayne Lukas); Howling Time (Joe Talamo, Dale Romans); Skate to Heaven (David Cohen, Robertino Diodoro); Major General (Irad Ortiz Jr., Todd Pletcher); Strava (Tyler Gaffalione, Dallas Stewart); Tawny Port (Geroux, Brad Cox); Dash Attack (Flavien Prat, Kenny McPeek); and Call Me Midnight (James Graham, Keith Desormeaux).

Fans can watch and wager on the Lexington atwww.TwinSpires.com, the official wagering provider of Churchill Downs Inc. and the Kentucky Derby.

MO DONEGAL, TAIBA, ZANDON BECOME MAJOR KENTUCKY DERBY PLAYERS FOLLOWING SATURDAY VICTORIES – The starting gate for the $3 million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (GI) began to take more serious shape Saturday following the victories of Mo Donegal in the $750,000 Wood Memorial (GII), Taiba in the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby (GI) and Zandon in the $1 million Blue Grass (GI).

Here is the updated leaderboard with four races remaining on the Road to the Kentucky Derby:

DOWN THE STRETCH –

As of Thursday morning there are seven Kentucky Derby contenders within the Top 20 that are stabled at Churchill Downs: Crown Pride(JPN) (Quarantine), Cyberknife (Barn 22), Epicenter (Barn 38), (Barn 38), Smile Happy (Barn 6), Tawny Port (Barn 22) and Zozos (Barn 22). …

Arkansas Derby (GI) winner Cyberknife is slated to work Saturday in preparation for the Kentucky Derby. His stablemate, TwinSpires.comLouisiana Derby (GII) runner-up Zozos, is also slated to work, according to trainer Brad Cox. …

Trainer Todd Pletcher is scheduled to start shipping horses back to Churchill Downs next week to Barn 35. His Derby contenders are likely to have two works over the track prior to the first Saturday in May. …

Gotham winner shipped back to Churchill Downs on Tuesday following his disappointing sixth-place finish in the Wood Memorial. …

Jeff Ruby Steaks (GIII) winner Tiz the Bomb is tentatively scheduled to arrive Thursday at Churchill Downs, according to trainer Kenny McPeek. …

Blue Grass Stakes (GI) winner Zandon is slated to arrive at Churchill Downs next week, according to trainer Chad Brown. …

Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI) contender Venti Valentine is scheduled to arrive at Churchill Downs on Saturday. She’ll be stabled in Barn 25. …

The first day for the exclusive 15-minute training period for Kentucky Derby and Oaks contenders will be Saturday, April 23. The track will be reserved from 7:30-7:45 a.m. for only horses competing in either of those races. …

Nominations for all Kentucky Derby week stakes races, including late nominations to the Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI), close Saturday. To nominate, call the Churchill Downs Racing Office at (502) 638-3806. More information is available at www.churchilldowns.com/horsemen.