Saturday’s Lexington Stakes at Keeneland is the final Kentucky Derby prep race this year
Several Run for the Roses hopefuls must do well in Lexington to make it to Louisville
Where can we find betting value as horses scramble to reach the Kentucky Derby?
Under normal circumstances the Lexington Stakes is a nice race for second tier three year olds that either got going too late to reach the Kentucky Derby, or simply were not good enough.
Not this year.
While the top contenders in this year’s Run for the Roses took part in major prep races over the last month, just look at the current Kentucky Derby odds, which still gives plenty of horses a good shot to win.
With opportunity comes interest. The final few slots available to race in the Kentucky Derby are still up for grabs, and the 20 qualifying points the winner earns in the Lexington, or eight second-place points, could be the difference between getting in and being forced to stay at home. The third-place finisher gets four points, with two awarded to the horse that arrives fourth.
Let’s discuss several of the contenders, what they need to do in order to reach the Kentucky Derby, and consider a betting strategy.
2022 Lexington Stakes Odds
| Horse | Odds |
|---|---|
| Tawny Port | +250 |
| In Due Time | +300 |
| Major General | +400 |
| Call Me Midnight | +600 |
| Dash Attack | +1000 |
| Ethereal Road | +1000 |
| Howling Time | +1500 |
| We All See It | +1500 |
| Midnight Chrome | +2000 |
| Strava | +2000 |
| Skate to Heaven | +3000 |
Odds as of April 15
The Lexington Stakes is a mile-and-a-sixteenth test over the dirt course at Keeneland. It began in 1936, and has been an off-the-radar Derby prep since the early 1970s. Twice horses who ran in the Lexington have won the Kentucky Derby, Swale, who finished second in 1984, and Charismatic who won it in 1999.
Post time is slated for 5:16 pm ET with TVG providing television coverage. Temperatures in Lexington are expected to be in the low 60’s with no rain.
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