A field of 11 3-year-olds who last raced at seven different tracks converge in Lexington for the Lexington, a Grade 3, $400,000 dirt race going 1 1/16 miles that could propel horses toward bigger things. The Lexington is, technically, the final points race for the Kentucky Derby. Practically, it will have no impact on this edition, but in recent years it has been a meaningful prep toward the Preakness Stakes, now five weeks out. Four times in the past 10 runnings, the Lexington winner has hit the board in the Preakness – including last year, when Gosger was a fine second to Journalism. Derby points are available in the Lexington on a 20-10-6-4-2 scale to the first five finishers. Confessional comes in with 15 points, Exhibition Only has 10, and two others have a handful. Even a victory will not be enough to get anyone close to making the projected Derby field, unless there is a staggering rate of attrition in the coming weeks. With three slots expected to be occupied by runners who qualified via international prep paths, the cutoff to make the field currently sits at 50 points, where several are tied. :: DRF Kentucky Derby Package: Save on Past Performances, Clocker Reports, Betting Strategies, and more. In the Lexington, Confessional and Corona de Oro are the only two who have previously raced at Keeneland. Confessional won his debut going seven furlongs here last October, a race in which Corona de Oro was third. Confessional has continued to face strong company for Brad Cox. He went on to finish second to subsequent graded stakes winner Nearly in an allowance going seven furlongs, then was seventh when stretching out in a strong edition of the Sam F. Davis, won by potential Derby favorite Renegade, with The Puma in third. Confessional most recently finished third in the Virginia Derby, missing second by a neck while well-beaten by Incredibolt. On the Virginia Derby card, Cox also sent out a potential rising star in Ezum, who in his second start rolled on the lead to win a one-mile maiden race by 19 1/2 lengths. He posted an 87 Beyer Speed Figure, which matches up well as he leaps into stakes company in the Lexington, where he will be a pace factor. Enforced Agenda, like Ezum, has made only two starts. “You just have to get over there and get more experience and see,” said Enforced Agenda’s trainer, George Weaver. “But he’s acting like he’s pretty talented.” Enforced Agenda has made both his starts going a one-turn mile at Aqueduct. He won his debut in a race in which Ottinho finished third. Ottinho came back to be second in last weekend’s Blue Grass. Enforced Agenda was third in the Jerome on Jan. 3 after ducking in at the break and getting off slow. “He showed a little bit of quality in his first couple races, and we definitely think he’s a stakes-quality horse, so we’re willing to give him a shot,” Weaver said. :: Keeneland Spring Meet! Get DRF Past Performances, picks, news, and more. Corona de Oro has taken steps forward this year for Dallas Stewart. In his third career start following a winter freshening, he threw down a 92 Beyer when missing by a neck in a maiden sprint at Fair Grounds. In his next start, he stretched out to 1 1/16 miles and was sent early this time, drawing off to a 4 1/2-length victory over older horses with an 87 Beyer. His rail draw in the Lexington and a recent bullet work suggest similar tactics will be in use Saturday. Corona de Oro’s 92 Beyer is tied for the best figure in this field with The Hell We Did, who posted that number with a 13-length win against older horses at Sunland Park. He ships in to run beyond six furlongs for the first time. Others in this field who have competed in Derby points races are I Did I Did, fourth in the Grade 3 Street Sense to Incredibolt last year and then seventh in the Grade 2 Remsen, and Exhibition Only, who came out of a maiden win to be fourth in the Grade 3 Gotham. Trendsetter is multiple stakes-placed this year, including a third in the Rushaway on Tapeta in his first two-turn attempt. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.