Lexitonian pulls upset in Chick Lang
BALTIMORE – Lexitonian pulled off a $36 shocker in the $200,000 Chick Lang Stakes at Pimlico on Saturday but neither trainer Jack Sisterson nor jockey Jose Ortiz seemed all that surprised afterward.
Ortiz, who was riding for Sisterson for the first time, tucked Lexitonian back in the second flight along the rail behind pacesetters Malpais and Gladiator King. He eased him out in the track for the stretch run and was up to win a head decision over Gladiator King at the wire. It was another head back to late-running third-place finisher Admiral Lynch.
“He broke on top and I could have gone to the lead, but Jack told me to get him to relax, so we just sat back early,” Ortiz said.
The Lang, a six-furlong stakes for 3-year-olds, was Ortiz’s third stakes win of the day. Earlier, he won the James W. Murphy on English Bee for trainer Graham Motion and the Searching Stakes on Ickymasho for Roger Attfield.
Both Lexitonian and English Bee were bred and are owned by the Calumet Farm of Brad Kelley.
Lexitonian raced three times at 2 and then was transferred to Sisterson, a former longtime assistant to Doug O’Neill who went out on his own as a trainer in 2018. The Grade 3 Lang was Sisterson’s second stakes win. He sent out Oxy Lady last November to win the Grade 3 Tempted at Aqueduct for Calumet.
Sisterson brought Lexitonian back from a seven-month layoff in a first-level optional-claiming race at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby Day. He finished fifth of 10 and was beaten 4 1/4 lengths.
“I actually think he ran a better race than it looks on paper,” Sisterson said. “He sucked back a bit at the quarter pole, but it was a tough race. He also may have benefited from it.”
Lexitonian is now 2 for 5 in his career.
Malpais and Gladiator King set splits of 22.65 and 44.82 seconds. The final time was 1:09.74, with a final furlong in 12.84.
Preamble, the 8-5 favorite bumped with second choice Pyron at the start, never got involved in the race, and finished last of nine. Pyron ended up fourth, beaten 1 3/4 lengths.
