Lukas points Market King to Blue Grass, Warrior's Club to Commonwealth

Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas will be active in a pair of stakes next Saturday at Keeneland, with Market King being pointed for the Grade 2, $1 million Blue Grass and Warrior’s Club set to defend his title in the Grade 3, $250,000 Commonwealth.

Lukas said both horses will be ridden by Jon Court.

Lukas and owners Robert Baker and William Mack had been debating the next move for Market King, who finished third behind Omaha Beach and champion Game Winner in the second division of the Grade 2, $750,000 Rebel on March 16 at Oaklawn. The other option had been the Arkansas Derby.

Lukas said Market King will travel Tuesday to Keeneland. The horse earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 83 in the Rebel, in which he contested the pace from his rail post. Earlier in the Oaklawn meet, he won a maiden special weight at 1 1/16 miles on Feb. 9.

Warrior’s Club had a major work for the Commonwealth on Friday morning at Oaklawn. He went five-eighths in a bullet 58.60 seconds, working by himself on a fast track shortly after the start of training. Oaklawn clockers timed the horse galloping out six furlongs in 1:12.60.

Warrior’s Club will enter the Commonwealth off a close second-place finish in a one-mile allowance March 3 at Oaklawn. Court was aboard the horse, who earned a 90 Beyer. Warrior’s Club is owned by the Churchill Downs Racing Club. He has won five races and earned $741,504.