LEXINGTON, Ky. – There will be no Kentucky Derby for whoever wins the Lexington Stakes. The Preakness, maybe, or at least that’s the way history has been leaning lately.

Regardless, the Grade 3, $200,000 Lexington carries its own measure of import and prestige, and a lineup of 10 3-year-olds in the 1 1/16-mile race Saturday at Keeneland comes about as well matched as can be. More than half the field can claim a realistic chance at victory, which comes with 10 Derby eligibility points that surely will go unused.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Last year’s juvenile male champion, Classic Empire, will break from post 2 in a field of 12 for the Grade 1, $1 million Arkansas Derby on Saturday. The race was drawn Wednesday and picked up a few new faces following the Monday defection of One Liner.

Classic Empire was scheduled to arrive on the Oaklawn backstretch later Wednesday following a flight from south Florida.

The connections of Classic Empire have walked a tightrope all spring trying to get the colt to the Kentucky Derby, and now they’ve got one major hurdle to clear – having Classic Empire earn sufficient points and run well enough in the Grade 1, $1 million Arkansas Derby on Saturday to merit a Kentucky Derby start three weeks later.

WHO’S HOT

Irap

Tiznow-Silken Cat, by Storm Cat

(Bred in Kentucky by Aaron and Marie Jones; $300,000 purchase by Dennis O’Neill at 2016 OBS March sale of 2-year-olds in training)

Tiznow is the most prominent stallion continuing the Man o’ War line at stud, tracing his male line directly back to the great racehorse. This year, which marks the centennial anniversary of Man o’ War’s birth, Tiznow will represent the line in the Kentucky Derby with Irap.

Grade 1, $1,002,415 Santa Anita Derby; 1 1/8 miles; Santa Anita; April 8, 2017
(100 Derby qualifying points for a win, 40 for second, 20 for third, 10 for fourth)

Winner: Gormley, by Malibu Moon
Trainer: John Shirreffs
Jockey: Victor Espinoza
Owner: Jerry and Ann Moss
Beyer Speed Figure: 88

Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial, 1 1/8 miles, Aqueduct, April 8, 2017
(100 Derby qualifying points for a win, 40 for second, 20 for third, 10 for fourth)

Winner: Irish War Cry, by Curlin
Trainer: Graham Motion
Jockey: Rajiv Maragh
Owner: Isabelle de Tomaso
Beyer Speed Figure: 101

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Blinkers off worked well for Irap last weekend in the Blue Grass Stakes, and his trainer, Doug O’Neill, hopes the same equipment change will benefit Rockin Rudy when the promising 3-year-old runs Saturday in the Grade 1, $1 million Arkansas Derby.

The race closes out the meet at Oaklawn Park and offers 170 eligibility points for the Kentucky Derby, to be divided among the first four finishers on a scale of 100-40-20-10.

Grade 2, $1 million Blue Grass Stakes; 1 1/8 miles; Keeneland; April 8, 2017
(100 Derby qualifying points for a win, 40 for second, 20 for third, 10 for fourth)

Winner: Irap, by Tiznow
Trainer: Doug O’Neill
Jockey: Julien Leparoux
Owner: Reddam Racing LLC
Beyer Speed Figure: 93

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Not a whole lot was settled by the surprising results of the Blue Grass Stakes on Saturday at Keeneland: The top five finishers in the field of seven all have enough qualifying points and appear likely to run back May 6 in the Kentucky Derby.