Last chance for Derby points in Lexington Stakes

By: SPORTS NETWORK

Lexington, KY (SportsNetwork.com) - Just two weeks away from the 140th Kentucky Derby and time is running out for 3-year-olds to acquire enough points to gain entry into the opening leg of racing's Triple Crown.

Saturday's $200,000 Lexington Stakes at Keeneland is the last chance to get any points and 11 3-year-olds have been entered for the 1 1/16-mile race. The Lexington offers 17 points with 10 going to the winner.

Trainer Wayne Catalano brings in Solitary Ranger and Poker Player, the top two colts from the John Battaglia Memorial at Turfway Park on March 1. Solitary Ranger will start from post 2 with Florent Geroux riding and Poker Player will break from post 4 with Stewart Elliott getting the mount.

Owned by Susan Moulton, Solitary Ranger won the Arlington-Washington Futurity last September at Arlington Park but four weeks later finished ninth in the Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland. He began 2014 with an allowance win before claiming the Battaglia and most recently was ninth in Turfway's Spiral Stakes.

Solitary Ranger has won three of seven starts for $199,763.

Poker Player, owned by Gary and Mary West, was 10th in the Spiral after his second-place finish in the Battaglia. As a 2-year-old, the colt won the Bourbon Stakes at Keeneland and was eighth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf.

With two wins in six starts Poker Player has banked $170,600.

Here is the field for the Lexington from the rail out: Mr Speaker, Jose Lezcano; Solitary Ranger, Florent Geroux; Dynamic Impact, Alan Garcia; Poker Player, Stewart Elliott; Z Lucky, Jon Court; Divine Oath, Javier Castellano; Ami's Holiday, Robby Albarado; Ride Away, Julien Leparoux; Morning Calm, Joe Rocco Jr.; Supermonic, Joel Rosario and Global Strike, Irad Ortiz Jr.

The Lexington will off with a 5:13 p.m. ET post time.