2023 Lexington Stakes Preview & FREE Picks | Disarm Aims At Needed Kentucky Derby Points To Qualify

Vinny from Real Dynasty Picks previews the 2023 Lexington Stakes (G3) from Keeneland, then gives his top picks & long shots for the final 2023 Kentucky Derby (G1) prep race. The Steve Asmussen-trained Disarm takes aim at earning the extra points he needs in order to qualify for the Kentucky Derby, but is the task too tall for the Louisiana Derby (G2) runner-up? Tell us YOUR thoughts in the Comments section!

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The track press release:

Winchell Thoroughbreds’ Disarm, runner-up in the Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby (G2) in his most recent start, will try to earn a spot in the Kentucky Derby (G1) Presented by Woodford Reserve starting gate when he heads a field of 11 3-year-olds entered Wednesday for Saturday’s 41^st running of the $400,000 Stonestreet Lexington (G3). 

The 1 1/16-mile test will go as the ninth race on Saturday’s 11-race program with a 5:16 p.m. ET post time. First post Saturday is 1 p.m. 

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The Stonestreet Lexington is the final race on the Road to the Kentucky Derby and carries 40 points that will be awarded on a 20-8-6-4-2 basis to the first- through fifth-place finishers. The Derby is limited to the top 20 point earners and invitees that pass the entry box. 

Trained by Steve Asmussen, Disarm has his 40 points from the Louisiana Derby. The current cut is 45 points. 

Owning a record of 4-1-2-1, Disarm will be ridden Saturday by Jose Ortiz and exit post position six. 

Also figuring to draw support is Zedan Racing Stables’ Arabian Lion. 

Arabian Lion, trained by Bob Baffert, will be making his first start since finishing fourth in the Robert B. Lewis (G3) at Santa Anita on Feb. 4. Runner-up in an allowance race here last fall on the Breeders’ Cup undercard, Arabian Lion will be ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. and leave from post position 11. 

The field for the Stonestreet Lexington, with riders and weights from the rail out:

1. Baseline Beater (Corey Lanerie, 118 pounds)
2. Reinvest (Joe Talamo, 118)
3. Demolition Duke (Flavien Prat, 118)
4. Transect (Gerardo Corrales, 118)
5. First Mission (Luis Saez, 118)
6. Disarm (Jose Ortiz, 118)
7. Denington (Brian Hernandez Jr., 118)
8. Empirestrikesfast (Frankie Dettori, 118)
9. Prairie Hawk (John Velazquez, 118)
10. Curly Larry and Mo (Rey Gutierrez, 118)
11. Arabian Lion (Irad Ortiz Jr., 118)