Kentucky Derby Prep: Lexington Stakes 2023 Preview, Odds, and Pick (Apr 15)
- Keeneland hosts the final leg of the Road to the Kentucky Derby
- Winning runner will be awarded 20 points
The long Road to the Kentucky Derby finally comes to a close this weekend, as the final official prep race is staged at Keeneland. The Lexington Stakes 2023 will offer one final opportunity for runners to secure a berth in the opening race of the Triple Crown, and eleven runners are set to go to post.
Schedule and How To Watch
- When: Saturday, April 13, 2023, at 5:16 p.m ET
- Where: Keeneland, Lexington
- Distance: 1 1/16 miles
- Grade: Grade 3
- Kentucky Derby Qualifying Points: 20-8-6-4-2
- How To Watch: FanDuel TV
Lexington Stakes 2023 Odds
| Horse | Odds |
|---|---|
| Disarm | +300 |
| First Mission | +350 |
| Empirestrikesback | +350 |
| Arabian Lion | +500 |
| Demolition Duke | +600 |
| Reinvest | +1500 |
| Baseline Beater | +2000 |
| Transect | +2000 |
| Denington | +2000 |
| Prairie Hawk | +2000 |
| Curly Larry and Mo | +2000 |
Latest odds taken from offshore site. Check back to see the latest Vegas Odds at a later date.
Race Preview
The final official prep on the Road to the Kentucky Derby is staged at Keeneland this weekend, as a field of eleven runners looks for the final 20 qualifying points. However, the one runner that can solidify his claims in the Kentucky Derby this weekend is Disarm.
The moneyline favorite picked up 40 points when finishing second in the Louisiana Derby. Disarm, for trainer Steve Asmussen, closed extremely well from near the back of the field to take second, and it may be hard to overlook his clear credentials in this field.
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First Mission could be his leading rival this weekend. The Brad Cox runner will be lining up for just the third time this weekend, and his previous run was extremely encouraging as he won by over seven lengths in a field of ten runners over two turns.
Empirestrikesback will be a shorter price this weekend than he was on debut when winning over 1 1/16 miles. He could be a very interesting underneath contender. Arabian Lion is also among the contenders, but the Bob Baffert-trained runner isnāt eligible for points this weekend. Iād be very keen to avoid him after three recent disappointing efforts.
Lexington Stakes 2023 Picks
Disarm is a top choice as a winner bet this weekend, while First Mission and Empirestrikesback will be interesting horses underneath. As a long-shot, Prairie Hawk could outrun his odds after finishing fourth, ahead of subsequent Wood Memorial winner Lord Miles, in the G2 Tampa Bay Derby.
Lexington Stakes Picks:
- Exacta Box: (5) First Mission/ (6) Disarm/ (8) Empirestrikesback/ (9) Prairie Hawk
