Expert Pick of the Week: 2024 Lexington Stakes

Apr 12, 2024 John Mucciolo/TwinSpires.com

A nice field of 10 sophomores will go postward at Keeneland on Saturday in the $400,000 Lexington S. (G3). The final Road to the Kentucky Derby challenge series tilt will reward the top five finishers with qualifying points on a 20-10-6-4-2 structure towards the Run for the Roses on May 4.

Godolphin homebred Encino has improved with each lifetime try to date and gets top billing while making his dirt debut on this occasion. By Nyquist, the three-year-old is a neck shy from being unbeaten from a trio lifetime showings and showed some class in a visually impressive victory in the John Battaglia Memorial S. at Turfway Park on March 2. The Brad Cox charge, whose dam is a half-sister to 2007 Kentucky Derby (G1) star Street Sense, is bred to thrive on both the oval and at the distance, and the three useful morning drills on the strip will have him ready to roll on Saturday, as well. Florent Geroux inheriting the ride is a major plus, too.

#12 Encino grabs 20 #KentuckyDerby points in the John Battaglia Memorial S. @turfwaypark for trainer @bradcoxracing with @a_concepcion16 in the saddle! 🌹 @brysoncox23

🎥 #TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/yQqSrFXJ0u

— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) March 3, 2024

Mike Maker’s The Wine Steward endured a strong two-year-old campaign with a pair of stakes tallies, as well as a fine runner-up performance in the Breeders’ Futurity (G1) on the oval in the fall. Bred in New York, the $340,000 son of Vino Rosso has been training forwardly in preparation for his sophomore bow and is well drawn to enjoy a ground-saving voyage throughout with Luis Saez in the stirrups. His affinity for the Keeneland surface is obviously a positive.

Florida import Secret Chat takes a class hike for his second appearance of the season but has flashed good potential from three career races to date. Conditioned by Roderick Rodriguez, the gray son of Union Rags had a good prep for Saturday in a sprint at Gulfstream Park off the layoff and will benefit from having Joel Rosario take the reins. The homebred will never be far back in this encounter.

Potential pacesetter Lucky Jeremy tired late in his synthetic debut in the Jeff Ruby (G3) most recently and rates a chance with a clean break from the outside post. Lookin At Lucky colt, who was third in the Sunland Park Derby (G3) two back, retains the services of pilot Gerardo Corrales.

Expert Pick of the Week

A trifecta with #8 Encino on top of #1 Secret Chat, #2 The Wine Steward, and #10 Lucky Jeremy in the 2024 Lexington Stakes is the Best Bet of the Week.