By: Joel Cunningham
Coin Silver overcame a slow start to turn in an impressive rally and capture the $325,000 Grade II Lexington Stakes Saturday afternoon at Keeneland.
Ridden by Javier Castellano, Coin Silver was bumped and shuffled back from the start, as Actxecutive and Going Wild took the field down the backstretch through a crisp half-mile in 46.50. Coin Silver, who was dismissed at odds of 13-1, ranged up on the far turn and overhauled the tiring pacesetters, drawing away in the stretch to splash home a 3 1/2-length winner.
Sort It Out closed from last to gain the place spot, another 3 1/2-lengths ahead of Storm Surge. The final time for a mile-and-a-sixteenth was 1:45.76 over a main track listed as sloppy due to daylong rains.
"Anytime a horse comes around this time of year, you've got to love it," said trainer Todd Pletcher, who also won the Grade I Toyota Blue Grass Stakes last weekend at Keeneland with Bandini. "If he comes out of it well, we'll see if he can bounce back in two weeks."
Owned by Peachtree Stable, the son of Anees earned $201,500 for the victory in his stakes debut.
Rockport Harbor, the 3-5 favorite in the field of seven, was in striking range throughout while racing wide, but failed to respond at the head of the lane and faded to a well-beaten sixth.
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