Raising the 'Bar' in the Lexington

Eleven sophomores lined up in Saturday's $325,000 Lexington S. (G2) at Keeneland, many of them hoping to pad their bankrolls with all-important graded earnings to secure a spot in the May 3 Kentucky Derby (G1). The most successful was Padua Stables et al's BEHINDATTHEBAR (Forest Wildcat), who took home the lion's share of the spoils and stamped himself as a contender for the Run for the Roses. It was the conclusion to a golden week for Todd Pletcher sophomores at Keeneland, following Monba (Maria's Mon) and Cowboy Cal's (Giant's Causeway) historic one-two finish in last Saturday's Blue Grass S. (G1).

"We've had a good couple of weeks," the understated trainer said.

In the opening strides, Samba Rooster (Songandaprayer) shot to the front and maintained a clear lead through splits of :22 3/5, :45 1/5 and 1:09 2/5. St. Joe (Trippi) gave chase, followed by Riley Tucker (Harlan's Holiday) and the remainder of the strung-out field. Behindatthebar was at the back of the pack early, but gradually improved his position beneath David Flores at every call. Turning for home, Samba Rooster's pursuers had drawn closer, and Behindatthebar began to make notable progress on the outside.

Riley Tucker put forth the first serious challenge in the stretch, but Samba Rooster dug down along the rail and would not let him by. As Riley Tucker's bid stalled, Behindatthebar came with a rush, engulfing them both and driving one length clear. The bay colt completed 1 1/16 miles on the Polytrack in 1:42 to earn his first career stakes victory, and boost his profile as a prospect for the classics. Behindatthebar returned $13.60, $7.60 and $5.20 as the nearly 6-1 fifth choice.

"I love it when I see those quick, quick fractions on the lead," Flores said. "I was just on cruise control with this horse, and he set the gear up on his own at the five-eighths, and I just tried to relax on him. Then in the turn, he just went into a different stride. When he passed those horses, he wanted to lug in and stay with the horses, but I just kind of let him gallop out. Doesn't look like the distance is going to be a problem."

"We were impressed by this horse obviously not only today, but by the way he ran in California," Pletcher said, referring to smashing maiden and allowance tallies at Santa Anita. "David's been really high on him. Of course, we were concerned about coming back in 16 days (since his last race), but we knew he liked the synthetic surface, so we figured we'd give it a shot."

The 17-1 Samba Rooster held second, paying $17 and $9.20. Riley Tucker crossed the wire another half-length back in third to yield $6.80 at 10-1. The exacta was worth $252, the trifecta totaled $2,454.40, and with 4-1 second choice Racecar Rhapsody (Tale of the Cat) closing belatedly for fourth, the 7-3-10-5 superfecta gave back $13,907.80. Next came Big Glen (Cactus Ridge), nearly 7-2 favorite Tomcito (Street Cry [Ire]), Salute the Sarge (Forest Wildcat), Atoned (Repent), St. Joe, Red Sandy (Yes It's True) and Felon (Stephen Got Even).

While the Lexington added Behindatthebar to the Derby mix, it removed Salute the Sarge. Although he has sufficient graded earnings to get into the field, trainer Eric Guillot admitted that his charge does not want to go the 1 1/4-mile distance.

"The bottom line is he's not a route horse," Guillot said. "Today pretty much proved that. I'll freshen him up and look at the King's Bishop (S. [G1] going seven furlongs at Saratoga on August 23)."

Behindatthebar now sports a mark of 5-3-1-0, and with the $201,500 winner's check, his career earnings stand at $277,100. He boasts $204,500 in graded earnings, which currently puts him in the top 20 in the rankings of prospective Derby starters. After breaking his maiden impressively in his second career start in February, Behindatthebar was purchased privately and turned over to Pletcher. He made his stakes debut next time out in the El Camino Real Derby (G3) at Bay Meadows, his only attempt on the dirt, and wound up fifth as the nearly 3-1 favorite. Behindatthebar rebounded back on a synthetic surface in a Santa Anita allowance last time out.

Bred in Kentucky by Dr. Frank Justice and Meadow Oaks Farm, the winner is the first foal from the Grade 1-placed Rhiana (Runaway Groom). He has a pair of unnamed half-sisters, a two-year-old by Speightstown and a yearling by Smarty Jones. This is the family of multiple Canadian stakes victor Bear Holiday (Harlan's Holiday), a perfect three-for-three as a juvenile last year.