Divining Rod, Tiznow R J are top draws in Lexington

Divining Rod and Tiz R J will be desperately seeking the Keeneland wire in the Lexington Stakes (Keeneland Photo) The Road to the Kentucky Derby began last September at Churchill Downs with the Iroquois S. (G3), and on Saturday the prep season will conclude with two races, the Arkansas Derby (G1) at Oaklawn Park and the $250,000 Lexington S. (G3) over Keeneland’s main track. The Lexington isn’t worth as many points as the Arkansas Derby or recent preps, which all offered 100-40-20-10 to the top four. The Lexington will only award 10-4-2-1 points, which may not be enough for two Kentucky Derby (G1) hopefuls entered in the Lexington to make the Run for the Roses. Divining Rod (Tapit) and Tiznow R J (Tiznow) are the only Lexington runners with any shot at the Kentucky Derby. The duo are 35th and 37th, respectively, on the Derby leaderboard heading into Saturday’s affair and would need some major defections to get in on the first Saturday in May. Regardless, a win in the 1 1/16-mile Lexington would still be a feather in either colt’s cap as they have yet to break through against stakes rivals. Divining Rod, who drew the rail under new rider Julien Leparoux on Saturday, broke his maiden first out for trainer Arnaud Delacour at Laurel Park before traveling south to winter at Tampa Bay Downs. There, the dark bay sophomore ran second in an allowance/optional claimer, just missed by a neck in the Sam F. Davis S. (G3) and finished third in the Tampa Bay Derby (G2). Those latter two races gave him 10 points toward a starting berth in the Derby, and a win in the Lexington would double that number.

Tiznow R J took three tries to get his first win, with it coming by 13
lengths at Fair Grounds after running third in his previous two starts at
Churchill Downs. The Steve Asmussen trainee then encountered a juggernaut named
International Star (Fusaichi Pegasus) in New Orleans, finishing third behind
that one in the Lecomte S. (G3) and fading to seventh in the Risen Star S. (G2).
The bay colt shipped out of Fair Grounds and was sent west to Sunland Park,
where he was a well-beaten fourth in the Sunland Derby (G3) to bring his total
Derby qualifying points to seven. Regular rider Robby Albarado has the call on
Saturday.

Five other sophomores will line up against Divining Rod and Tiznow R J,
including last-out maiden winners Comfort (Indian Charlie), Fame and Power
(First Defence) and Donworth (Tiznow).

Comfort will be making his first start for new trainer Todd Pletcher after
taking his maiden by 4 1/4 lengths at Fair Grounds for conditioner Pavel
Vashchenko. The bay colt tried turf in his first two starts before finally
switching to the main track, where he romped while going a mile and 70 yards.
Fame and Power will be stretching out in the Lexington following a 4 1/2-length
wire job at Santa Anita Park for Bob Baffert, while Donworth took his maiden
debut at Gulfstream Park for Graham Motion on March 14 by a neck.

Nick Zito will add blinkers to Quimet’s (Birdstone) equipment after the
gelding was well-beaten in his last two against stakes rivals, and Henry Jones
(Temple City) completes the field off an allowance/optional claiming score at
Oaklawn Park for D. Wayne Lukas.

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