HORSE RACING

Pletcher adds another Derby option

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Winning Cause won the $200,000 Lexington Stakes at Keeneland on Saturday to give trainer Todd Pletcher perhaps another Kentucky Derby qualifier.

Pletcher’s next move is deciding whether the 3-yearold will join top contender Verrazano and several other of the trainer’s horses in the Derby on May 4.

The Derby is limited to 20 horses. Winning Cause is behind Pletcher’s Charming Kitten at 21st after earning 20 points and $120,000 in non-restricted earnings with his victory in the Grade 3 race. He has $137,250 in earnings.

Winning Cause has now won three times over Keeneland’s synthetic surface. Breaking from the No. 1 post with Julien Leparoux aboard, Winning Cause covered 1-1/16 miles in 1:43.93 and paid $15.60, $8.20 and $6.00.

General Election was second and returned $29.60 and $17.80. Pick of the Litter paid $8.20 to show.

No matter how things shake out with WinningCause, Pletcher will be busy at Churchill Downs.

Besides Verrazano, tied with Orb atop the Kentucky Derby standings at 150 points, Pletcher trains fifth-place Overanalyze and No. 6 Revolutionary (110 points each), No. 13 Palace Malice (50) and Charming Kitten. The final field could change with 24 horses having Derby points, leaving the door open for Winning Cause to possibly make the field.

What’s clear is that Winning Cause loves Keeneland, evidenced by another strong run in the first of two Derby wild-card races. The second is next weekend’s Derby Trial at Churchill Downs.

Bumped at the start, Winning Cause moved up to create a four-wide run at the second turn and challenged with a furlong left before pulling away down the stretch to win by a head.

Cerro, another contender, led at the stretch but finished fourth.

ILLINOIS DERBY Favorite Departing wins

CICERO, Ill. - Race favorite Departing came on strong at the head of the stretch to win the Grade III $750,000 Illinois Derby by 3 ¼ lengths Saturday at Hawthorne Race Course.

Ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr., Departing ran 1 1/8 miles race in 1:50.78 on the fast track.

Fordubai edged Siete De Oros by a neck for second place, and Abraham finished fourth.

Trained by Albert M. Stall, Jr., and owned by Claiborne Farm and Adele B. Dilschneider, Departing looms as a possible entrant for the Preakness Stakes, the second leg of the Triple Crown.

CHARLESTOWN CLASSIC Game On Dude holds on

CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. - Game On Dude won the $1.5 million Charles Town Classic, holding off Clubhouse Ride on the final turn for a half-length victory Saturday night at Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races.

Ridden by jockey Mike Smith for trainer Bob Baffert, the 6-year-old Game On Dude tracked the pace set by long-shot Percussion before taking over with a half-mile to go. The winner earned $1 million for a partnership that includes baseball Hall of Famer Joe Torre.

The winning time was 1:52.27. Ron the Greek finished a nose behind Clubhouse Ride in third. Clubhouse Ride has finished second to Game On Dude in three consecutive races.

The winner paid $2.60, $2.20 and $2.20 as the 1-5 favorite.

Percussion was fourth, followed by 2012 Classic winner Caixa Eletronica and Isn’t He Perfect.

Sports, Pages 30 on 04/21/2013

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