The Road to the Kentucky Derby ends on Saturday, April 12, with the Lexington Stakes at Keeneland Race Course.
The 1 1/16th-mile event drew a field of nine, and although none of the entrants are likely to impact the Kentucky Derby odds and make the starting gate for the "Run for the Roses," these runners could still have their day on the Triple Crown trail.
My free betting picks will try to extract the most betting value possible by keying Bullard in the Lexington Stakes.
Lexington Stakes odds, prediction and best bet
- Race: Keeneland Race 9
- Post time: 5:16 p.m. ET
- TV: FanDuel TV
| Post | Horse | Track odds |  |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hard as Life | 30-1 | +3000 | +5000 |
| 2 | Bracket Buster | 20-1 | +2000 | +3300 |
| 3 | Bullard | 9-2 | +450 | +600 |
| 4 | Rolando | 6-1 | +600 | +1100 |
| 5 | Native Runner | 15-1 | +1500 | +1200 |
| 6 | Gosger | 7-2 | +350 | +400 |
| 7 | Praetor | 2-1 | +200 | +200 |
| 8 | Hypnus | 6-1 | +600 | +400 |
| 9 | Touchy | 8-1 | +800 | +800 |
Odds as of 4-11.
No. 3 Bullard (9-2) started his career 2-for-2, taking a maiden race over a next-out winner before scoring in the Grade III Bob Hope Stakes over Madaket Road. That colt has put together some quality efforts on the Kentucky Derby trail, including a runner-up result in the Grade II Rebel Stakes.
Bullard stumbled in his most recent effort in the Grade II San Vicente Stakes, losing by six lengths to Barnes, who could turn out to be a force to be reckoned with in the sprint division despite his disappointing route efforts. Laid up since that January start, this son of Gun Runner is training forwardly for his first try around two turns, and regular pilot Umberto Rispoli ships in for the assignment.
Another thing to like about Bullard is he does his best running from off the pace, and the tempo should be quick enough for him to close into with No. 6 Gosger (7-2) and No. 7 Praetor (2-1, morning-line favorite) expected to be a part of it.
Gosger has the fastest last-out speed figure in the field, earned over maidens at Gulfstream Park going one mile. The level of competition is suspect following the second-place finisher's flop here earlier in the week, but the recent workouts are sharp, and Irad Ortiz Jr. picks up the mount.
Praetor graduated from the maiden ranks back in September by a diminishing neck over one of the Kentucky Derby favorites in Sovereignty.
Idle until last month, Praetor dominated an overmatched allowance group at the Fair Grounds in his return to the races. He'll pair starts together off some sharp AM works for Chad Brown, who names Flavien Prat to ride.
Best bet: $10 exacta 3/6,7 ($20)
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Road to the Kentucky Derby
| Race | Date | Track | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breeders’ Cup Juvenile | November 1, 2024 | Del Mar | Citizen Bull |
| Smarty Jones Stakes | January 4, 2025 | Oaklawn Park | Coal Battle |
| Jerome Stakes | January 4 | Aqueduct | Cyclone State |
| Lecomte Stakes | January 18 | Fair Grounds | Disco Time |
| Southwest Stakes | January 25 | Oaklawn Park | Speed King |
| Withers Stakes | February 1 | Aqueduct | Captain Cook |
| Holy Bull Stakes | February 1 | Gulfstream Park | Burnham Square |
| Robert B. Lewis Stakes | February 1 | Santa Anita Park | Citizen Bull |
| Sam F. Davis Stakes | February 8 | Tampa Bay Downs | John Hancock |
| Risen Star Stakes | February 15 | Fair Grounds | Magnitude |
| Sunland Derby | February 16 | Sunland Park | Getaway Car |
| John Battaglia Memorial | February 22 | Turfway Park | California Burrito |
| Rebel Stakes | February 23 | Oaklawn Park | Coal Battle |
| Fountain of Youth Stakes | March 1 | Gulfstream Park | Sovereignty |
| San Felipe Stakes | March 1 | Santa Anita Park | Journalism |
| Gotham Stakes | March 1 | Aqueduct | Flood Zone |
| Tampa Bay Derby | March 8 | Tampa Bay Downs | Owen Almighty |
| Virginia Derby | March 15 | Colonial Downs | American Promise |
| Louisiana Derby | March 22 | Fair Grounds | Tiztastic |
| Jeff Ruby Steaks | March 22 | Turfway Park | Final Gambit |
| Arkansas Derby | March 29 | Oaklawn Park | Sandman |
| Florida Derby | March 29 | Gulfstream Park | Tappan Street |
| UAE Derby | April 5 | Meydan (Dubai) | Admire Daytona |
| Santa Anita Derby | April 5 | Santa Anita Park | Journalism |
| Wood Memorial | April 5 | Aqueduct | Rodriguez |
| Blue Grass Stakes | April 8 | Keeneland | Burnham Square |
| Lexington Stakes | April 12 | Keeneland | TBD |
| Kentucky Derby | May 4 | Churchill Downs | TBD |
