Lexington is the time for Showing Up, Like Now

Like Now (orange hat) earned his first stakes win in the Fred "Cappy" Capossela (Uli Seit/Horsephotos.com)

Saturday's $325,000 Lexington S. (G2) is one of the the final opportunities for

three-year-olds to garner enough graded earnings to make the Kentucky Derby (G1)

field, and LIKE NOW (Jules) and SHOWING UP (Strategic

Mission) highlight a group of 10 in the 1 1/16-mile event. Like Now, who

currently sits 20th on the graded earnings list, defeated the likes of Sweetnorthernsaint (Sweetsouthernsaint) and Keyed Entry (Honour and Glory) when

capturing the 8 1/2-furlong Gotham S. (G3) by a neck last out in wire-to-wire

fashion, his first start at a route. The Kiaran McLaughlin trainee can be

counted on to show speed again in the Lexington. Showing Up is unbeaten from two

career outings, easily winning a maiden special weight and allowance at

Gulfstream this year, and he needs to finish first in his stakes bow to run in

the main event at Churchill Downs on May 6. Barclay Tagg trains the promising

colt for Lael Stables, who already has the unbeaten Barbaro (Dynaformer) heading

to the Kentucky Derby.

Other contenders include GREELEY'S LEGACY (Mr. Greeley), who finished a close

fourth in the Gotham; stakes winner MORE THAN REGAL (More Than Ready); the Nick

Zito-trained HEMINGWAY'S KEY (Notebook), who has squared off against graded

rivals in all three starts this year; Canadian stakes victor BEAR CHARACTER

(Dixie Union), who exits a third in the Rushaway S. at Turfway; and FAST PARADE

(Delineator), who stretches out in distance off a victory in the 6 1/2-furlong

Baldwin S. at Santa Anita.