Lexington

Showing Up stamped his ticket to Louisville on Saturday (Michael J. Marten/Horsephotos.com) Lael Stables' SHOWING UP (Strategic Mission) earned a berth in the Kentucky Derby (G1) with a 1 1/4-length victory in Saturday's $325,000 Lexington S. (G2). The Barclay Tagg-trained colt brought an unblemished record and no room for error into his stakes debut, and the 3-2 favorite lived up to his advance billing, rallying from just off the pace to overhaul Like Now (Jules) and Bear Character (Dixie Union) in the stretch. The chestnut colt finished 1 1/16 miles over the fast Keeneland track in 1:46 2/5. After being bumped and forced in at the start, Showing Up was guided to the rail by jockey Cornelio Velasquez and stalked the pace as Like Now and Fast Parade (Delineator) dueled through early splits of :23 1/5 and :46 4/5. He remained in fifth through three-quarters in 1:12 as Gotham S. (G3) winner Like Now shook free of Fast Parade, but Bear Character advanced to challenge the leader and those two moved in tandem through the far turn as Showing Up inched forward along the rail. The eventual winner swung four wide entering the stretch and moved boldly to catch the leaders, quickly passing them after a mile in 1:39. He drifted in a bit through the stretch but easily proved best. "I thought in a perfect scenario the two speed horses would go out and we would be camping on their heels," Tagg said. "(When he wasn't), I thought he wasn't going to run and it was going to be a disaster, but Cornelio (Velasquez) said he had plenty of horse and he was just cruising. He knew more about him than I did. He manages to handle things smoothly and he's an absolute pleasure to train."

Showing Up returned $5, $3.20 and $3, and keyed the $25 exacta with 4-1

second choice Like Now, who gave back $4.40 and $3.60. Bear Character, the

longest shot on the board at 39-1, was a neck back in third at the wire and paid

$9.40. It was three lengths back to Greeley's Legacy (Mr. Greeley) in fourth.

The trifecta totaled $418, and the 2-8-5-10 superfecta $2,417.60. More Than

Regal (More Than Ready), Chin High (Smart Strike), Fast Parade, Hemingway's Key

(Notebook), Special Interest (Stravinsky) and Gone Prospecting (Way West [Fr])

rounded out the order of finish.

Bred in the Bluegrass State by Nellie Cox and Rose Retreat Farm, Showing Up

was purchased for $60,000 last year at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May

two-year-old sale. He's now earned $240,500. After winning his career debut at

Gulfstream Park in mid-February, he then captured a one-mile allowance over the

same track on March 11. Showing Up was scheduled to make his third career start

in the April 9 Wood Memorial (G1), but a foot bruise scrapped those plans. He

overcame that minor setback and everybody now expects him to make his next

appearance at Churchill Downs on May 6.

"He has to be in tip-top condition (to run in the Kentucky Derby); I'm not

going to put him into a tough race," Tagg commented. "Probably good judgment and

good sense would say not to run, but there is only one Kentucky Derby and he's

done everything we've asked of him, so you think you have to give him a chance."

Lael Stables has the opportunity to claim a rare distinction by having two

unbeaten three-year-olds in the Run for the Roses. They'll also be represented

by Florida Derby (G1) hero Barbaro (Dynaformer), who is trained by Michael Matz.

Out of the winning Miss Alethia (T. V. Commercial), Showing Up counts six-time

stakes winner and 2003 Pennsylvania Derby (G3) runner-up Gimmeawink (Elusive

Quality) as a half-brother and has an unnamed yearling half-sister by Proud

Citizen.