Advice put himself in the Kentucky Derby (G1) picture Saturday at Keeneland with a come-from-behind victory in the $300,000, Grade 2 Lexington Stakes, the last major steppingstone to the Run for the Roses.

 

Still last with a half-mile remaining in the 1 1/16-mile race, he rallied between horses on the turn under Garrett Gomez and caught heavily favored Square Eddie in the final sixteenth for the one-length win. The final time on the fast Polytrack was 1:43.33.

 

Advice gives WinStar Farm three contenders for the Derby to be run on May 2 at Churchill Downs.  WinStar’s Hold Me Back finished second to General Quarters in last week’s Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G1) at Keeneland, earning a start in the Derby.  WinStar’s Mr. Hot Stuff finished third in the Santa Anita Derby (G1).

 

Todd Pletcher trains Advice, whose previous best effort was a third-place finish in the Arlington-Washington Futurity in September, a race in which he was disqualified from second.  Bill Mott conditions Hold Me Back. Eoin Harty trains Mr. Hot Stuff.

 

Pletcher trained the winner of the Coolmore for the third time in five years.  He also sent out Coin Silver to win in 2005 and Behindatthebar last year.  Pletcher, who was in Florida, said that Advice is “still kind of putting it all together.  I thought he was still just a touch green when he made the lead.  He’s a horse that’s shown a lot of ability.”

 

Square Eddie, heavily favored despite being sidelined since February  with an injury to the left front shin, lost valuable ground when he broke in the air at the start.  Kept near the back of the 11-horse field by jockey Edgar Prado, he made a powerful run on the turn to take a 1 ½-length lead at the top of the stretch but tired to finish third.

 

  “We just didn’t get lucky today,” said Prado.  “He broke a little flat footed and I had to make a move and go wide because I didn’t want to wait for something to open up on the inside.  He made a great run and was trying really hard.  He gave a 110 percent today.”

 

Trainer Doug O’Neil said it was likely that Paul Reddam’s Square Eddie would go on to the Derby.  “I have to talk to the Reddams.  I haven’t had a chance to speak to Paul yet, but I’m very proud of the effort.  With a clean break, I think he’d be right there.”

 

Conservative, who was bumped by Advice at the top of the stretch, finished second, a length in front of Square Eddie.  It was another three-quarters of a length back to Masala in the field of 11 3-year-olds--all of them nominated to the Triple Crown.

 

Eibar Coa, the jockey aboard Masala, claimed foul against Square Eddie and Prado but it was disallowed by the stewards.  Pitched Perfectly, the early leader, finished fifth followed, in order, by Jeranimo, Brave Victory, Parade Clown, Omniscient, El Crespo and His Greatness.

           

Advice came into the Coolmore Lexington off a fifth-place finish in the 1 1/8-mile Sunland Park Derby on March 29.  Saturday’s win improved his record to two wins in six starts and increased his career earnings to $261,885.

 

“I talked to Todd this morning,” said Gomez.  “He (Advice) had some antics; at one time he lugged in, at one time he lugged out.  We were just trying to push all the right buttons and see if we could get him to run straight, and he did so willingly today.”

 

Gomez also rides Derby contenders Dunkirk and Pioneerof the Nile.  “Just throw another log on the fire,” said Gomez.  “It gives you a little more to think about.  It’s good to be in that position.”

 

After extricating herself from traffic problems in midstretch, Diamondrella (GB) rallied down the middle of the course under Rajiv Maragh to win the $100,000 Giant’s Causeway Stakes, the supporting feature on Saturday.

 

The 5-year-old daughter of Rock of Gibraltar (IRE) caught Marina Ballerina with less than a sixteenth of a mile remaining in the 5 ½-furlong turf sprint and won by a length.

 

Marina Ballerina held on to be second, 1 ¾ lengths in front of third-place Lady Chace.  It was another length back to fourth-place Classify in the field of 12 fillies and mares.

 

Diamondrella ran the distance in 1:02.71 on the firm turf and paid $8.80.  She won her fifth race in a row, her sixth in 14 career starts and earned $62,000 for Morton Topfer’s Castletop Stable.  She is trained by Angel Penna Jr.