Trendsetter Wins Lexington Stakes as Sovereignty and Journalism Prepare for Oaklawn Handicap Clash
- 3 days ago
- 1 min read
Trendsetter captured the Grade 3 Lexington Stakes at Keeneland and last year’s Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty is set to renew his rivalry with Journalism in the Oaklawn Handicap, as Chief Wallabee strengthens his position on the 2026 Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard.
Trendsetter tracked the pace to the top of the stretch before driving past The Hell We Did and Corona de Oro to win Saturday’s $398,750 Lexington Stakes (G3) at Keeneland. Sent off at 32-1, the colt was making his first start in a Kentucky Derby qualifying race and earned 20 qualifying points, although none of the runners from the Lexington currently appear positioned to reach the Kentucky Derby (G1) starting gate.
Chief Wallabee has accumulated 50 qualifying points on the 2026 Road to the Kentucky Derby challenge series and currently sits 18th on the leaderboard, placing him in line for a berth in the May 2 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. He began his career with a maiden special weight victory at Gulfstream Park on January 10, winning impressively in his debut.
Last year’s Kentucky Derby champion Sovereignty is scheduled to return in Saturday’s $1.25 million Oaklawn Handicap (G2), where he will meet Journalism in a renewal of their 2025 classics rivalry. Sovereignty has been preparing in workouts at Payson Park and will reunite with regular jockey Junior Alvarado, breaking from post 3 in a six-horse field over 1 1/8 miles at Oaklawn Park.