A field of ten 3-year-olds has been assembled to contest the $325,000 Lexington (Grade 2) at Keeneland. The race is the final major prep for the Kentucky Derby and the last chance for these sophomores to boost their graded stakes earnings and earn a spot in the starting gate for the 133 rd Kentucky Derby.

Despite the race being just two weeks before the Kentucky Derby, the Lexington has had a fair amount of success in recent years. Trainer D. Wayne Lukas used the race as Charismatic's final tune up before that colt emerged victorious in the 1999 Kentucky Derby. He also won the Lexington in 2002 with Proud Citizen and watched that colt finish second to War Emblem in that year's Derby.

This year's field marks the return of Belgravia, who makes his 3-year-old bow in the race and yet still may have Kentucky Derby aspirations. The Patrick Biancone trainee has not started since finished fourth in the Hollywood Futurity (Grade 1) behind likely Kentucky Derby starters Stormello and Liquidity. The race was the first attempt going a route of ground for the pricey Mr. Greeley colt and Belgravia came charging at the end. Biancone is said to be pleased with the way his colt has been training for the race and has assigned regular rider Julien Leparoux to the stirrups. Belgravia is set to break from the eighth post position and is the tepid 3-1 morning-line favorite.

It should come as no surprise that Todd Pletcher has a leading contender in the race, this of course being a prep race for the Kentucky Derby. Pletcher has entered Soaring By, a promising winner of a first level allowance race at Gulfstream Park in his most recent outing. That race came on the heels of a disastrous showing in the Louisiana Derby (Grade 2) when he broke through the gate prior to the start and went on to finish last in the field of eight. A strong showing in this race could propel Soaring By to the Kentucky Derby and give Todd Pletcher a record six starters in the Run for the Roses; Pletcher is also expected to enter Scat Daddy, Circular Quay, Cowtown Cat, Sam P., and Any Given Saturday in the Kentucky Derby. Soaring By will be piloted in the Lexington by Edgar Prado and will break from post three; he is listed at 7-2 on the morning-line.

Steve Asmussen, trainer of likely Kentucky Derby favorite Curlin, will saddle Forty Grams in the Lexington. Forty Grams established himself as one to watch after a devastating 13-length win over first level allowance foes at the Fair Grounds. He has failed to truly impress since that effort, finishing third in both the Southwest and WinStar Derby. Asmussen has said the Distorted Humor colt is not Derby-bound no matter how he runs in the Lexington. Forty Grams will break from the rail under Garrett Gomez.

Others in the Lexington include Joe Got Even, who comes into the race off a strong second in the Lanes End (Grade 2) behind Hard Spun; Trust Your Luck, a solid second place finisher behind eventual Toyota Blue Grass (Grade 1) winner Dominican in the Rushaway; Sacrifice Bunt, a respectable fourth in the Illinois Derby (Grade 2); Starbase, representing the always threatening D. Wayne Lukas barn; Slew's Tizzy, who clipped heels and lost his rider in the Risen Star (Grade 3); and a pair of lightly raced geldings named Boogiemanball and Moyer's Pond.

The 1 1/16-mile test is listed as the ninth race on the 10-race card and is set to go off at 5:20pm EDT.