Coolmore Lexington Stakes Field Shaping Up

Fox Hill Farm's Rockport Harbor, trained by John Servis, looms as the likely favorite for Saturday's $325,000 Coolmore Lexington (gr. II) at Keeneland Race Course. The son of Unbridled's Song boasts a win in the grade II Remsen Stakes last year, and was second in the March 19 Rebel Stakes (gr. III) at Oaklawn Park in his only start this year.

Bred in Kentucky by the partnership of Heiligbrodt Racing Stable and Taylor Made Farm, the colt was a $470,000 Keeneland September yearling in 2003, and quickly lived up to that billing winning his first four starts.

Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas has two possible entrants: the Allen E. Paulson Living Trust's homebred Skye'n Thunder, and the Bob and Beverly Lewis-owned Going Wild. Lukas, who won the 1999, 2002, and 2003 contests with Charismatic, Proud Citizen, and Scrimshaw respectively (Charismatic and Scrimshaw for the Lewises), knows how to use the race as well as any as a prelude to a run for the roses.

Skye'n Thunder, by Thunder Gulch out of the Theatrical mare Apolda, didn't run at two and has yet to face stakes runners in three starts as a sophomore. A bullet work at Keeneland (5F, Fast, 1:00.00, H, 1/17) Monday shows the West Coast shipper has an affinity for the surface.

Going Wild, by Golden Missile, was bred in Kentucky by the partnership of John O'Meara, Charlie Goldberg, and Richard Rosee. A winner of the San Miguel and Sham Stakes at Santa Anita, and runner-up in the Santa Catalina Stakes (gr. III) over that track, this California-based colt has been training well for Lukas at Churchill Downs in preparation for the race.

The $600,000 Fasig-Tipton Florida Select 2-year-old in training sales graduate has earned over a third of that back for the Lewises with $219,920 to his credit.

Stonerside Stable and Preferred Pals Stable's Sort It Out, by Out of Place and from the Bob Baffert stable, is also considered as probable. Bred in New York by the Thomas/Lakin partnership, Sort It Out scored big in the Whirlaway Stakes at Aqueduct in February.

Overbrook Farm homebred Storm Surge, by Storm Cat, conditioned by Dallas Stewart, and victorious in the Lecomte Stakes (gr. III) at Fair Grounds is also considered as probable.