LEXINGTON, Ky. — Thoroughbred racing is a tough sport.  And Sunday’s Derby prep was no different.

After sustaining an injury in training Sunday morning, No More Time is out of the Derby field.  He was 19th in the point standings; the top 20 will run in the Kentucky Derby.

That means Saturday’s winner of the Grade 3 Lexington Stakes has moved into the starting gate.  That’d be Encino, trained by Brad Cox, who won the 2021 Kentucky Derby with Mandaloun after a disqualification.

In a previous article, I wrote about Encino’s spot in the Derby points standings if he won the Lexington: “If Encino wins, he moves to the top of the Also Eligible list, and likely draws into the field.”

If your feet are cold, it’s because I was right: He’s in.  No More Time’s defection opens a starting gate spot and that slides — for the time being — to Encino.  Trainer Brad Cox has yet to comment on the opening; it takes a little while to fully know if a horse came out of a race well or not.  We’re in that holding pattern as we speak.

Encino didn’t, however, follow what seemed to be his path to victory.  Instead of stalking and making a later move, he got out front and was able to stay out front.  Jockey Florent Geroux made his move as close to the rail as possible — easily the best spot for speed that day.

Here are the Derby 150 points standings, as they stand today.  Later this week we’ll preview stakes at Santa Anita, Keeneland, and the final Preakness Prep — the Federico Tesio — at Laurel Park in Maryland.

1. Sierra Leone.  Trainer: Chad Brown.  Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione.  155 points.
2. Fierceness.  Trainer: Todd Pletcher.  Jockey: John Velazquez.  136 points.
3. Catching Freedom.  Trainer: Brad Cox.  Jockey: Flavien Prat.  125 points.
4. Stronghold.  Trainer: Phil D’Amato.  Jockey: Antonio Fresu.  125 points.
5. Resilience.  Trainer: Bill Mott.  Jockey: John Velazquez.  110 points.
6. Forever Young.  Trainer: Yoshito Yahagi.  Jockey: Ryusei Sakai.  100 points.
7. Endlessly.  Trainer: Mike McCarthy.  Jockey: Umberto Rispoli.  100 points.
8. Dornoch.  Trainer: Danny Gargan.  Jockey: Luis Saez.  75 points.
9. Just a Touch.  Trainer: Brad Cox.  Jockey: Florent Geroux.  75 points.
10. Track Phantom.  Trainer: Steve Asmussen.  Jockey: Joel Rosario.  70 points.
11. West Saratoga.  Trainer: Larry Demeritte.  Jockey: Jesús Castanon.  67 points.
12. Just Steel.  Trainer: D. Wayne Lukas.  Jockey: Keith Asmussen.  65 points.
13. Honor Marie.  Trainer: Whit Beckman.  Jockey: Ben Curtis.  65 points.
14. Domestic Product.  Trainer: Chad Brown.  Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione.  60 points.
15. Catalytic.  Trainer: Saffie Joseph, Jr.  Jockey: Julien Leparoux.  50 points.
16. Deterministic.  Trainer: Christophe Clement.  Jockey: Joel Rosario.  50 points.
17. Society Man.  Trainer: Danny Gargan.  Jockey: Luis Rivera.  50 points. 
18. Mystik Dan.  Trainer: Kenny McPeek.  Jockey: Brian Hernandez, Jr.  46 points.
19. Encino.  Trainer: Brad Cox.  Jockey: Florent Geroux.  40 points.
20. T O Password.  Trainer: Daisuke Takayanagi.  Jockey: Katsuma Sameshima. 40pts.

ALSO ELIGIBLES 

21. Grand Mo the First.  Trainer: Victor Barboza, Jr.  Jockey: Emisael Jaramillo. 40pts.
22. Common Defense.  Trainer: Kenny McPeek.  Brain Hernandez, Jr.  37 points.
23. Epic Ride.  Trainer: John Ennis.  Jockey: Adam Beschizza.  35 points.
24. Hades.  Trainer: Joe Orseno.  Jockey: Jose Ortiz.  30 points.