Southern Rhythm Wins Lexington : Derby preps: He defeats Soul Of The Matter by 2 1/2 lengths as Gomez scores a weekend 3-year-old stakes double.

The Kentucky Derby gained two and possibly three starters Sunday when Southern Rhythm scored a 2 1/2-length victory over favored Soul Of The Matter in the $137,250 Lexington Stakes at Keeneland.

Although he finished third, 7 1/2 lengths behind Southern Rhythm, Ulises might also run in the Derby at Churchill Downs on May 7. Ulises, undefeated in four races in Panama, was running in the United States and beyond six furlongs for the first time.

Southern Rhythm capped a lucrative weekend for Garrett Gomez, who rode the Lexington winner after winning the $500,000 Arkansas Derby aboard Concern, a 20-1 shot, at Oaklawn Park on Saturday.

Gomez and his agent drove 12 hours to reach Keeneland. Gomez, who never has ridden in a Derby, isn’t faced with a choice at Churchill Downs because Richard Small, Concern’s trainer, said that his colt will skip the Derby to run in the Preakness on May 21.

Gomez, who had never ridden Concern, picked up the mount on the colt Saturday after Aaron Gryder was injured while jogging.

At Santa Anita Sunday, trainer Jack Van Berg said Blumin Affair, the second-place finisher in Arkansas, will run in the Derby.

Tim Yakteen, who is supervising Charlie Whittingham’s operation at Santa Anita while the head trainer is back in Kentucky with Strodes Creek and Numerous, said Numerous is scheduled to run in the Derby Trial at Churchill Downs next Saturday.

Gary Jones, who trains undefeated Lakeway, said Sunday that the 3-year-old filly probably will run in the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill on May 6 rather than battle males in the Derby.

“You’d hate to go to the Derby on someone else’s bad luck, but that’s what it would take,” Jones said. “A few horses would have to get hurt for us to run in the Derby.”

The Derby favorite, Holy Bull, had his first workout Sunday since winning the Blue Grass Stakes and went five furlongs in 1:02 1/5.

Ulises led the 1 1/16-mile Lexington for three-quarters of a mile before Southern Rhythm, a son of Dixieland Band, made his winning move on the far turn. Coming out of the turn, Southern Rhythm took the lead while bumping Soul Of The Matter and won in 1:39 2/5, paying $9.60.

Soul Of The Matter made his first start since winning the San Felipe Stakes on March 20. A skin infection forced trainer Richard Mandella to scratch him from the Santa Anita Derby.

“He swallowed a lot of dirt today,” Mandella said after the Lexington. “He got tired, but this is a tiring track.”