Elkhorn (Grade 2)- $400.000 Purse
KEE- For Four Year Olds and Upward
One Mile and One Half on the Turf
April 19, 2025

This Friday at KEE, we will see an increased purse for the running of the Elkhorn, up $50.000 from where it had been the last three years. The race is a mile and a half on the turf and has seen some well-known horses pick up its trophy, including Bronze Sabre and a favorite of mine from a long time ago, Ashkalani. Last year’s race was won by House Of Games, for Spankys Barn. That now seven-year-old gelding has not won another stake since, but he’s won his last two and is on good form right now, so maybe he’ll get another stake chance soon. We’ll only have a field of six for this race, but that should not stop it from being an entertaining one. Here’s a look at the field:

1- Drone Strike (D J C Racing Stables, ridden by B Curtis)- Whether or not Drone Strike hits or is a miss is tough to determine. The gelding has been inconsistent, with his last win, the $350.000 Opening Verse close to a year ago being surrounded by subpar outings. Recently, he’s strung three good races in a row, and I particularly like his effort two back in the Grade 3 McKnight Stakes. That’s the last time he went this distance, and he will need to run as well here.

2- In A Love Song (Mb Stables, ridden by F Prat)- It was not until Mb Stables picked him up in private sales from Spinetingling for $80.000 that In A Love Song began getting the chances that he is now. So, you have to disregard the career earnings here and otherwise see how well he ran in free races. With Mb, he has made four starts, with three of them recording triple digit SRF’s at the stake level. He has not won one of them yet, but he has been close.

3- Kidding (High Voltage, ridden by M E Smith)- Since May of last year, Kidding has hit the board in eight straight races, with four of them being wins. Last September, he narrowly missed winning the Grade 1 Hirsch Turf Classic, missing the head bob at the wire with well done, but beat the likes of King Que Niagra and Fanatical Empire. He would not run in the BC, and instead made his way to AQU in early November, where he won the Grade 2 Smith. Has run well this year and comes here out of the Diarmida (Grade 2), where he was third. His strength at longer distances should make him the top choice in this.

4- American Generals (Riggins Racing, ridden by G Corrales)- Another horse that continues to get the job done, with triple digit SRF’s in his last four, and amazingly only finishing out of the top two once in eleven starts with Riggins Racing. Two starts ago, he won the Grade 3 FG Stakes, and last month was second to Electric Blue in the Kilroe Mile. I anticipate him being in the top two again here, but I’m giving Kidding the nod due that one’s experience at the longer distances. American Generals will be able to adapt to stretching out, but he is going into Kidding’s wheelhouse distance.

5- Penal Hockey Party (Maxmillion Farm, ridden by A Jimenez)- Playoff hockey will be starting this weekend, so it would be a good omen for Penal Hockey Party to win the Elkhorn. His track record is incredible, with three straight BC appearances and over $4,000.000 in earnings. But we need to look at where he is right now. Since winning the KY Turf Cup in September, he’s been okay over the last four races, but certainly not something you are going to write home about. Flat last time out in the Kilroe Mile.

6- Bronze Crown (TwinTowersRacing, ridden by Mario Gutierrez)- In three of his last four races, there was very little to be excited about, including a disappointing outing at this distance in the McKnight Stakes. In his next race, he struggled in the Kilroe Mile, but still get this opportunity. He did win the other race in that stretch, going wire to wire in a CD allowance. Still seems like he is waiting to fire off a career best performance, but I find others in here more appealing.

Prediction: 3-4-2-5

— NS

Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES