Red Knight Tops Field of 10 for Saturday’s Elkhorn

LEXINGTON, KY – Trinity Farm’s homebred Red Knight, winner of last fall’s Sycamore (G3) here, headlines a field of 10 turf marathoners entered Wednesday for Saturday’s 36th running of the $200,000 Elkhorn (G2) going 1 1/2 miles on the grass.

The Elkhorn will go as the ninth race on Saturday afternoon’s 10-race program with a 5:30 PM post time. First post Saturday is 1:05 PM.

Trained by Bill Mott, who is seeking his third Elkhorn victory, Red Knight will be making his 2021 debut Saturday after closing 2020 with a narrow loss to Elkhorn rival North Dakota in the Red Smith (G3) at Aqueduct. Red Knight finished second in the 2019 Elkhorn in his only other Keeneland start.

James Graham, who was aboard for the Sycamore victory, will have the mount Saturday and break from post 10.

Joseph Allen’s North Dakota, fourth to Red Knight in last year’s Sycamore, will be making his first start since finishing 10^th in the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1) in January in which he was beaten only 4 1/4 lengths.

Trained by Shug McGaughey, North Dakota will be ridden by John Velazquez and break from post seven. McGaughey has three wins in the stakes, including 1994 with Hall of Famer Lure when the race was 1 1/8 miles.

The field for the Elkhorn, with riders and weights from the rail out:

1. Cross Border (Tyler Gaffalione, 120 pounds)
2. Say the Word (Luis Saez, 123)
3. Crafty Daddy (Brian Hernandez Jr., 118)
4. Epic Bromance (Chris Landeros, 118)
5. Monarchs Glen (Joel Rosario, 118)
6. Tide of the Sea (Gerardo Corrales, 118)
7. North Dakota (Velazquez, 118)
8. Fantasioso (Rafael Bejarano, 118)
9. Channel Cat (Corey Lanerie, 118)
10. Red Knight (Graham, 118).