Jeffrey Amling and Merriebelle Stable's Utah Beach will attempt April 18 to become the fourth horse in Keeneland history to win consecutive editions of the $400,000 Elkhorn Stakes (G2T), a 1 1/2-mile test on the turf.
Utah Beach is a 6-year-old son of 2007 Eclipse champion turf male and four-time leading North American turf sire English Channel. He has won or placed 10 times out of 16 career starts on the turf and has two wins to his credit at Keeneland.
Last year, Utah Beach won the Elkhorn by a head over Limited Liability and went on to win the Louisville Stakes (G3T) at Churchill Downs. Both races are run at 1 1/2 miles.
This year's Elkhorn will be his second start for the 2026 season, coming off a ninth-place finish in the March 21 Kentucky Cup Classic Stakes (G3) on Turfway Park's all-weather surface. The race at Turfway was the horse's first with trainer Brendan Walsh. He was previously conditioned by Ignacio Correas IV.
Utah Beach will be ridden by Ben Curtis and break from post 3.
Previous horses to win consecutive editions of the Elkhorn include Musketier in 2010-11, Kim Loves Bucky (2002-03), and African Dancer (1998-99).
Also in the oversubscribed Elkhorn field is grade 1 winner Burnham Square who has made a career change onto the turf as of last August when he ran second in the Nashville Derby Invitational Stakes (G3T) at Kentucky Downs and launched his 2026 campaign with a second on the grass in an allowance optional claiming race at Gulfstream Park.
Burnham Square is a homebred for Whitham Thoroughbreds and trained by Ian Wilkes. The 4-year-old son of Liam's Map won the 2025 Blue Grass Stakes (G1) at Keeneland before running sixth in the Kentucky Derby (G1). In the Elkhorn, he will be ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr., who was aboard for the Nashville Derby. They will break from post 6.
The three highweights in the field carrying 120 pounds (versus 118 pounds for the others) are grade 1-placed, grade 2 winner Grand Sonata, grade 2 winner Desvio, and three-time graded stakes winner Truly Quality.
Whisper Hill Farm's homebred Grand Sonata, by Medaglia d'Oro, was runner-up in last year's Arlington Million Stakes (G1T) and comes into the Elkhorn off a win in the 1 3/8-mile Mac Diarmida Stakes (G2T) at Gulfstream Park. He is trained by Todd Pletcher and will be ridden by Tyler Gaffalione.
Stonelea Stables and Bonnie Rye Stable's Desvio will be making his 2026 debut in the Elkhorn. Last October, the 5-year-old son of Yoshida won the 1 1/2-mile Sycamore Stakes (G2T) at Keeneland and then ended 2025 with a third in the 1 3/8-mile Red Smith Stakes (G2T). He is trained by Madison Meyers and will be ridden by John Velazquez.
Truly Quality returns from the West Coast where he ran third Feb. 14 in the San Marcos Stakes (G3T) and was a closing fourth in the San Luis Rey Stakes (G3T) at 1 1/2 miles, both races at Santa Anita Park. The 6-year-old son of Quality Road is trained by Jonathan Thomas who will put the blinkers back on for the Elkhorn. Truly Quality will be ridden by Luan Machado.
Keeneland, Saturday, April 18, 2026, Race 10Entries: VisitLEX Elkhorn S. (G2T)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Padiddle (KY) Jose E. Morelos 118 Elizabeth L. Dobles 15/1 2 2Desvio (KY) John R. Velazquez 120 Madison F. Meyers 8/1 3 3Utah Beach (KY) Ben Curtis 118 Brendan P. Walsh 8/1 4 4Grand Sonata (KY) Tyler Gaffalione 120 Todd A. Pletcher 6/1 5 5Fleetfoot (IRE) Danny Sheehy 118 Barry Foley 12/1 6 6Burnham Square (KY) Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr. 118 Ian R. Wilkes 4/1 7 7Truly Quality (KY) Luan Machado 120 Jonathan Thomas 5/1 8 8Tawny Port (KY) Joel Rosario 118 Miguel Clement 9/2 9 9Navy Seal (IRE) Gerardo Corrales 118 Wesley A. Ward 15/1 10 10Presider (KY) Axel Concepcion 118 Joe Sharp 20/1 11 11Freedom's Way (KY) Luis Saez 118 Eddie Kenneally 20/1 12 12Anegada (KY) Flavien Prat 118 Michael J. Maker 15/1 13 13Dancin in Da'nile (ON) Mario Gutierrez 118 Gail Cox 10/1
