The Elkhorn Stakes is a
Grade II
In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...
American
Thoroughbred horse race
Thoroughbred racing is a sport and industry involving the racing of Thoroughbred horses. It is governed by different national bodies. There are two forms of the sport – flat racing and jump racing, the latter known as National Hunt racing in ...
for four-year-olds and older over a distance of miles on the
turf
Sod, also known as turf, is the upper layer of soil with the grass growing on it that is often harvested into rolls.
In Australian and British English, sod is more commonly known as ''turf'', and the word "sod" is limited mainly to agricultu ...
held annually in early April at
Keeneland Race Course
Keeneland Association, Inc. is an equine business based in Lexington, Kentucky. It includes two distinct divisions: the Keeneland Race Course, a Thoroughbred racing facility, and Keeneland Sales, a horse auction complex. It is also known for its ...
,
Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington is a city in Kentucky, United States that is the county seat of Fayette County, Kentucky, Fayette County. By population, it is the List of cities in Kentucky, second-largest city in Kentucky and List of United States cities by popul ...
during the spring meeting. It currently offers a purse of $350,000.
History
The event is named for
Elkhorn and area which it is believed that
Daniel Boone
Daniel Boone (September 26, 1820) was an American pioneer and frontiersman whose exploits made him one of the first folk heroes of the United States. He became famous for his exploration and settlement of Kentucky, which was then beyond the we ...
took his first steps in what is now Kentucky near present-day Elkhorn City on a hunting expedition.
[Historical Marker Society of America. ] Also the name is synonymous with
Elkhorn Creek, a stream running through several counties in Central Kentucky.
The event was inaugurated on 20 April 1986 and was won by Lieutenant's Lark, starting 10-1 went wire-to-wire with
Frank Lovato Jr. aboard in a time of 1:54 over the miles distance.
[ The event was increased to the current distance of a mile and one half in 1996.]
A Grade III event from 1988 to 1989 and from 1996 to 2007, it was a Grade II event from 1990 to 1995 and in 2008 was returned to its Grade II status.
Several champions have won this event including the 1986 US Champion Male Turf Horse Manila
Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populate ...
in his season debut of 1987[ and the dual ]Breeders' Cup Mile
The Breeders' Cup Mile is a Grade 1 Weight for Age stakes race for thoroughbred racehorses three years old and up, run on a grass course. It has been conducted annually as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships since the event's incept ...
winner Lure who won this event in 1994 easily by four lengths as a short priced favorite.[ Both these champions won the event when it was miles. Chief Bearhart won this event at the miles distance in 1997 en route to becoming ]Canadian Horse of the Year
The Canadian Horse of the Year is a thoroughbred horse racing honour given annually since 1951 by the Jockey Club of Canada. It is the most prestigious honour in Canadian thoroughbred horse racing.
Part of the Sovereign Awards program since 1975, ...
and also US Champion Male Turf Horse.
Records
Speed record
* miles: 2:27.10 – Channel Maker (2022)
* miles: 1:47.00 – Marvin's Faith (IRE) (1995)
Margins
* lengths – Epicentre (2004)
Most wins
* 2 – African Dancer (1998, 1999)
* 2 – Kim Loves Bucky (2002, 2003)
* 2 – Musketier (GER) (2010, 2011)
Most wins by an owner
* 2 – Pin Oak Stable
Josephine Avalona Abercrombie (January 15, 1926 – January 5, 2022) was an American horsewoman, businesswoman, boxing promoter, philanthropist, and founder of The Lexington School in Lexington, Kentucky.
Early life and education
Abercrombie was ...
(1998, 1999)
* 2 – Kim Glenney (2002, 2003)
* 2 – Phipps Stable
Ogden Mills "Dinny" Phipps (September 18, 1940 – April 6, 2016) was an American financier, Thoroughbred racehorse industry executive, and horse breeder. Widely known by the nickname "Dinny," he was chairman of the family's Bessemer Trust until ...
(2008, 2012)
* 2 – Sam-Son Farm
Sam-Son Farm is a Thoroughbred horse racing stable with farms located in Milton, Ontario, Canada and Ocala, Florida. Originating in the 60's by Ernie Samuel, it began as a home for competition hunter/jumper horses. One Sam-Son horse, Canadian C ...
(1997, 2021)
Most wins by a jockey
A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used to describe the individual ...
* 5 – Jerry Bailey
Jerry D. Bailey (born August 29, 1957 in Dallas, Texas) is an Thoroughbred Racing on NBC, NBC Sports thoroughbred racing analyst and a retired American National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, Hall of Fame jockey.
Early years
Bailey was born ...
(1992, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2004)
Most wins by a trainer
* 4 – Roger Attfield
Roger L. Attfield (born 28 November 1939 in Newbury, Berkshire, England) is a Canadian thoroughbred horse trainer and owner and an inductee of both the Canadian and United States horseracing Halls of Fame.
In his native England, Attfield had ...
(2006, 2009, 2010, 2011)
* 4 – Michael J. Maker (2013, 2016, 2019, 2020)
Winners
See also
* List of American and Canadian Graded races
The List of American and Canadian Graded races is a list of Thoroughbred horse races in the United States and Canada that meet the graded stakes standards maintained by the American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders ...
External links
2015 Keeneland Media Guide
References
{{reflist, 2
Graded stakes races in the United States
Grade 2 stakes races in the United States
Turf races in the United States
Flat horse races for four-year-olds
Keeneland horse races
Recurring sporting events established in 1986
1986 establishments in Kentucky