Keeneland barn notes: Utah Beach seeks Elkhorn repeat

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• DEFENDING CHAMPION UTAH BEACH HEADS OVERFLOW FIELD IN VISITLEX ELKHORN
• BEN ALI FEATURES 2025 REMATCH
• BELLA BALLERINA WORKS TOWARD KENTUCKY OAKS START
• PLANS FOR MAKER’S MARK MILE WINNER ZULU KINGDOM (IRE) AND OTHER STARTERS
• DIFFERENT PATHS FOR FANDUEL LIMESTONE TOP THREE FINISHERS
• PROSPECTIVE FIELDS FOR UPCOMING STAKES
• SECOND WEEK SPECIAL EVENTS
• SPRING MEET LEADERS

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Barn notes by Keeneland’s publicity department (Coady Media/Maddy Becker photo above of Utah Beach’s 2025 victory in the VisitLEX Elkhorn)

DEFENDING CHAMPION UTAH BEACH HEADS OVERFLOW FIELD
IN VISITLEX ELKHORN

Jeffrey Amling and Merriebelle Stable’s Utah Beach returns to defend his title in a field of 12 plus one also-eligible entered Saturday for the 41st running of the $400,000 VisitLEX Elkhorn (G2) for 4-year-olds and up going 1½ miles on the turf.

The VisitLEX Elkhorn will go as the 10th race on the April 18 11-race program with a 5:48 p.m. post time.

Trained by Brendan Walsh, Utah Beach will attempt to become the fourth horse to win this race in consecutive years. The others are Musketier (GER) in 2010-2011, Kim Loves Bucky (2002-2003) and African Dancer (1998-1999).

A two-time graded stakes winner, Utah Beach will be ridden by Ben Curtis from post 3.

Among Utah Beach’s challengers is Whitham Thoroughbreds’ 2025 Toyota Blue Grass (G1) winner Burnham Square.

Trained by Ian Wilkes, Burnham Square made the move to the grass last summer with a runner-up finish in the DK Horse Nashville Derby Invitational (G3) at Kentucky Downs and followed that with a runner-up finish six months later in his 2026 debut.

Brian Hernandez Jr. has the mount from post 6.

Field for the $400,000 VisitLEX Elkhorn (G2)
4-year-olds and up, 1½ miles (turf)
Race 10, 4:48 p.m.

BEN ALI FEATURES 2025 REMATCH

Tennessee Lamb and San Siro will square off again April 18  in the 95th running of the $350,000 Ben Ali (G3) going 1 3/16 miles on the main track.

The Ben Ali will go as the ninth race on next Saturday’s 11-race program with a 5:16 p.m. post time.

Trained by Rusty Arnold or owner Calumet Farm, Tennessee Lamb returned from a nine-month layoff in a sprint at Gulfstream Park on March 1. Axel Concepcion has the mount from post 3.

Three horses have won the Ben Ali in consecutive years with the most recent being Aspro (1983-1984).

San Siro, owned by the partnership of Andrew Farm, Mountmellick Farm, Ocean Reef Racing, White Mountain Stables and Stonecrest Farm, finished third in the Essex (G3) at Oaklawn Park in his most recent start. Trained by Brendan Walsh, San Siro will exit post 5 under Tyler Gaffalione.

Invading from the West Coast is Slam Dunk Racing, Debby Baltas and Cynthia McClanahan’s British Isles.

Trained by Richard Baltas, British Isles won the Santa Anita Handicap (G1) Presented by Yaamava’ Resorts & Casino at San Manuel on March 7. John Velazquez has the mount from post 4.

Field for the $350,000 Ben Ali (G3)
4-year-olds and up, 1 3/16 miles
Race 9, 5:16 p.m.

BELLA BALLERINA WORKS TOWARD KENTUCKY OAKS START

Godolphin’s Bella Ballerina, winner of the Golden Rod (G2) and the Rachel Alexandra (G2), continued her preparations for an expected run in the $1.5 million Kentucky Oaks (G1) by working 5 furlongs in 1:01.80 in company Saturday morning over a fast track at Keeneland.

(Click here for a video of the work.)

Runner-up in the Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) in her most recent start for trainer Brendan Walsh, Bella Ballerina had worked a half-mile in :48.20 here last Saturday.

“It was a great work and she was very comfortable behind horses,” Walsh said of the move in which Bella Ballerina rated behind workmates Diamond Eyed Jack and Get Them Roses. “She will have one more work here next week and then her final work at Churchill Downs.”

Bella Ballerina is a half-sister to Pretty Mischievous, the champion 3-year-old filly of 2023 trained by Walsh. She is following a similar path that Pretty Mischievous took to winning the Kentucky Oaks that spring, having won the Rachel Alexandra and being runner-up in the Fair Grounds Oaks.

Tyler Gaffalione, who was aboard for the Oaks victory, has been the regular pilot for Bella Ballerina  including this morning’s work.

“Today was very similar to last week sitting behind horses,” Gaffalione said. “She followed all my cues this morning. She is a lot like her sister and both are very classy.”

PLANS FOR MAKER’S MARK MILE WINNER ZULU KINGDOM (IRE)
AND OTHER STARTERS

Friday was a milestone day on many fronts for the Chad Brown barn at Keeneland.

Minutes after Resolute Will delivered career victory 2,999 for Brown at Aqueduct, Zulu Kingdom (IRE) scored a front-running victory in the $650,000 Maker’s Mark Mile (G1) at Keeneland.

“The boss was very happy,” assistant Baldo Hernandez said Saturday morning. “And Zulu Kingdom, he is very good this morning.”

Owned by the partnership of Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb, William Strauss and Michael Caruso, Zulu Kingdom gave Brown his 52nd Keeneland stakes victory, a figure that moves him into a tie with Bill Mott for second all time behind only Todd Pletcher (75). Thirty-two of those victories have come in Grade 1 tests.

Hernandez said Zulu Kingdom probably would go to New York with the $300,000 Poker (G3) on June 7 at Saratoga as a possible target.

The next immediate target for the stable is the quest for win No. 3,001. At Keeneland this afternoon, Team Brown will try for another Grade 1 win in the $650,000 Jenny Wiley with Dynamic Pricing (IRE) and Segesta.

Zulu Kingdom finished three-quarters of a length in front of a fast-closing One Stripe (SAF).

“It would have been nice to get a Grade 1,” trainer Graham Motion said about One Stripe. “He’s a good horse — the real deal. I think he will stretch out and eventually go back to South Africa and be a stallion.”

Motion ruled out possibly coming back May 2 for the $1.5 million Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic (G1) at Churchill Downs for One Stripe, owned by Hollywood Racing and Rikesh Sewgoolam.

“I have Test Score for that,” Motion said. “It is too quick for One Stripe. There are not a lot of Grade 1s going a mile, and I’d like to be back here in six months (for the Breeders’ Cup Oct. 30-31).”

Also eyeing the Breeders’ Cup is trainer Will Walden with Gary Barber, Cheyenne Stable and Wachtel Stable’s Rhetorical, who finished third beaten 1¼ lengths behind Zulu Kingdom.

“All in all, it was a good start back and we will circle the Breeders’ Cup and work back from there,” Walden said of Rhetorical, who was making his first start since finishing fourth behind future champion Notable Speech (GB) in the FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) Presented by PDJF at Del Mar.

“He beat Notable Speech (who was fourth in the Maker’s Mark Mile) yesterday, but I would have liked to have beaten the other two,” Walden added. “He was a little compromised by the slow pace and I don’t think he liked being caught down on the inside.”

Walden said the Poker was a possibility for Rhetorical’s next start, noting that “we’re not ruling anything out.”

Godolphin’s Notable Speech and Aomori City (FR) are scheduled to fly back to England on Sunday.

Notable Speech was checked several times in the stretch behind a tiring Aomori City.

“It is racing and things like that happen,” said Chris Connett, assistant to trainer Charlie Appleby. “It happens to everybody else a thousand times over. Notable Speech ate up last night and came out of it well. He came back safe and sound, and that’s the main thing.”

Tentative plans call for Notable Speech to return to North America for the Rogers Mile (G1) at Woodbine in September followed by a return trip to Keeneland for the Breeders’ Cup.

Aomori City finished sixth of seven but was beaten only 3 lengths.

“He stayed on but he may not be at the top level,” Connett said. “I am sure Charlie will find some spots for him.”

DIFFERENT PATHS FOR FANDUEL LIMESTONE TOP THREE FINISHERS

Flying Dutchmen Breeding and Racing’s Slay the Day has found a home sprinting on the grass with the validation coming Friday in her victory in the FanDuel Limestone (G3).

“Credit to Hunter Rankin,” trainer Brian Lynch said of part of the ownership group. “He always thought sprinting on the grass would be her game and she really stepped up.”

Slay the Day had made her first three starts on the dirt before moving to the turf.

“She drew off by 4 lengths going 5 furlongs and that is hard to do,” Lynch said of the initial grass foray.

Next for Slay the Day could be the $300,000 Mamzelle (G3) Presented by Kentucky Proud on April 30 at Churchill Downs.

“She didn’t turn a hair after the race and it makes you think if one could come back in three weeks, it might be her,” Lynch said.

Three Diamonds Farm’s Sapphire Beach (IRE), runner-up to Slay the Day, will bypass the Mamzelle, according to trainer Rusty Arnold.

“She came out of the race fine, but no Mamzelle,” Arnold said. “It will probably be five or six weeks before we run her back.”

Medallion Racing, Swinbank Stables, Joey Platts and Mark Stanton’s Cy Fair, winner of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1), finished third beaten a length in her 2026 debut for trainer George Weaver.

“She caught a hot pace in her first start back but only got beat a length,” said Blair Golen, assistant to Weaver. “There are a lot of options. We’ll look at the numbers and go from there.”

PROSPECTIVE FIELDS FOR UPCOMING STAKES

Entries taken Sunday. Race is Sunday, April 19.

$300,000 PALISADES (L) – Bronze Bullet (Jose D’Angelo), Crossingthechannel (Mike Trombetta), Intricate Spirit (Miguel Clement), Monster (D’Angelo), Shipmate (Nolan Ramsey), Throckmorton (D’Angelo), Twilight Delight (Daniel Leitch), Walter the Mason (Greg Green). Possible: I C Light (Mark Casse), Reb Five (Casse).

SECOND WEEK SPECIAL EVENTS

Year-round

Official Keeneland Tours. Click here for availability and to purchase. 

Keeneland Library is presenting the free exhibit Raices: The Making of Latino Legacies in Racing, a which highlights 100 trailblazing Latino men and women whose contributions have shaped Thoroughbred racing and breeding from the late 1800s to today.

The Library is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Enter Keeneland at Gate 1 on Keeneland Blvd. and take the first right on Entertainment Ct. The Library is to the left of the Keene Barn and Entertainment Center.

Spring Meet

The Keeneland Shop isopen from 9 a.m. to 30 minutes following the final race and on Mondays and Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. On race days, Milliners Corner, Wagering Central and Finish Line locations will be open. 

Milliners Corner near The Keeneland Shop will feature Hats Off by Helen (April 11).

Friday, Saturday and Sunday

The Hill. No ticket or reservation is required for tailgating on The Hill, located adjacent to the Keene Barn & Entertainment Center and accessible via Gate 1 (at Man o’ War Blvd.) or Gate 4 (off Van Meter Road on the east side of Keeneland). The Hill is open from 8 a.m. to 60 minutes after the final race. Amenities are available from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

Saturday

Keeneland Library Exhibit Companian Book Signing. On the North Terrace from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., meet some of the people featured in Keeneland Library’s current exhibit, Raices: The Making of Latino Legacies in Racing. Books are $10 each with all proceeds benefiting the Keeneland Library Foundation. (Cash only. Patrons are required to have a race meet ticket to attend the booksigning.)

Grade 1 Gamble. Keeneland hosts this signature handicapping contest of the Spring Meet with the cooperation of XpressBet, NYRABets, 4NJ Bets, HPI and TVG on the day of the Jenny Wiley (G1) and the Stonestreet Lexington (G3). The contest will be held in the Dogwood Room in Keeneland’s new Paddock Building.

Sunday

Heroes Day. This event honors members of the military (active duty and veterans), first responders and community heroes with programming tied to Lexington Navy Week.

SPRING MEET LEADERS

Through April 10 (5 days of 15-day season)

Irad Ortiz Jr. and John Velazquez have five wins each.

Rusty Arnold, Brad Cox, Brian Lynch
and Bill Mott have four wins apiece.