Say the Word Faces Weighty Assignment in Elkhorn
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Photo: Michael Burns
Say the Word wins the Northern Dancer Stakes at Woodbine
Grade 1 winner and 2020 Canadian champion turf male Say the Word will carry the most weight of 10 older horses in the $200,000 Elkhorn Stakes (G2T) April 17 at Keeneland. Under the race conditions, the 6-year-old More Than Ready gelding totes 123 pounds, three to five more pounds than his rivals.
His current form may be enough to offset it. He comes off a narrow defeat to United in the March 20 San Luis Rey Stakes (G3T) at Santa Anita Park, run at the Elkhorn distance of 1 1/2 miles.
Sam-Son Farm homebred Say the Word rallied to win the Northern Dancer Turf Stakes Presented by Pattison (G1T) for trainer Gail Cox last fall when racing 1 1/2 miles at Woodbine. He has made three starts for trainer Phil D'Amato since Agave Racing Stable joined the ownership following Say the Word's grade 1 win.
Two starts back Say the Word tired to finish 11th in the Jan. 23 Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes (G1T) at Gulfstream Park but regained his form in the San Luis Rey to miss by three-quarters of a length.
"We learned from the Pegasus: We took him out of his style and he didn't like it," D'Amato said. "Just let him do his thing early and let him fly home late. I imagine that is what he will do Saturday."
Luis Saez will ride Say the Word from post 2 in the Elkhorn.
Cross Border trains ahead of his third place finish in the Pegasus World Cup Turf at Gulfstream Park
To Say the Word's inside breaking from the rail will be Three Diamonds Farm's Cross Border , who will carry 120 pounds. The 7-year-old English Channel ridgling has placed in his last four starts and was most recently third as the favorite after breaking a step slow in the March 27 Pan American Stakes Presented by Rood and Riddle (G2T), also 1 1/2 miles, at Gulfstream. Prior to that, he was third at 14-1 in the Pegasus World Cup Turf.
Cross Border was productive last summer at Saratoga Race Course, winning the Bowling Green Stakes (G2T) and finishing second in the Sword Dancer Stakes (G1T). The Mike Maker trainee will be ridden by Tyler Gaffalione for the third straight race Saturday.
The remaining entrants will carry 118 pounds.
Maker, a four-time Elkorn winner, has two other entries: Michael Hui's Monarchs Glen and Three Diamonds Farm's Tide of the Sea .
Trinity Farm's Red Knight will make his 7-year-old debut in the Elkhorn. The Pure Prize gelding trained by Bill Mott wrapped up 2020 with a half-length defeat to North Dakota in the Nov. 21 Red Smith Stakes (G3T) at Aqueduct Racetrack after a two-length victory in the Oct. 15 Sycamore Stakes (G3T), also run at 1 1/2 miles at Keeneland. James Graham has the mount from the outside post.
Joseph Allen's North Dakota is also back in the Elkhorn. The Medaglia d'Oro son was fourth in the Sycamore before turning the tables in the Red Smith. He made his 5-year-old debut for trainer Shug McGaughey in the Pegasus World Cup Turf but only got up for 10th after a slow start. John Velazquez will be aboard from post 7.
Bloom Racing Stable and I. C. Racing's Fantasioso , a multiple group 3 winner and group 1-placed in his native Argentina, makes his stateside debut.
"It is a tough race to come back in, but I waited for Keeneland because he needs a mile and a half,” trainer Ignacio Correas IV said about the Elkhorn. “I expect a good race from him. The long stretch here will help.”
Epic Bromance , Crafty Daddy , and Channel Cat complete the field.
Keeneland, Saturday, April 17, 2021, Race 9Entries: Elkhorn S. (G2T)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Cross Border (NY)
Tyler Gaffalione
120
Michael J. Maker
4/1
2
2Say the Word (ON)
Luis Saez
123
Philip D'Amato
7/2
3
3Crafty Daddy (KY)
Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr.
118
Kenneth G. McPeek
15/1
4
4Epic Bromance (KY)
Chris Landeros
118
Mark E. Casse
12/1
5
5Monarchs Glen (GB)
Joel Rosario
118
Michael J. Maker
12/1
6
6Tide of the Sea (KY)
Gerardo Corrales
118
Michael J. Maker
4/1
7
7North Dakota (KY)
John R. Velazquez
118
Claude R. McGaughey III
10/1
8
8Fantasioso (ARG)
Rafael Bejarano
118
Ignacio Correas, IV
20/1
9
9Channel Cat (KY)
Corey J. Lanerie
118
Jack Sisterson
10/1
10
10Red Knight (NY)
James Graham
118
William I. Mott
3/1
