Unitarian Aims for Second Elkhorn Victory

Robert Evans' Unitarian will attempt to become the fourth horse to win the $250,000 Dixiana Elkhorn (gr. IIT) in consecutive years April 18, when he faces 10 rivals at Keeneland in the 30th running of the 1 1/2-mile turf event.

The Dixiana Elkhorn will go as the ninth race on Saturday's 10-race program with a 5:13 p.m. ET post time.

Trained by Todd Pletcher, Unitarian comes into the Dixiana Elkhorn off a victory in the two-mile H. Allen Jerkens Stakes at Gulfstream Park Jan. 31. Javier Castellano, who was aboard the 5-year-old son of Pulpit that day and also for the Dixiana Elkhorn triumph last year, has the riding assignment Saturday and will break from post 4.

The other back-to-back winners of the Dixiana Elkhorn are African Dancer (1998-1999), Kim Loves Bucky (2002-2003) and Musketier   (2010-2011).

In Unitarian's most recent Keeneland race, he was fifth in the Sycamore (gr. IIIT), the fall meet's equivalent of the Elkhorn. The winner that day was Augustin Stable's 5-year-old Harlan's Holiday runner Holiday Star, who will make his 2015 debut Saturday.

Trained by Graham Motion, Holiday Star will break from post 6 under Rajiv Maragh.

Among those entered are Calumet Farm's Optimizer, making his first start since a seventh in the Shadwell Turf Mile (gr. IT) last October at Keeneland; 2013 Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I) winner Java's War; grade II winner Cary Street; and grade III winner Dynamic Sky.