Limited Liability Favored in Full Elkhorn Field

An overflow field of 12 is entered for a three-turn journey around the Keeneland turf course April 19 in the stamina-testing $400,000 Elkhorn Stakes (G2T). Although for the favorite, Limited Liability , the 1 1/2-mile distance could be just a touch too short.

Stuart Janney III's 6-year-old homebred is 0-for-4 at the distance but has hit the board in each start, including just a neck defeat when third last time out in the Jan. 25 William L. McKnight Stakes (G3T) at Gulfstream Park.

His biggest success to date came at the daunting 2 1/16-mile distance of the Nashville Gold Cup Stakes at Kentucky Downs in September. Establishing an early command, victory was never in doubt as he triumphed by 8 1/4 lengths.

Trainer Shug McGaughey should feel confident in this being the proper spot to finally break the Kitten's Joy gelding's 1 1/2-mile maiden as it comes on a surface he is quite familiar with, taking two of three previous starts.

Jeffrey Amling and Merriebelle Stable's Utah Beach  holds the distinction of being the field's lone multi-winner over the distance on turf, taking a pair of 1 1/2-mile allowance races—one of which was at Keeneland—last spring. Ninth beaten just 3 1/2 lengths in the McKnight, he enters as a 20-1 longshot for trainer Ignacio Correas IV after finishing fourth on Turfway Park's Tapeta surface in the 1 1/8-mile Kentucky Cup Classic Stakes (G3) March 22.

Whisper Hill Farm's Grand Sonata  gets back to the 1 1/2-mile distance at which he won the Kentucky Turf Cup Stakes (G2T) at Kentucky Downs last year. After finishing 11th in the Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T), the Todd Pletcher trainee was off the board in a pair of 1 1/8-mile stakes at Gulfstream before just missing by a head when stretching back to three turns in the 1 3/8-mile Mac Diarmida Stakes (G2T) March 1.

The Diarmida was disastrous for Bee Zee, Lanes End Racing, St. Elias Stables, Edward Babington, Edward Hudson Jr., and Lynne Hudson's Missed the Cut , who lost all chance in the first turn as he had to check hard and was shuffled back to last. However, the Quality Road   6-year-old made the most of his first start for trainer Cherie DeVaux by rallying late get beat just 2 1/2 lengths while sixth. DeVaux also trains Rebel Red , who breaks from the rail, for John Gunther and Eurowest Bloodstock Services.

Video: Mac Diarmida S. presented by FanDuel TV (G2T)

Trainer Phil D’Amato ships in Little Red Feather Racing, Madaket Stables, and Old Bones Racing Stable’s Balnikhov , most recently 10th in the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes (G1T), for his first start at Keeneland since winning the 2022 Bryan Station Stakes (G3T). With Florent Geroux taking over the reins, he’ll need to overcome the far outside post.

Directly to his inside is JD Thoroughbreds and Wayne Scherr’s Idratherbeblessed , who could set the tempo after a front-running triumph at 86-1 in the Muniz Memorial Classic Stakes (G2T). He’s listed at just 20-1 on the morning line for trainer Chris Hartman.