Dixiana Elkhorn Stakes 2014 Contenders & Odds

Las Vegas, NV - The Grade 2 Dixiana Elkhorn Stakes comes our way from Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky this Friday, April 25 - closing day of the Spring 2014 meet. A purse of $250,000 will be on the line for horses four years old and upward willing to go 1 1/2 miles on Keeneland's turf track.

A full field of 14 will line up in the Dixiana Elkhorn - race 9 on Keeneland's Friday card. Post time is 5:13 PM. Let's take a peek into the past performances of all 14 entries for this Grade 2 stakes.

2014 Dixiana Elkhorn Stakes Race Favorite Entries

Forte Dei Marmi - did not finish this race last year and went on to a disappointing ninth in the Grade 2 Dixie Stakes at Pimlico in May. She then reeled off three consecutive stakes scores at Woodbine - the Grade 1 Northern Dancer September 15, the Grade 2 Sky Classic by 2 1/2 lengths and the Grade 3 Singspiel by 6 1/4 lengths July 7. He has fallen back to earth a bit in his last two starts however - a fifth in an Allowance on this track April 5 followed nearly six months off and a seventh in the Grade 1 Pattison Canadian International in October. He is a multiple graded stakes winner and was almost impossible to beat in the summer. He starts from gate 13 with new rider James Graham aboard.

Old Time Hockey - Thomas Proctor trained gelding won the Grade 2 La Jolla Handicap August 11 2012 but hadn't tasted victory since... before his last two starts overall. Last time out was a nice win in the minor Tampa Turf Classic Stakes April 5 after an Allowance Optional Claiming score on that same track March 7. He started his year with a respectable second in the minor Florida Sunshine Millions Turf after a disappointing sixth in the Breeders' Cup Marathon ended an unflattering 2013 campaign in which he placed in one of six starts. He has been looking better the last four months and is a threat to claim his first graded stakes since 2012 Friday. Shaun Brigdmohan has the call from the rail

Dixiana Elkhorn Stakes 2014 | Remaining Contenders

Optimizer - finished eleventh in the 2012 Kentucky Derby and went on to a disappointing eleventh in the Breeders' Cup that year. In 2013 he won the Grade 2 Colonel E.R. Bradley Handicap and the Grade 3 Fair Grounds Handicap February 23 to start his year and stumbled a tad after that only to rebound with a second in the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic at Churchill Downs May 4 - beaten by only reigning Horse of the Year Wise Dan. He followed that with a third in the Grade 2 Dixie Stakes at Pimlico May 18 and continued his good run with another solid result - a second in the Grade 1 Manhattan Handicap behind Point of Entry June 8. Optimizer most recently finished ninth in the Grade 1 Frank E Kilroe Mile March 8 after he recorded a DNF in the Grade 1 Sword Dancer August 17 at Saratoga and a fifth in the Grade 1 Man o' War Stakes July 13. He hasn't tasted victory since February 2013 but he has faced the best in the land and has fared well. Joe Rocco Jr will ride from gate 2.

Temeraine - is coming off an OK third in the Grade 2 San Luis Rey Stakes March 22 after a disappointing seventh in the Grade 2 San Marcos here February 8, a good second behind Lucayan as 7-5 favorite in the Grade 2 Hollywood Turf Cup, an OK fifth in the Grade 1 Pattison Canadian International October 27 and his best career win - in the Grade 3 Kentucky Turf Cup September 14. He also had a respectable fifth in the Grade 1 Arlington Millions August 17 and a very nice second behind Rahystrata in the Grade 3 Arlington Handicap. Temeraine has a win, a second and a third place finish in his last five starts - competitive at times. He starts from gate 5 with Jose Lezcano guiding him.

Amen Kitten - Wesley Ward pupil has 17 starts with two wins, five seconds and three third place finishes. Last time out was a good second in the Grade 2 Mac Diarmida Stakes February 15 to follow a respectable third in the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby December 1, a terrific win in the minor Tropical Park Derby at Calder October 12, a fifth in the Grade 3 Kentucky Turf Cup September 14 and a sixth in the Grade 1 Secretariat Stakes at Arlington Park. He also had an OK third in the minor Kitten's Joy Stakes at Colonial Downs in July. Amen Kitten has a win, a second and a third in his last three starts and looks ready for the challenge Friday. John Velazquez has the call from post 11.

Eagle Poise - has had some good career results - a win in the 2011 Valedictory Stakes being the highlight - he also finished second in that race in 2009. In 2012 he was lightly raced but had a good second in the Grade 2 San Juan Capistrano in between fifth place finished in graded stakes action. He returned to the track August 25 after nearly a year away and finished third in the minor Idle Rich Stakes at Saratoga and has since reeled off three straight second place finishes - last time out in the Grade 3 Valedictory Stakes at Woodbine December 15 followed a second in the Laurel Turf Cup September and another second in the Sycamore Stakes at Keeneland October 17. He has three seconds and a third in his last four starts and hopes to make it a successful 2014 debut. Alex Solis gets the call from post 12.

Dixiana Elkhorn Stakes betting at Keeneland Race Course with OffTrackBetting.com

War Dancer - Kenneth McPeek trained colt has 11 career starts - three MSW races at Gulfstream to start his career with just one win. He won an Allowance in April at Keeneland and went on to a respectable third in the Grade 2 American Turf Stakes May 3. He ended 2013 with an eighth in the Grade 1 Jamaica Handicap at Belmont Park in October after a disappointing sixth in the Grade 1 Travers and his best result by far - an incredible win in the Grade 2 Virginia Derby July 13. In 2014 War Dancer has two starts and two disappointing results - a seventh last time out in the Grade 3 Skip Away Stakes followed a sixth in an Allowance Optional Claiming March 1. Alan Garcia will be in the saddle from the outside post.

Hangover Kid - raced in graded stakes company for the first time and finished a decent third in the Grade 1 United Nations July 6 after 16 career starts produced five wins, four seconds and two third place finishes. He had an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Belmont Park May 30 and a win in the minor West Point Stakes at Saratoga in August but was sixth in the minor Ashely T. Cole Stakes at Belmont Park September 15. Since that sixth Hangover Kid has recorded consecutive seconds - in an Allowance Optional Claiming last time out March 1 at Gulfstream and in the Grade 3 Red Smith Handicap at Aqueduct in November. Hangover Kid has 21 career starts with six wins, six seconds and three third place finishes and enters in decent form. He leaves from post 4 with Julien Leparoux in the saddle.

Suntracer - multiple stakes winner finished third behind Temeraine and Olympic Thunder in the Grade 3 Kentucky Turf Cup but has struggled a tad in four starts since - a fourth in the minor Sycamore Stakes at Keeneland October 7, a seventh in the Grade 3 WL McKnight Handicap at Calder December 28, another fourth in the Grade 2 Mac Diarmida Stakes February 25 and an eighth last time out in the Grade 2 Pan American March 29 at Gulfstream. This summer he had a pair of seconds including the minor American St. Leger Stakes and the Grade 3 Stars and Stripes Stakes July 13 - both results at Arlington Park. Suntracer had two straight minor stakes wins in 2012 as well but hasn't tasted victory since. Robby Albarado hope to right the ship for Suntracer who leaves from post 6.

Unitarian - Todd Pletcher trained colt raced in stakes company last time out and finished a disappointing seventh in the Grade 3 Fair Grounds handicap February 22. Before that was two Allowance Optional Claiming scores at Gulfstream in the winter. He has three wins, three seconds and four third place finishes in 14 career starts and will looking for a first good result in stakes company Friday. Javier Castellano has the call from post 3.

Rapscallion - H Graham Motion trained colt makes his stakes debut after eight career starts yielded two wins, two seconds and two third place finishes. He is coming off an Allowance score on this track April 4 after a fifth in an Allowance Optional Claiming and a third in an Allowance here in October. He makes his huge step up in competition with Jeremy Rose in the saddle from post 7.

Tattenham - Legendary trainer Bill Mott sends out Tattenham off an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Gulfstream January 26 and a second in a similar race January 16. He has two graded stakes races under his belt in nine career starts - a fourth in the Grade 2 Saranac in September and a ninth in the Grade 1 Secretariat in August. He will have Joel Rosario aboard from post 8

Tricky Hat - Shug McGaughey trained gelding has 12 career starts with four wins, a second and four third place finishes - Friday marks his graded stakes debut. He won two straight this past summer including the minor Laurel Turf Cup in September and has since placed in two starts on this track - an Allowance last time out April 5 and in the minor Sycamore Stakes in October. Rosie Napravnik rides from gate 10.

Royal Bench - Irish bred Brenden Walsh trained gelding has just six wins, two seconds and two third place finishes in 26 career starts. He won a MSW race last time out November 10 after a couple of disastrous minor stakes races - a tenth in the Bowl Game Stakes in October and the Laurel Turf Cup in July. Before that was a terrific win in the minor Cape Henlopen Stakes at Delaware Park in August. He makes his North American graded stakes debut Friday having won twice and finished off the board six times in his previous eight starts. Corey Lanerie gets the call from post 9.

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2014 Dixiana Elkhorn Stakes Entries & Odds

Race 9 on Keeneland Race Course's Friday card with a Post Time of 5:13 PM.