Canadian Champion Say The Word in formidable presence in Elkhorn

Another horse who was honored last night with a Sovereign Award as a Canadian champion and is entered to race at Keeneland Saturday is Say the Word, who will make his fourth start for trainer Phil D’Amato in the 36^th running of the $200,000 Elkhorn (G2) going 1½ miles on the grass.

After Say the Word won the Northern Dancer Turf (G1) Presented by Pattison at Woodbine last October for trainer Gail Cox and owner-breeder Sam-Son Farm, Agave Racing Stable of Mark Martinez purchased an interest in the gelding from Sam-Son.

“I give my input to Agave, but this was all Mark,” D’Amato said. “I was just lucky enough to get him. He is a Grade 1 winner and I just try to do as good a job as the previous trainer.”

It did not take long for Say the Word to make his presence felt in D’Amato’s barn.

“He is one of the barn favorites,” D’Amato said from his home base at Santa Anita, where Say the Word has been based since December. “(We) just keep feeding him peppermints and keep him happy and healthy.”

For D’Amato, Say the Word was a close third in the Hollywood Turf Cup (G2) at Del Mar and in his most recent start was runner-up in the San Luis Rey (G3) at Santa Anita. In between those races was an 11^th-place finish in the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream Park.

“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.”

Now 6, Say the Word will be making his third Keeneland start on Saturday. He notched his first career victory here April 27, 2018, and a year later finished third in a 1-mile allowance test under the tutelage of Graham Motion.

“I had to look way down in his past performances (to find the Keeneland starts),” D’Amato said. “That’s good. It shows he likes the course.”

Say the Word has raced at 11 tracks in his career. D’Amato hopes a return to Del Mar in the fall is in the cards.

“He has rattled off a couple of triple-digit Beyer (speed figures) and that says a lot about him and suggests he fits,” D’Amato said. “We are hoping for the Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) and he showed ability at Del Mar and that is a good gauge.”