Stars and Stripes waves proudly in Ben Ali victory

Whitham Thoroughbreds’ homebred Burnham Square romped to a stakes-record 9¾-length victory in the 41st running of the $400,000 VisitLEX Elkhorn (G2) for 4-year-olds and up Saturday afternoon at Keeneland.

In the race preceding the VisitLEX Elkhorn, Frassetto Stables’ Stars and Stripes wore down stablemate Batten Down to win the 95th running of the $350,000 Ben Ali (G3) for 4-year-olds and up.

In the VisitLEX Elkhorn, 2025 race winner Utah Beach and Navy Seal (IRE) led the field through fractions of :24.49, :50.28 and 1:16.01 while Burnham Square raced near the back of the pack.

The top two leaders were unchanged after a mile in 1:41.78 but Brian Hernandez Jr. began picking his way through horses on Burnham Square. At the top of the stretch, Burnham Square swung five wide with a full head of steam, burst to the front at the three-sixteenths pole and drew off.

The previous largest margin of victory in the race was 4¾ lengths established in 2004 by Epicentre.

Trained by Ian Wilkes, Burnham Square completed the mile and a half on a firm turf course in 2:32.55.

Winner of Keeneland’s Toyota Blue Grass (G1) on dirt last spring, Burnham Square is a 4-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Liam’s Map out of the Scat Daddy mare Linda. Now a three-time graded stakes winner, Burnham Square improved his record to 12-4-4-1 and his earnings to $1,988,645 with Saturday’s $229,400 check.

Favored in the field of 11, Burnham Square returned $4.56, $2.96 and $2.62. Desvio rallied from far back to get second under John Velazquez to pay $7.66 and $5.54 and finish three-quarters of a length in front of Navy Seal, who paid $13.02 to show under Gerardo Corrales.

It was another 1¼ lengths back to Tawny Port with Truly Quality, Utah Beach, Anegada, Freedom’s Way, Fleetfoot (IRE), Presider and Grand Sonata following in order.

Stars and Stripes waves proudly in Ben Ali victory

In the Ben Ali, Stars and Stripes got a ground-saving trip from Luis Saez in the early going, swung four wide at the top of the stretch and surged past Batten Down at the sixteenth pole to capture his graded stakes debut.

Trained by Bill Mott, Stars and Stripes completed the mile and three-sixteenths in 1:58.34 over a fast main track. The victory is the second in the race for Saez, who won aboard Kingsbarns in 2024.

Batten Down led the field unopposed through fractions of :23.93, :48.78 and 1:13.09. Going into the far turn, British Isles, Rattle N Roll and Awesome Aaron closed in on the leader while Saez bided his time before moving off the inside.

Batten Down maintained his advantage to midstretch, where he was collared by Stars and Stripes. Stars and Stripes pushed by for good at the sixteenth pole.

A Keeneland sales graduate, Stars and Stripes is a 4-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Not This Time out of the Quality Road mare Pearl River. Stars and Stripes improved his record to 7-4-1-1 and improved his earnings to $429,533 with Saturday’s $208,863 check.

Sent off as the favorite in the field of eight, Stars and Stripes returned $5.30, $3.10 and $2.44. Batten Down, also trained by Mott and ridden by Flavien Prat, returned $4.24 and $3.16 and finished a length in front of San Siro, who paid $3.78 to show under Tyler Gaffalione.

It was another length back to Awesome Aaron, who was followed in order by Rattle N Roll, British Isles, Tennessee Lamb and Guns and Glory.

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Racing continues Sunday with a nine-race program beginning at 1 p.m. and featuring the $300,000 Palisades (L) for 3-year-olds going 5½ furlongs on the grass. Post time for the Palisades, the eighth of the afternoon, is 4:44 p.m.