Repeat win in Elkhorn a big ask for Itsinthepost

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Since making his first start on this continent nearly three years ago, Itsinthepost has left the comfort of California on two occasions, winning the Grade 2 Elkhorn at Keeneland last spring and running fifth in the Grade 1 United Nations at Monmouth Park last summer.

Now, the gelding makes an encore appearance in the $250,000 Elkhorn Saturday at Keeneland with his career arc having never soared higher. Trained by Jeff Mullins for Red Baron’s Barn LLC, Itsinthepost enters with four Grade 2 victories from his last five starts, the lone defeat coming in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf in November.

And yet those impressive credentials won’t be enough to make him an overwhelming favorite. This 33rd running of the Elkhorn might be one of the deepest ever, with Itsinthepost likely to face stern challenges from the likes of Call Provision, Bullards Alley, One Go All Go, and more.

Itsinthepost, with Tyler Baze back to ride, will break from post 10 in a field of 12 older horses in the Elkhorn, which will be run around three turns at 1 1/2 miles. Since last October, the 6-year-old French-bred gelding has accounted for the John Henry Turf Cup, San Gabriel, San Marcos, and San Luis Rey – all Grade 2 races going 10 furlongs or farther over the Santa Anita turf – while becoming the dominant player in his division out West.

His opposition from this side of the Mississippi should provide a fair gauge on what he’s been beating back home, given how some of them appear to match up well in terms of Beyer Speed Figures and other metrics. Call Provision (post 3, Jose Ortiz), a remarkably consistent New York-bred, is one of those, and he’s liable to be the second wagering choice if only because of how hot his trainer, Chad Brown, has been at this meet.

Call Provision has had eight workouts, beginning in late February, for his first start since the 5-year-old gelding was a fast-closing second in the Grade 3 Red Smith at Aqueduct in November.

“He’s training well, but it’s a lot to ask off a layoff,” said Brown, whose nine victories into Thursday’s action topped the spring-meet trainer standings. “It’s a good starting point for him with limited options available.”

A victory by Call Provision would give Brown the Keeneland record for the most stakes wins (five) at a single meet, as he is tied with these other trainers with four wins: Ben Jones (1948 spring), Todd Pletcher (2011 spring), D. Wayne Lukas (1994 fall and 1995 fall), Mark Casse (2016 fall), and Graham Motion (2016 fall).

Brown’s stakes triumphs this meet have come with Analyze It (Transylvania), Good Magic (Blue Grass), Rushing Fall (Appalachian), and Sistercharlie (Jenny Wiley).

One Go All Go (post 7, Chris Landeros), an unabashed front-runner, came to hand for trainer Scooter Dickey during a busy winter campaign at Gulfstream Park. From six starts there, the 6-year-old Virginia-bred finished second four times, including in three Grade 2 races: the Fort Lauderdale, Mac Diarmida, and Pan American.

“He’s training so good, I wish the race was right this minute,” Dickey joked early Thursday. “We’re ready.”

Bullards Alley (post 9, Corey Lanerie) has gone winless while running respectably in four starts since his 114 Beyer in winning the Grade 1 Canadian International last fall became an outlier for the ages. Trainer Tim Glyshaw said a softer course than what the 6-year-old gelding competed over at Gulfstream should help him Saturday.

“I think he’s going to run a much-improved race,” said Glyshaw.

Other considerations in a strong cast include Hayabusa One (post 12, Victor Espinoza), second to Itsinthepost in the San Marcos and San Luis Rey for trainer Peter Miller; Canessar (post 6, Ricardo Santana Jr.), a sharp winner of the Laurel Turf Cup last September in his North American debut; Oscar Nominated (post 2, Joel Rosario), a multiple graded winner and earner of more than $1.4 million; and Some In Tieme (post 1), whose Brazilian jockey, Jorge Ricardo, is the all-time world leader with nearly 13,000 wins.

Completing the field are Danish Dynaformer, Dot Matrix, Hunter O’Riley, and Big Bend.

The Elkhorn, named for an 86-mile-long central Kentucky stream, is the ninth of 10 Saturday races. First post is 1:05 p.m. Eastern, with the feature set for 5:30. The day starts with a $10,000 claimer on the main track at the infrequently run distance of 1 3/16 miles and winds through back-to-back allowances (races 7 and 8) preceding the Elkhorn.

After Saturday, only one stakes remains on the spring schedule: the Grade 3 Bewitch, which helps close out the 16-day meet next Friday. Churchill Downs begins its spring meet the following evening.