Taghleeb, Bigger Picture among four Maker will run in Elkhorn Stakes

Trainer Mike Maker holds a strong hand with four of the 11 older turf horses entered in the weekend feature at Keeneland, the Grade 2, $250,000 Elkhorn Stakes on Saturday.

Maker has the quartet of Taghleeb, Bigger Picture, Roman Approval, and Charming Kitten in the 32nd running of the Elkhorn, a 1 1/2-mile turf race carded as the ninth of 10 races. Taghleeb won the Grade 3 W.L. McKnight Handicap at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 28, and Bigger Picture won the Grade 3 John B. Connally Turf Cup at Sam Houston the following day.

From the hedge, this is the Elkhorn field: Interpol, Danish Dynaformer, Red Rifle, Itsinthepost, Bigger Picture, Bullards Alley, Grey Wizard, Taghleeb, Charming Kitten, Roman Approval, and Chocolate Ride.

Chocolate Ride, a multiple graded stakes winner at shorter races on turf, will be making an interesting stretch-out to three turns for trainer Brad Cox.