The Elkhorn Stakes is a Grade II American Thoroughbred horse race for four-year-olds and older over a distance of 1+1⁄2 miles on the turf held annually in early April at Keeneland Race Course, Lexington, Kentucky during the spring meeting.
[1] Also the name is synonymous with Elkhorn Creek, a stream running through several counties in Central Kentucky.
The event was inaugurated on 20 April 1986 and was won by Lieutenant's Lark, starting 10-1 went wire-to-wire with Frank Lovato Jr. aboard in a time of 1:543⁄5 over the 1+1⁄8 miles distance.
[4] Several champions have won this event including the 1986 US Champion Male Turf Horse Manila in his season debut of 1987[5] and the dual Breeders' Cup Mile winner Lure who won this event in 1994 easily by four lengths as a short priced favorite.
Chief Bearhart won this event at the 1+1⁄2 miles distance in 1997 en route to becoming Canadian Horse of the Year and also US Champion Male Turf Horse.